<p>雨纷纷 imply "細雨<strong>纷纷</strong>" (<strong>constant</strong> light rain )</p>

<p>if it is heavy rain, we would describe it as "大雨<strong>滂沱</strong>" (<strong>pouring</strong> heavy rain )</p>

<p>清明時節雨纷纷 is a 寫景句 (scene description). It describes a scene of 'there is constant light rain during the Qing ming time'</p>

<p><em>大雨滂沱 and 細雨纷纷 are more literary and classical</em></p>

<p><em>滂沱大雨 and 纷纷細雨 are more colloquial and contemporary</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T08:22:39.353Z
2019-02-22T08:30:41.783Z
2019-02-22T08:30:41.783Z
Tang Ho
<p>It could be used in everyday life, only with some modern adaption.</p>

<p>小雨纷纷, 下个不停. </p>

<p>雪花纷纷扬扬.</p>

<p>雨纷纷.   Odd, the problem is not from 纷纷, but from modern expression behavior.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T10:11:35.257Z
2019-02-22T10:11:35.257Z
sfy
<p>Baidu Baike's page on <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%B8%85%E6%98%8E/8645623" rel="nofollow noreferrer">清明</a> has a vernacular translation of the line:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>清明时节雨纷纷</p>
</blockquote>

<p>which goes:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>江南清明时节细雨纷纷飘洒</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Here 雨纷纷 has been rendered as 细雨纷纷.</p>

<hr>

<p><strong>细雨纷纷</strong> is defined in <em>ABC</em> as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>a steady fall of drizzling rain</p>
</blockquote>

<p>while <em>KEY</em> defines it as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>steady drizzle</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<p>雨纷纷 itself is <em>very</em> poetic, but it is well known enough that most people would be aware of its existence and usage. The entire first line of the poem, in fact, shares the same status. Sometimes you will see or hear it quoted.</p>

<p>Unless the situation calls for it, there is no real reason you would want to go around sounding like a bard and it would be quite off putting to most people listening to you. </p>

<p>For normal everyday conversations, 细雨纷纷 would do just fine.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T08:11:53.460Z
2019-02-22T08:11:53.460Z
Mou某
<p>In the famous poem "清明" by the Tang dynasty poet 杜牧 (Du Mu), rain 雨 is "纷纷".</p>

<p>As reported by dictionaries, like <a href="https://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/dictionary.php" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/dictionary.php</a> , 纷 (fēn) means "numerous; confused; disorderly", then 纷纷 (fēnfēn) is one after another; in succession; one by one; continuously; diverse; in profusion; numerous and confused; pell-mell.</p>

<p>Referred to rain, 纷纷 means that rain is "continuous and long-protracting, with not much water falling all at once, maybe not very windy, somehow boring and sad" (this would be my interpretation, according to the poem) or "copious, with lot of water and wind, stormy, somehow violent"?</p>

<p>Is "雨纷纷" an expression that could be used in everyday life, or only an aulic expression?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T07:52:46.540Z
can you make a sentence under your understanding?
Voyager
<translation><poetry>
Meaning of 纷纷 (fēnfēn) referred to 雨 (yǔ)
# Meaning of 纷纷 (fēnfēn) referred to 雨 (yǔ)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-22)

In the famous poem "清明" by the username_2 dynasty poet 杜牧 (Du Mu), rain 雨 is "纷纷".

As reported by dictionaries, like <https://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/dictionary.php> , 纷 (fēn) means "numerous; confused; disorderly", then 纷纷 (fēnfēn) is one after another; in succession; one by one; continuously; diverse; in profusion; numerous and confused; pell-mell.

Referred to rain, 纷纷 means that rain is "continuous and long-protracting, with not much water falling all at once, maybe not very windy, somehow boring and sad" (this would be my interpretation, according to the poem) or "copious, with lot of water and wind, stormy, somehow violent"?

Is "雨纷纷" an expression that could be used in everyday life, or only an aulic expression?

**Tags:** translation, poetry

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: can you make a sentence under your understanding?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-02-22. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Baidu Baike's page on [清明](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%B8%85%E6%98%8E/8645623) has a vernacular translation of the line:

> 清明时节雨纷纷

which goes:

> 江南清明时节细雨纷纷飘洒

Here 雨纷纷 has been rendered as 细雨纷纷.

---

**细雨纷纷** is defined in *ABC* as:

> a steady fall of drizzling rain

while *KEY* defines it as:

> steady drizzle

---

雨纷纷 itself is *very* poetic, but it is well known enough that most people would be aware of its existence and usage. The entire first line of the poem, in fact, shares the same status. Sometimes you will see or hear it quoted.

Unless the situation calls for it, there is no real reason you would want to go around sounding like a bard and it would be quite off putting to most people listening to you.

For normal everyday conversations, 细雨纷纷 would do just fine.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-02-22. Score: 2

雨纷纷 imply "細雨**纷纷**" (**constant** light rain )

if it is heavy rain, we would describe it as "大雨**滂沱**" (**pouring** heavy rain )

清明時節雨纷纷 is a 寫景句 (scene description). It describes a scene of 'there is constant light rain during the Qing ming time'

*大雨滂沱 and 細雨纷纷 are more literary and classical*

*滂沱大雨 and 纷纷細雨 are more colloquial and contemporary*


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### Answer by username_3 on 2019-02-22. Score: 1

It could be used in everyday life, only with some modern adaption.

小雨纷纷, 下个不停.

雪花纷纷扬扬.

雨纷纷. Odd, the problem is not from 纷纷, but from modern expression behavior.


---

