# 行云流水

xíng yún liú shuǐ

Flow naturally and effortlessly in style

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Moving clouds and flowing water

**Traditional Chinese:** 行雲流水

**Register:** General · spoken & written

[Perspective](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/perspective)

## When to use it

Praise a smooth, unforced quality in writing, art, or movement.

Smoothness can reflect extensive preparation rather than ease of creation.

## The image & its use

Clouds move across the sky and water follows its course without looking strained. This expression borrows that impression to describe an unforced artistic or expressive style. A piece of writing may carry its reader smoothly from one thought to another, while a performance may join complex movements naturally. The ease is in the finished effect. It may be the result of considerable practice and revision. Point to the transitions or rhythm that create the impression rather than assuming the work required little effort.

## Examples

她的文章行云流水，读起来十分自然。

### Traditional Chinese

她的文章行雲流水，讀起來十分自然。

tā de wén zhāng xíng yún liú shuǐ ， dú qǐ lái shí fēn zì rán 。

Her writing flows smoothly and naturally.

这段舞蹈行云流水，动作衔接很顺畅。

### Traditional Chinese

這段舞蹈行雲流水，動作銜接很順暢。

zhè duàn wǔ dǎo xíng yún liú shuǐ ， dòng zuò xián jiē hěn shùn chàng 。

The dance flows naturally with smooth transitions.

他的书法行云流水，却看得出长期练习。

### Traditional Chinese

他的書法行雲流水，卻看得出長期練習。

tā de shū fǎ xíng yún liú shuǐ ， què kàn dé chū cháng qī liàn xí 。

His calligraphy flows freely while showing years of practice.

把段落之间的联系写清楚，文章才更有行云流水之感。

### Traditional Chinese

把段落之間的聯繫寫清楚，文章才更有行雲流水之感。

bǎ duàn luò zhī jiān de lián xì xiě qīng chǔ ， wén zhāng cái gèng yǒu xíng yún liú shuǐ zhī gǎn 。

Clear connections between paragraphs make the writing flow more naturally.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1374&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%A1%8C%E9%9B%B2%E6%B5%81%E6%B0%B4)

## Keep exploring

- [秀外慧中 xiù wài huì zhōng Attractive in appearance and intelligent within ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xiu-wai-hui-zhong)

- [栩栩如生 xǔ xǔ rú shēng Appear vividly lifelike ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xu-xu-ru-sheng)

- [虚有其表 xū yǒu qí biǎo Impressive in appearance but lacking substance ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xu-you-qi-biao)

- [喧宾夺主 xuān bīn duó zhǔ Let something secondary overshadow the main focus ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xuan-bin-duo-zhu)

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