风风雨雨

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: fēng fēng yǔ yǔ
• English Translation: Wind and rain (trials and tribulations; rumors)
• Idiom Composition: 「风」（Wind; a metaphor for difficulties or social rumors.）＋「风」（Reduplication used to emphasize the frequency or duration of the 'wind'.）＋「雨」（Rain; a metaphor for trials, obstacles, or hardships.）＋「雨」（Reduplication used to emphasize the continuity or density of the 'rain'.）
• Meaning: Literally describing a state of constant wind and rain, this idiom metaphorically refers to the numerous hardships, trials, and obstacles one encounters in life or a career. It can also describe a situation where rumors or gossip are circulating widely.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「风风雨雨」 contains the following nuances:

• A succession of hardships: Refers to the accumulation of unavoidable difficulties or obstacles experienced in life or history. It is most often used in the context of having successfully navigated through them.
• The spread of rumors: Can also refer to a state where gossip or controversial talk is circulating widely, causing a 'storm' in public opinion.
• Emphasis through AABB pattern: By reduplicating the noun 风雨 (fēng yǔ) into the AABB pattern, the idiom intensifies the sense of duration, frequency, and the sheer volume of events that have occurred.

3. Usage

「风风雨雨」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Reflecting on life or relationships: Used to look back on long-term marriages, friendships, or careers, sentimentally describing how the parties have overcome many hardships together.
  • Example:「这对夫妻携手走过了几十年的风风雨雨，依然恩爱如初。」
    （This couple has walked through decades of trials and tribulations hand in hand, and they are still as much in love as they were at the beginning.）
• Organizational or historical transitions: Used to describe the process of a company or nation reaching its current state after surviving turbulent times.
  • Example:「这家企业经历了半个世纪的风风雨雨，终于成为了行业巨头。」
    （This enterprise has gone through half a century of ups and downs, finally becoming a giant in the industry.）
• Rumors and public opinion: Refers to a situation where groundless rumors or controversial discussions are constant. This usage often carries a slightly negative nuance.
  • Example:「面对外面的风风雨雨，他选择了保持沉默。」
    （Faced with the storm of rumors outside, he chose to remain silent.）

Additional Examples:

1. 不管未来有多少风风雨雨，我都会一直陪在你身边。
   （No matter how many hardships await in the future, I will always be by your side.）
2. 经过这么多年的风风雨雨，他变得更加成熟稳重了。
   （After so many years of vicissitudes, he has become much more mature and steady.）
3. 关于这次人事变动，公司里传得风风雨雨。
   （There are rumors flying everywhere in the company regarding this personnel change.）
4. 这栋老房子见证了家族几代人的风风雨雨。
   （This old house has witnessed the turbulent history of several generations of the family.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Structural Feature: Reduplicating the noun 风雨 (fēng yǔ) into an AABB pattern transforms it into an expression that emphasizes 'abundance' and 'continuity.' This is a common linguistic device in Chinese to enrich descriptions, similar to 家家户户 (jiā jiā hù hù) meaning 'every single household.'
• Literary Origin: An early instance appears in the Sanqu poetry of Zhang Kejiu (张可久) from the Yuan Dynasty (元朝), specifically in the work Pu Tian Le: Remembering Jianhu (普天乐·忆鉴湖). While it originally described the persistent weather of the Qingming Festival (清明节), its modern usage is primarily metaphorical.
• Emotional Tone: Although the term refers to hardships, it is frequently used in a positive or sentimental context to highlight resilience, the strength of a bond, or the pride of having survived difficult times.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 大风大浪 (dà fēng dà làng): Big winds and waves; a metaphor for social upheaval or extremely severe trials.
  • 坎坷不平 (kǎn kě bù píng): A bumpy and uneven road; used to describe a life or process that is full of setbacks and not smooth.
  • 酸甜苦辣 (suān tián kǔ là): Sour, sweet, bitter, spicy; refers to the various flavors of life.link
  • 一波三折 (yī bō sān zhé): Many twists and turns in the development of an event.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 一帆风顺 (yī fān fēng shùn): Plain sailing; describing a situation where everything proceeds very smoothly without any obstacles.link
  • 风平浪静 (fēng píng làng jìng): Calm wind and quiet waves; a state of peace, tranquility, and the absence of trouble.
  • 风和日丽 (fēng hé rì lì): The wind is gentle and the sun is beautiful, describing pleasant weather.link

6. Summary

风风雨雨 (fēng fēng yǔ yǔ) is more than just a description of bad weather; it represents a 'series of difficulties' or 'continuous trials' in life or history. It is frequently used when reflecting on the history of a long-married couple or a long-standing company, conveying the weight and emotion of having overcome hardships together. It can also refer to the 'storm' of public rumors.