noun HSK 5
rainbow
Meaning
虹 means rainbow, the colorful arc that appears in the sky when sunlight refracts through water droplets. It's primarily used in literary or poetic contexts, though the compound 彩虹 is more common in everyday speech.
Usage
While 虹 alone means rainbow, native speakers typically use the two-character compound 彩虹 (cǎihóng) in daily conversation. 虹 appears more often in classical poetry, idioms, or formal writing. It can also form compounds related to rainbow-like phenomena.
Examples
- 01雨后天空出现了一道美丽的彩虹。.After the rain, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.
- 02城市的夜晚到处都是霓虹灯。.The city's night is full of neon lights everywhere.
Measure words
- 道一道虹
- 条一条彩虹
Common collocations
- 彩虹rainbow
- 霓虹灯neon light
- 气贯长虹one's spirit reaches the rainbow (idiom: full of vigor)
Origin
The character 虹 contains the insect radical 虫, as ancient Chinese people believed rainbows were a type of dragon or celestial creature that drank water from rivers.