灯红酒绿

燈紅酒綠

dēnghóng-jiǔlǜ

idiom #40,775

Meanings

HSK 7-9

他厌倦了灯红酒绿的生活，回到乡下种地。

Tā yànjuàn le dēnghóngjiǔlǜ de shēnghuó, huídào xiāngxià zhòngdì.

Tired of the decadent nightlife, he went back to the countryside to farm.

HSK 7-9

上海外滩到了晚上灯红酒绿，热闹非凡。

Shànghǎi Wàitān dào le wǎnshàng dēnghóngjiǔlǜ, rènào fēifán.

At night the Shanghai Bund glitters with lights and wine, bustling beyond compare.

history

From Wu Jianren's 吴趼人 Qing-dynasty novel 《二十年目睹之怪现状》, where a character debates phrasing and chooses 灯红酒绿 to describe extravagant scenes.

Usually carries a critical or moralistic tone - implies hedonism, not just lively. To describe a fun night out neutrally, use 热闹 instead.

灯 dēng

红 hóng

酒 jiǔ

绿 lǜ