disaster victims everywhere; widespread woe
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesidiom
widespread suffering of displaced people
literaryComes from the metaphor of grieving swan geese (哀鸿) representing crying refugees, used to describe the tragic scene of mass displacement and hardship after a disaster or war. Formal, literary register.
Zhàn战
zhēng争
guò过
hòu后
，
zhè这
piàn片
tǔ土
dì地
āi哀
hóng鸿
biàn遍
yě野
，
mǎn满
mù目
chuāng疮
yí痍
。
After the war, this land was filled with tragic displaced people, full of ruins.
Jī饥
huāng荒
xí席
juǎn卷
le了
zhěng整
gè个
guó国
jiā家
，
yī一
shí时
jiān间
āi哀
hóng鸿
biàn遍
yě野
，
mín民
bù不
liáo聊
shēng生
。
The famine swept across the whole country, and for a time, disaster victims were everywhere, and people could barely make a living.
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Hóng洪
shuǐ水
tuì退
qù去
hòu后
，
cūn村
zhuāng庄
yī一
piàn片
láng狼
jí藉
，
āi哀
hóng鸿
biàn遍
yě野
。
After the flood receded, the village was in a mess, with displaced people everywhere.
Zhè这
bù部
xiǎo小
shuō说
miáo描
huì绘
le了
zhàn战
luàn乱
nián年
dài代
āi哀
hóng鸿
biàn遍
yě野
de的
shè社
huì会
xiàn现
zhuàng状
。
This novel depicts the social situation of widespread suffering during the war years.
Dì地
zhèn震
fā发
shēng生
hòu后
，
zāi灾
qū区
āi哀
hóng鸿
biàn遍
yě野
，
jiù救
yuán援
gōng工
zuò作
pò迫
zài在
méi眉
jié睫
。
After the earthquake, disaster victims were everywhere in the affected area, and rescue work was urgent.