fēi
霏
falling thick and fast (of rain/snow); drift
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 4 examplesadjective
falling thick and fast (of rain, snow, etc.); dense and swirling
literaryTypically used in classical or literary descriptions, almost always in the reduplicated form '霏霏'.
《
Shī诗
jīng经
》
yǒu有
yún云
：
'
yǔ雨
xuě雪
fēi霏
fēi霏
。
'
The Book of Songs says: 'The rain and snow are falling thick and fast.'
Chuāng窗
wài外
dà大
xuě雪
fēi霏
fēi霏
，
tiān天
dì地
yī一
piàn片
cāng苍
máng茫
。
Outside the window, heavy snowflakes swirl, blurring the heavens and the earth.
verb
to drift; to float; to scatter
literaryDescribes light particles like mist, clouds, pollen, or fragrance dispersing and floating in the air. Often paired with '烟' or '云'.
Yān烟
fēi霏
yún云
liǎn敛
，
tiān天
dì地
sù肃
rán然
。
The mist drifts away, the clouds draw back, and heaven and earth become still.
Wēi微
fēng风
fú拂
guò过
，
huā花
xiāng香
àn暗
fēi霏
。
As the gentle breeze passed, the scent of flowers subtly drifted through the air.