流光溢彩 (liú guāng yì cǎi) — (idiom) brilliant lights and vibrant colors; a dazzling display of light and color

Definition

A vivid chengyu describing a dazzling display of flowing light and brilliant color — typically used to praise festivals, lantern shows, or stage performances, not people.

idiom
brilliant lights and vibrant colorsa dazzling display of light and color

Examples

  • 流光溢彩，。
    Yè wǎn de chéng shì liú guāng yì cǎi, fēi cháng měi lì.
    The city at night is dazzling with brilliant lights and colors, very beautiful.
  • 流光溢彩，。
    Chūn jié de dēng huì liú guāng yì cǎi, xī yǐn le wú shù yóu kè.
    The Spring Festival lantern show was a brilliant display of light and color, attracting countless tourists.
  • ，。
    Wǔ tái shàng liú guāng yì cǎi, guān zhòng dōu kàn dāi le.
    The stage was dazzling with flowing lights and vibrant colors; the audience was mesmerized.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

流光flowing light
流liúflowing光guānglight
偏正Modifier + head
溢彩overflowing color
溢yìoverflowing彩cǎicolor
偏正Modifier + head

The image of 流光, light that flows, paired with 溢彩, color that overflows, gives a dazzling display.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 火火huǒfire
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

Open 光 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

溢 is built from 氵, water, and 益, to increase, so it shows water rising and spilling over its edge.

Open 溢 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
采
采cǎi彩cǎi
Same sound today

彩 puts 采, which gives the sound, next to 彡, the three-stroke mark that carries the meaning.

Open 彩 →

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