fēng tiáo yǔ shùn: 风调雨顺 - Favorable Weather, Good Harvest

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• Summary: Learn the meaning of the Chinese idiom (chengyu) 风调雨顺 (fēng tiáo yǔ shùn). This classic phrase literally translates to “favorable winds and timely rain,” and is used to describe ideal weather conditions for a good harvest. More broadly, it's a powerful blessing for a year of peace, prosperity, and national stability. Discover its deep cultural roots and how to use this common Chinese New Year blessing in modern situations.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fēng tiáo yǔ shùn
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (成语) / Idiom
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: Favorable winds and timely rain; a wish for a year of good weather and prosperity.
• In a Nutshell: This is a classic Chinese idiom that paints a picture of perfect harmony between nature and humanity. It describes a situation where the weather is just right—not too windy, not too much or too little rain—leading to a bountiful harvest. By extension, it's used as a grand blessing for everything to go smoothly and for a country or region to be prosperous and peaceful. It captures a deep-seated agrarian hope for stability and abundance.

• 风 (fēng): Wind.
• 调 (tiáo): To adjust, regulate, be in harmony. In this context, it means the wind is gentle and well-regulated.
• 雨 (yǔ): Rain.
• 顺 (shùn): Favorable, smooth, timely. Here, it implies the rain comes at the right time and in the right amount for crops.

These characters combine to mean “The wind is regulated and the rain is favorable.” This creates a perfect image of the ideal agricultural conditions that, in ancient China, were the foundation of a stable and prosperous society.

Rooted deeply in China's millennia-long agrarian history, 风调雨顺 is more than just a comment on the weather. For centuries, a good harvest was the primary determinant of national stability. This idiom encapsulates the fundamental hope for a year free from droughts and floods, which in turn meant peace and prosperity for the people. In the context of traditional Chinese governance, the concept of the “Mandate of Heaven” (天命, Tiānmìng) is crucial. Natural disasters were often interpreted as a sign that the emperor had lost divine favor. Therefore, a year of 风调雨顺 was not just good fortune; it was seen as proof of a righteous ruler and a harmonious relationship between Heaven, Earth, and humanity. A Western comparison might be the phrase “peace and prosperity.” However, while “peace and prosperity” is a general wish for social and economic well-being, 风调雨顺 is uniquely tied to the natural world. It highlights a core Chinese cultural value of harmony (和谐, héxié), where human fortune is seen as intrinsically dependent on the balance of nature, a nuance often absent in more industrialized or economic-focused Western expressions.

While fewer people are farmers today, this idiom retains its formal and auspicious power.

• Formal Blessings: This is its most common modern use. You will hear it constantly during Chinese New Year, in formal speeches by government officials wishing for the nation's success, or written on New Year decorations. It's a grand, sincere wish for the collective good.
• Poetic or Nostalgic Use: In conversation, it can be used poetically to describe a generally good year or to express a hope for things to go well on a larger scale. An elder might remark, “今年看起来会是风调雨顺的一年” (This year looks like it will be a year of favorable conditions).
• Business Context: Though less common, it can be used metaphorically to wish a company a smooth and prosperous year, implying that all the external conditions will be favorable for business.

Its connotation is always positive and rather formal. It's not typically used for trivial, everyday matters.

• Example 1:
  • 祝愿祖国风调雨顺，国泰民安。
  • Pinyin: Zhùyuàn zǔguó fēng tiáo yǔ shùn, guó tài mín ān.
  • English: We wish our motherland favorable weather and national prosperity with peace for the people.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, formal blessing for the country, often seen in official statements or during national holidays. It pairs 风调雨顺 with another chengyu, `国泰民安` (guó tài mín ān), for maximum effect.
• Example 2:
  • 今年天气真好，希望是个风调雨顺的好年景。
  • Pinyin: Jīnnián tiānqì zhēn hǎo, xīwàng shì ge fēng tiáo yǔ shùn de hǎo niánjǐng.
  • English: The weather is really good this year; I hope it will be a year of good harvests.
  • Analysis: A slightly less formal, but still heartfelt, expression of hope for the year ahead, directly linking good weather to the prospect of 风调雨顺.
• Example 3:
  • 老农民望着天空，祈祷着来年能够风调雨顺。
  • Pinyin: Lǎo nóngmín wàng zhe tiānkōng, qídǎo zhe láinián nénggòu fēng tiáo yǔ shùn.
  • English: The old farmer looked at the sky, praying that the coming year would bring favorable weather.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the term's origin and core meaning—a farmer's fundamental prayer for good weather for his crops.
• Example 4:
  • 古代皇帝每年都会祭天，以求风调雨顺。
  • Pinyin: Gǔdài huángdì měinián dōu huì jì tiān, yǐ qiú fēng tiáo yǔ shùn.
  • English: Ancient emperors would perform rituals to worship Heaven every year in order to pray for favorable weather.
  • Analysis: This explains the historical and cultural significance of the term, connecting it to imperial traditions and the “Mandate of Heaven.”
• Example 5:
  • 只要风调雨顺，粮食就肯定能大丰收。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐyào fēng tiáo yǔ shùn, liángshi jiù kěndìng néng dà fēngshōu.
  • English: As long as the weather is favorable, the grain harvest will certainly be bountiful.
  • Analysis: This shows a clear cause-and-effect relationship, defining the term by its desired outcome: a great harvest (`大丰收`).
• Example 6:
  • 这幅画描绘了风调雨顺、五谷丰登的田园景象。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fú huà miáohuì le fēng tiáo yǔ shùn, wǔ gǔ fēng dēng de tiányuán jǐngxiàng.
  • English: This painting depicts a pastoral scene of favorable weather and a bountiful harvest.
  • Analysis: Used here to describe a piece of art. It's often paired with `五谷丰登` (wǔ gǔ fēng dēng - a rich harvest of all grains), another related chengyu.
• Example 7:
  • 我们公司的目标是新的一年里业务风调雨顺，蒸蒸日上。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī de mùbiāo shì xīn de yī nián lǐ yèwù fēng tiáo yǔ shùn, zhēng zhēng rì shàng.
  • English: Our company's goal is for business to be smooth and prosperous in the new year, improving day by day.
  • Analysis: This is a great example of the term's metaphorical use in a modern business context. Here, “favorable weather” means favorable market conditions.
• Example 8:
  • 看到各地的报告，领导欣慰地说：“今年又是风调雨顺的一年啊！”
  • Pinyin: Kàndào gèdì de bàogào, lǐngdǎo xīnwèi de shuō: “Jīnnián yòu shì fēng tiáo yǔ shùn de yī nián a!”
  • English: Seeing the reports from all regions, the leader said with relief, “This year is another year of peace and prosperity!”
  • Analysis: Here, it's used as a summary of a good year for a region or country, reflecting on positive outcomes.
• Example 9:
  • 俗话说，“瑞雪兆丰年”，希望这场雪能带来一个风调雨顺的春天。
  • Pinyin: Súhuà shuō, “ruìxuě zhào fēngnián”, xīwàng zhè chǎng xuě néng dàilái yī ge fēng tiáo yǔ shùn de chūntiān.
  • English: As the saying goes, “A timely snow promises a good harvest,” I hope this snow brings a spring with favorable weather.
  • Analysis: This connects 风调雨顺 to other weather-related proverbs, showing how these concepts are intertwined in the culture.
• Example 10:
  • 在这个小村庄里，人们最大的心愿就是每年都风调雨顺。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhège xiǎo cūnzhuāng lǐ, rénmen zuìdà de xīnyuàn jiùshì měinián dōu fēng tiáo yǔ shùn.
  • English: In this small village, the people's greatest wish is to have favorable weather every year.
  • Analysis: This brings the grand idiom down to a personal, community level, showing it represents a fundamental desire for a good life.

• Mistake: Using it for daily weather.
  • A common mistake for learners is to use 风调雨顺 as a synonym for “nice weather.” You cannot say “今天天气风调雨顺” (Today's weather is feng tiao yu shun).
  • Incorrect: ~~今天风调雨顺，我们去公园吧。~~
  • Correct: 今天天气很好，我们去公园吧。(Jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo, wǒmen qù gōngyuán ba.)
  • Reason: 风调雨顺 refers to ideal climatic conditions over a long period (a season, a year) that affect something large-scale like a harvest or a nation's fate. For daily weather, use `天气好` (tiānqì hǎo).
• Mistake: Using it for small-scale personal matters.
  • This idiom's scope is large. Applying it to a personal project, a date, or an exam sounds strange and overly dramatic.
  • Incorrect: ~~我希望我的考试能风调雨顺。~~
  • Correct: 我希望我的考试能顺利。(Wǒ xīwàng wǒ de kǎoshì néng shùnlì.)
  • Reason: For personal matters, use `顺利` (shùnlì - smooth) or `一帆风顺` (yī fān fēng shùn - smooth sailing). 风调雨顺 is reserved for agriculture, a country, or a large enterprise.

• 国泰民安 (guó tài mín ān) - The country is prosperous and the people are at peace. This is the desired societal outcome of 风调雨顺. The two are often used together in formal blessings.
• 五谷丰登 (wǔ gǔ fēng dēng) - A bountiful harvest of all grains. The direct agricultural result of 风调雨顺.
• 一帆风顺 (yī fān fēng shùn) - Lit. “one sail, favorable wind.” A wish for a smooth journey or for things to go smoothly in one's life or career. It is more personal and less grand than 风调雨顺.
• 天下太平 (tiān xià tài píng) - Peace across the land. A state of societal harmony that ancient rulers hoped to achieve, often believed to be linked to 风调雨顺.
• 瑞雪兆丰年 (ruì xuě zhào fēng nián) - A timely snow promises a good harvest. A related proverb that also connects specific, positive weather events to a good year.
• 万事如意 (wàn shì rú yì) - May all things be as you wish. A very common and general blessing for good fortune, applicable to almost any situation.
• 顺利 (shùnlì) - Smooth, successful. The everyday adjective to describe a project, trip, or event that goes without problems. It's the practical, non-idiomatic alternative for personal matters.