TongTong
Sign in

桃花运 (táo huā yùn) — luck in love (especially for men); period of romantic luck (in Chinese folk astrology)

Definition

From Chinese folk astrology: a period when the opposite sex is drawn to you, especially a man attracting many admirers. Short-lived — usually a passing streak, not a permanent trait.

noun
luck in love (especially for men)period of romantic luck (in Chinese folk astrology)

Examples

  • 桃花运，。
    Tā zuì jìn táo huā yùn hěn hǎo, hěn duō nǚ shēng dōu xǐ huan tā.
    He's been very lucky in love recently; many girls like him.
  • 桃花运，。
    Tīng shuō jīn nián shì nǐ de táo huā yùn nián, nǐ yào bǎ wò jī huì.
    I heard this year is your year of romantic luck; you should seize the opportunity.
  • 桃花运，。
    Tā jué de zì jǐ méi yǒu táo huā yùn, zǒng shì dān shēn.
    He feels he has no romantic luck; he's always single.

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.

桃花peach blossom
桃táopeach花huāblossom
偏正Modifier + head
运yùnfortune

桃花 is peach blossom and 运 is fortune, so together they picture romantic luck as blossoming peach flowers.

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
兆
兆zhào桃táo(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

桃 combines 木, meaning tree, with 兆, which gives the sound.

Open 桃 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →

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 運; 运 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòmotion
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn運yùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 運 combines 辵, meaning motion, with 軍 to give the sound; the simplified 运 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 运 →
Appears in
Chinese Culture & CustomsRomance & Marriage

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.