轩然大波 (xuān rán dà bō) — a great uproar, a huge controversy

Definition

A chengyu for a great uproar or controversy, used when one event triggers intense public reaction. The image is of a single stone raising towering waves.

idiom
a great uproara huge controversy

Examples

  • 轩然大波。
    Zhè jiàn shì zài gōng sī lǐ yǐn qǐ le xuān rán dà bō.
    This matter caused a huge uproar in the company.
  • 轩然大波。
    Tā de yán lùn zài shè huì shàng xiān qǐ le xuān rán dà bō.
    His remarks stirred up a great controversy in society.
  • 轩然大波。
    Nà piān bào dào yǐn fā le méi tǐ jiè de xuān rán dà bō.
    That report triggered a mighty uproar in the media world.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

轩然towering
轩xuānhigh然ránstate
偏正Modifier + head
大波great waves
大dàgreat波bōwaves
偏正Modifier + head

“轩然” towering and “大波” big waves together describe a great disturbance.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軒; 轩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
干
干gān軒xuān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軒 pairs 車 (carriage) with 干 as a sound part; the simplified 轩 is a later shorthand.

Open 轩 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí波bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

Open 波 →

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