高山流水

Chinese

		high mountain; Takayama	flowing water; something flowing rapidly, continually or irreversibly like water
trad. (高山流水)		高山	流水
simp. #(高山流水)		高山	流水
Literally: “high mountains and flowing water”.

Etymology

From the friendship story of Bo Ya and Zhong Ziqi, recorded in the book Liezi. See Bo Ya on Wikipedia for more.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): gāoshānliúshuǐ

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄠ ㄕㄢ ㄌㄧㄡˊ ㄕㄨㄟˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): gou¹ saan¹ lau⁴ seoi²

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gāoshānliúshuǐ
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄠ ㄕㄢ ㄌㄧㄡˊ ㄕㄨㄟˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gaoshanlióushuěi
    • Wade–Giles: kao¹-shan¹-liu²-shui³
    • Yale: gāu-shān-lyóu-shwěi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gaushanlioushoei
    • Palladius: гаошаньлюшуй (gaošanʹljušuj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ li̯oʊ̯³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: gou¹ saan¹ lau⁴ seoi²
    • Yale: gōu sāan làuh séui
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gou¹ saan¹ lau⁴ soey²
    • Guangdong Romanization: gou¹ san¹ leo⁴ sêu²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kou̯⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ lɐu̯²¹ sɵy̯³⁵/

Idiom

高山流水

1. (figurative) sublime musical composition
2. (figurative) intimate and understanding friend