immortal yearns for earth; monk/nun wants secular life
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 4 examplesverb
(of immortals or deities in mythology) to yearn for life on earth; to desire to descend to the mortal world
literaryOften appears in classical mythology, folklore, and traditional operas describing celestial beings who fall in love with mortals or desire earthly pleasures.
Qī七
xiān仙
nǚ女
sī思
fán凡
，
sī私
zì自
xià下
fán凡
yǔ与
Dǒng董
Yǒng永
jié结
wéi为
fū夫
qī妻
。
The Seventh Fairy yearned for the mortal world and secretly descended to marry Dong Yong.
Chuán传
shuō说
zhōng中
de的
sī思
fán凡
gù故
shì事
zǒng总
shì是
chōng充
mǎn满
bēi悲
jù剧
sè色
cǎi彩
。
Legendary tales of immortals yearning for earth are always filled with tragic undertones.
verb
(of monks or nuns) to tire of religious life and yearn for secular life; to desire to return to lay life
literaryUsed in religious contexts or classical literature describing clerics who lose their spiritual commitment and desire worldly pleasures or family life.
Tā她
chū出
jiā家
duō多
nián年
，
jìn近
lái来
què却
xīn心
shēng生
sī思
fán凡
zhī之
niàn念
。
She had been a nun for many years, but recently developed thoughts of yearning for secular life.
Gǔ古
diǎn典
xiǎo小
shuō说
zhōng中
cháng常
yǒu有
ní尼
gū姑
sī思
fán凡
de的
qíng情
jié节
。
Classical novels often feature plotlines about nuns yearning to return to secular life.