# 余音绕梁

yú yīn rào liáng

A beautiful sound seems to linger

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** The remaining sound circles the rafters

**Traditional Chinese:** 餘音繞梁

**Register:** Literary · formal

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Praise memorable singing or music.

The lingering sound is often a felt impression rather than a literal echo.

## The image & its use

Music can remain in a listener's mind after the final note ends. The expression gives that impression a spatial image: the sound continues to move around the room's rafters. It commonly praises a clear voice or a musical performance with lasting charm. The emphasis is the listener's continuing response, rather than sheer volume or length. A short melody may leave this impression just as well as a long concert when its phrasing and tone are memorable.

## Examples

她的歌声余音绕梁。

### Traditional Chinese

她的歌聲餘音繞梁。

tā de gē shēng yú yīn rào liáng 。

Her singing seemed to linger beautifully after it ended.

演奏结束，仍有余音绕梁之感。

### Traditional Chinese

演奏結束，仍有餘音繞梁之感。

yǎn zòu jié shù ， réng yǒu yú yīn rào liáng zhī gǎn 。

After the performance, the music still seemed to resonate.

这段旋律让人余音绕梁，久久难忘。

### Traditional Chinese

這段旋律讓人餘音繞梁，久久難忘。

zhè duàn xuán lǜ ràng rén yú yīn rào liáng ， jiǔ jiǔ nán wàng 。

The melody lingered in the mind and was hard to forget.

清亮的笛声在厅里余音绕梁。

### Traditional Chinese

清亮的笛聲在廳裡餘音繞梁。

qīng liàng de dí shēng zài tīng lǐ yú yīn rào liáng 。

The clear flute tone seemed to linger around the hall.

## 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=1129&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E9%A4%98%E9%9F%B3%E7%B9%9E%E6%A2%81)

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