beacon fires rise on all sides; turmoil is everywhere
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
beacon fires burning on all sides; turmoil and unrest everywhere
literaryOriginally described border alarms in ancient China using wolf-dung smoke as signals. Now used metaphorically to indicate widespread unrest or crisis.
Zài在
nà那
ge个
dòng动
dàng荡
de的
nián年
dài代
，
zhěng整
gè个
guó国
jiā家
láng狼
yān烟
sì四
qǐ起
，
mín民
bù不
liáo聊
shēng生
。
In that turbulent era, the entire country was in turmoil, and the people lived in misery.
Guó国
jì际
jú局
shì势
jǐn紧
zhāng张
，
duō多
gè个
dì地
qū区
láng狼
yān烟
sì四
qǐ起
，
chōng冲
tū突
bù不
duàn断
。
The international situation is tense, with turmoil and constant conflicts in many regions.
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Jūn军
fá阀
hùn混
zhàn战
shí时
qī期
，
zhōng中
yuán原
dà大
dì地
láng狼
yān烟
sì四
qǐ起
，
bǎi百
xìng姓
liú流
lí离
shī失
suǒ所
。
During the period of warlord infighting, the Central Plains were engulfed in war, and the common people were displaced.