Mirror Flower, Water Moon (; literally "''Mirror Flower, Water Moon''"), is a
Chinese proverb
A proverb (from ) or an adage is a simple, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and are an example of formulaic speech, formulaic language. A proverbial phrase ...
/
phrase
In grammar, a phrasecalled expression in some contextsis a group of words or singular word acting as a grammatical unit. For instance, the English language, English expression "the very happy squirrel" is a noun phrase which contains the adject ...
(''
chengyu''), also known elsewhere in East Asia (for example, as a Japanese ''
yojijukugo''.) The idiom can be rendered in English as "flower in the mirror, moon on the water", suggesting things that can be seen but not touched, being reflected in mirrors or the surface of still water; it is often used as an idiomatic shorthand for "something that is beautiful but unattainable", such as dreams and
mirages.
A tertiary meaning is "something that seems tangible and simple but has a deeper ephemeral quality."
This name references , which is the shorter form of a
Chinese idiom (or ''chéngyǔ''), literally meaning a "''flower seen in the mirror, moon on the water's surface''".
See also
*
Flowers of the Four Seasons
*
Four Gentlemen
*
Four Treasures of the Study
*
Smoke and mirrors
*
Three Friends of Winter
References
{{Reference list
Chinese proverbs
Culture of East Asia
Japanese proverbs