灯红酒绿

燈紅酒綠

dēnghóng-jiǔlǜ

idiom #40,775

Meanings

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.

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