"Eyebrows Relaxed and Eyes Smiling" is a vivid and expressive Chinese idiom. Literally, it means the eyebrows are relaxed and the eyes are smiling, describing a person who is extremely happy and joyful. It is typically used to depict the facial expression of someone whose inner delight naturally shows when encountering good news, hearing something pleasant, or meeting family and friends. This idiom carries a strongly positive connotation and is mostly used in cheerful and upbeat contexts, such as celebrations, reunions, and successes. Its origin can be traced back to "Dream of the Red Chamber," in which the phrase is used multiple times to portray characters' joyful expressions, reflecting the Chinese language's habit of conveying emotions through facial expressions. In modern Chinese, it is often used interchangeably with idioms such as "joy written all over one's face" and "beaming with smiles," but "eyebrows relaxed and eyes smiling" places greater emphasis on the relaxation and smile between the eyebrows and eyes. It is highly vivid and can instantly conjure up the image of a radiant, smiling face.
📝 Example
1. Upon hearing the news that she had been admitted to her dream university, she was immediately beaming with joy and could not wait to call her family to share the good news. (describing a look of great happiness and delight)
2. During the Chinese New Year, the children were all beaming with joy as they received their red envelopes, and the room was filled with laughter and cheerful voices. (describing being elated and radiant with joy)