除却巫山不是云

除卻巫山不是雲

chúquèwūshānbùshìyún

phrase

Meanings

1 apart from the clouds of Mount Wu, no clouds are worth seeing
2 after knowing a true love, no one else compares
3 (lit.) except for Mt Wu, those are not clouds

Characters

except / remove

(classical) to push away / apart from

(in placename 巫山) Wu

Examples

自从她走后，他再未动过心——真是除却巫山不是云。

Zìcóng tā zǒu hòu, tā zài wèi dòngguò xīn — zhēnshì chúquè Wūshān bùshì yún.

Since she left, his heart has never stirred again — truly, no other clouds compare to Mount Wu's.

吃过地道川菜，再尝其他便觉除却巫山不是云。

Chīguò dìdào Chuāncài, zài cháng qítā biàn jué chúquè Wūshān bùshì yún.

Having tasted authentic Sichuan food, everything else pales — no other clouds compare.

Tips

history

From Yuan Zhen's (元稹, Tang) 《离思五首·其四》: 曾经沧海难为水，除却巫山不是云。(Having known the vast sea, no water impresses; apart from Mt Wu's clouds, nothing is truly cloud.) Written in mourning for his late wife Wei Cong (韦丛). Mt Wu clouds allude to the erotic 'clouds and rain' imagery from Song Yu's 《高唐赋》.

usage

Often quoted alongside its partner line 曾经沧海难为水. 巫山 is Wūshān (Mt Wu in Chongqing), not to be confused with 巫 as 'witch.' Used for incomparable love, taste, or experience.

Stroke Order

除 chú

却 què

巫 wū

山 shān

不 bù

是 shì

云 yún