Definition
风尘 literally means 'wind and dust' (windblown dust), but it is used figuratively to refer to the hardships and fatigue of travel (as in the idiom 风尘仆仆 fēng chén pú pú 'travel-worn'), the turmoil of worldly life, or, in a classical euphemism, the world of prostitution (沦落风尘). It is a literary word that evokes a sense of weariness and struggle in travel or life circumstances. As a noun in HSK 7, you will encounter it in historical novels, news articles about long journeys, and classical poetry.
n.
(literal) windblown dustairborne dirt or grit(figurative) hardships of travelweariness and struggles of worldly life(literary euphemism) the world of prostitutiona life of prostitution
Examples
- 风尘，。Tā yì shēn fēng chén, cóng yuǎnfāng gǎn lái.He came hurrying from afar, covered in windblown dust.
- 。Tā fēng chén pú pú de gǎn huí le lǎojiā.He returned to his hometown travel-worn and weary.
- 风尘。Zhège gùshi jiǎng de shì yí ge nǚzǐ rúhé lúnluò fēng chén.This story is about how a woman fell into the world of prostitution.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.