安然无恙

ān rán wú yàng

  • Meaning

    Literal

    -

    Usage

    Used to indicate someone or something is safe and without illness

  • Connotation

    Positive

  • Usage Examples

    只有消灭虫害,庄稼才安然无恙 | Zhǐyǒu xiāomiè chónghài, zhuāngjià cái ānránwúyàng
    The crops will only be safe after the pests are exterminated
    [Source]

    那个失踪地孩子安然无恙地回来了 | Nàgè shīzōng de háizǐ ānránwúyàng de huílái le
    The missing child returned home safe and sound
    [Source]

  • Equivalents

    English

    None

    Chinese

    None

  • Entry Notes

    This chengyu actually comes from the same historical event as the chengyu 本末倒置 (běn mò dào zhì). See its entry here

  • Origin

    《战国策》(Zhàn Gúo Cè, Strategies of the Warring States), a work which chronicled the Warring States Period (475 - 220 BC)

  • Story

    In 226 BC, the king of the kingdom of Zhào Guó (赵国) passed away, and his son became the next ruler. However, due to how young the new king was, his mother 赵威后 (Zhào Wēi Hòu) ruled in his stead.

    Once, the neighboring kingdom of (Qí Guó) 齐国 sent an emissary to visit Zhào Guó. Without even opening the letter that the emissary had brought, 赵威后 asked, "Your country's harvest has been good this year, correct? Are the common people well? Is your king healthy?"

    A displeased emissary replied, "My king sent me here to ask after you, and yet you first ask about not the king, but rather the commoners. How could you not put the more important person first?"

    赵威后 replied with a laugh, "If there is no harvest, then there are no commoners. If there are no commoners, then there is no king. Do you mean to say that during official visits, you can overlook the big picture and only discuss the relatively unimportant?"

    Hearing this, the emissary was speechless.

  • Citations and Helpful Resources

    • 汉语成语小词典 (hànyǔ chéngyǔ xiǎo cídiǎn)
    • 现代汉语规范词典 (xiàndài hànyǔ guīfàn cídiǎn)
    • 多功能成语词典 (duō gōngnéng chéngyǔ cídiǎn)
    • 汉语大词典 (hànyǔ dà cídiǎn)
    • ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary
    • Pleco Basic Chinese-English Dictionary
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