Definition
熠熠生辉 is a four-character idiom (成语) meaning 'to shine brilliantly' or 'to sparkle with dazzling light'. It is used literally for objects that gleam (e.g., jewels, stars) and figuratively for achievements, talents, or moments that stand out impressively. The first two characters 熠熠 (yì yì) describe a bright, flickering glow, and 生辉 (shēng huī) means 'to produce radiance'. Unlike the verb 闪耀 (shǎn yào), this idiom is more literary and often appears in formal or descriptive writing.
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to shine brilliantlyto sparkle with dazzling light (literal or figurative)
Examples
- 熠熠生辉。Zuànshí zài dēngguāng xià yì yì shēng huī.The diamond shone brilliantly under the light.
- 熠熠生辉。Tā de chéngjiù ràng zhěng gè jiāzú yì yì shēng huī.His achievements made the whole family shine brilliantly.
- 熠熠生辉，。Yèkōng zhōng de xīngxing yì yì shēng huī, měi jí le.The stars in the night sky sparkled dazzlingly — extremely beautiful.
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