nine out of ten houses empty; desolation after disaster
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
nine out of ten houses are empty; describing the desolation and mass displacement caused by natural disasters or wars
literaryUsed to describe the tragic aftermath of wars, famines, or natural disasters where populations have fled or perished. Often used in formal or literary contexts.
Zhàn战
zhēng争
guò过
hòu后
，
zhè这
piàn片
tǔ土
dì地
shí十
shì室
jiǔ九
kōng空
，
huāng荒
liáng凉
bù不
kān堪
。
After the war, nine out of ten houses in this land stood empty, utterly desolate.
Nà那
chǎng场
dà大
dì地
zhèn震
shǐ使
de得
zhěng整
gè个
cūn村
zhuāng庄
shí十
shì室
jiǔ九
kōng空
，
xìng幸
cún存
zhě者
men们
fēn纷
fēn纷
qiān迁
wǎng往
wài外
dì地
。
That massive earthquake left the entire village nearly deserted, with survivors fleeing to other regions.
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Gǔ古
dài代
shī诗
cí词
zhōng中
cháng常
yòng用
"
shí十
shì室
jiǔ九
kōng空
"
lái来
xíng形
róng容
zhàn战
luàn乱
hòu后
de的
qī凄
liáng凉
jǐng景
xiàng象
。
Ancient poetry often used the phrase 'nine out of ten houses empty' to describe the tragic scenes following war.
Jīng经
guò过
lián连
nián年
zāi灾
huāng荒
，
xī昔
rì日
fán繁
huá华
de的
xiàn县
chéng城
rú如
jīn今
yǐ已
shì是
shí十
shì室
jiǔ九
kōng空
。
After years of famine, the once-prosperous county town now stands almost completely deserted.