Mirror Flower, Water Moon (simplified Chinese: 镜花水月; traditional Chinese: 鏡花水月; pinyin: Jìnghuā Shuǐyuè; literally "Mirror Flower, Water Moon"), is a Chinese proverb/phrase (a chengyu and spread in other languages in East Asia like in yojijukugo), meaning something that can be seen but not touched, like a flower reflected in a mirror or the moon reflected on the water's surface; something that is beautiful but unattainable dreams, a mirage.[1] It can also mean something that seems so tangible and simple but reflects a much deeper meaning.
This name references 鏡中的花，水裡的月, 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".
References edit
- ^ Wang, Guo'an (2006). A Handbook for 1,000 Basic Chinese Characters. Chinese University Press. p. 335. ISBN 978-962-996-283-8.