金碧辉煌 (jīn bì huī huáng) — resplendent and magnificent (of buildings, interiors, etc.)

Definition

Idiom describing a building or interior decorated with dazzling gold-and-jade color — used for palaces, temples, and grand halls. Carries a visual, decorative focus more than 雄伟 (which emphasizes imposing scale).

idiom
resplendent and magnificent (of buildings, interiors, etc.)

Examples

  • 金碧辉煌，。
    Zhè zuò gōng diàn jīn bì huī huáng, ràng rén tàn wéi guān zhǐ.
    This palace is resplendent and magnificent — it leaves people in awe.
  • 金碧辉煌，。
    Dà tīng lǐ zhuāng shì dé jīn bì huī huáng, xiàng huáng gōng yí yàng.
    The hall is decorated resplendently, like an imperial palace.
  • 金碧辉煌，。
    Zhè zuò sì miào jīn bì huī huáng, xī yǐn le wú shù yóu kè.
    This temple is resplendent and magnificent, attracting countless tourists.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

金碧gold and jade
金jīngold碧bìjade
联合Side by side
辉煌bright and splendid
辉huībrightness煌huángbrilliance
联合Side by side

The 金碧, gold and jade, is 辉煌, bright and splendid.

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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
王Written in full as玉yùjade
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái碧bì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

碧 combines 王 (jade, written fully as 玉) and 石 (stone), with 白 giving the sound.

Open 碧 →

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 輝; 辉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
光光guānglight; bright
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn輝huī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輝 uses 光, meaning light; bright, and 軍 to give its sound; the simplified 辉 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 辉 →

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
皇
皇huáng煌huáng
Same sound today

煌 is built from 火 (fire) and 皇. Here, 火 is the part that carries the meaning, and 皇 gives the sound.

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