花信

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “二十四番花信?”)

花信

1. (literary) news of flowers blooming; the arrival of the blossoming season (Is there an English equivalent to this definition?)

   花信風／花信风  ―  huāxìn fēng  ―  the wind that brings the news of blossoms

   二十四番花信  ―  èrshísìfānhuāxìn  ―  The Twenty-four Floral Couriers

   • (Can we date this quote?), 白居易 [Bai Juyi], 且遊:

     弄水回船尾，尋花信馬頭。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     弄水回船尾，寻花信马头。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     Nòng shuǐ huí chuánwěi, xún huāxìn mǎtóu. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • (Can we date this quote?), 歐陽修 [Ouyang Xiu], 玉樓春:

     東風本是開花信。信至花時風更緊。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     东风本是开花信。信至花时风更紧。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     Dōngfēng běnshì kāi huāxìn. Xìn zhì huā shí fēng gèng jǐn. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • (Can we date this quote?), 范成大 [Fan Chengda], 元夕後連陰:

     誰能腰鼓催花信，快打涼州百面雷。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     谁能腰鼓催花信，快打凉州百面雷。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     Shéi néng yāogǔ cuī huāxìn, kuài dǎ Liángzhōu bǎimiànléi. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2021 April 10, ““花开有序，风不误信”：节令花信的诗意生活”, in 文匯報 [Wenhui Bao]‎^[1]:

     古人总结令中开花时间最准确的花作为代表，称作这个节令的“花信”，也叫“花信风”。这是风与花的约定，风应着花期而来，叫做“信风”；一番风来，吹开了应季的花，就是提示节令变化的“花信”了。 [MSC, simp.]
     古人總結令中開花時間最準確的花作為代表，稱作這個節令的“花信”，也叫“花信風”。這是風與花的約定，風應著花期而來，叫做“信風”；一番風來，吹開了應季的花，就是提示節令變化的“花信”了。 [MSC, trad.]

     Gǔrén zǒngjié lìng zhōng kāihuā shíjiān zuì zhǔnquè de huā zuòwèi dàibiǎo, chēngzuò zhège jiélìng de “huāxìn”, yě jiào “huāxìn fēng”. Zhè shì fēng yǔ huā de yuēdìng, fēng yìng zhuó huāqī ér lái, jiàozuò “xìnfēng”; yī fān fēng lái, chuī kāi le yìng jì de huā, jiù shì tíshì jiélìng biànhuà de “huāxìn” le. [Pinyin]

     The ancients selected the most precisely blooming flower within each solar term as its representative, known as the "bloom-messenger" of that season, also referred to as the "bloom-heralding wind." This signifies a pact between the wind and the flowers: the wind arrives right on time for the blooming period, thus called the "punctual wind." With each gust, the seasonal flowers unfurl, serving as the "bloom-messenger" that signals the transition of solar terms.

   • 2026 January 17, “花信已至　南港公園梅花陸續綻放邀您共賞”, in 墨新聞 [MORE News]‎^[2]:

     花信已至，南港公園梅花陸續綻放邀您共賞。 [MSC, trad.]
     花信已至，南港公园梅花陆续绽放邀您共赏。 [MSC, simp.]

     Huāxìn yǐ zhì, Nángǎng gōngyuán méihuā lùxù zhànfàng yāo nín gòng shǎng. [Pinyin]

     The season has arrived — plum blossoms are gracing Nangang Park, and you are cordially invited to share in their serene charm.

     (literally, “The flower’s message has arrived; at Nangang Park, plum blossoms are blooming one after another, inviting you to admire them together.”)

2. (literary, figurative) a female's age of 24

   年方花信  ―  nián fāng huāxìn  ―  [currently] at the blooming age of twenty-four

   花信年華／花信年华  ―  huāxìn niánhuá  ―  in the bloom of youth [around age 24]

   我的姪女正逢花信，但是為了全心投入事業，暫時擱置婚期。 [MSC, trad.]
   我的侄女正逢花信，但是为了全心投入事业，暂时搁置婚期。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ de zhínǚ zhèng féng huāxìn, dànshì wèile quánxīn tóurù shìyè, zànshí gēzhì hūnqī. [Pinyin]

   My [fraternal] niece, although at the [marriageable] age [of around 24], has chosen to fully devote herself to her career for the time being, putting plans of marriage on hold.

   嘩，呢對姊妹花索到滯！都踏正花信一剎那──廿四歲卜卜脆，佢哋嫣然一笑嘅前菜，我一貪食就會神魂顛倒！ [Cantonese, trad.]
   哗，呢对姊妹花索到滞！都踏正花信一刹那──廿四岁卜卜脆，佢哋嫣然一笑嘅前菜，我一贪食就会神魂颠倒！ [Cantonese, simp.]

   waa¹, ne¹ deoi³ zi² mui² faa¹ saak³ dou³ zai⁶! dou¹ daap⁶ zeng³ faa¹ seon³ jat¹ saat³ naa⁵ ── jaa⁶ sei³ seoi³ bok¹ bok¹ ceoi³, keoi⁵ dei⁶ jin¹ jin⁴ jat¹ siu³ ge³ cin⁴ coi³, ngo⁵ jat¹ taam¹ sik⁶ zau⁶ wui⁵ san⁴ wan⁴ din¹ dou²! [Jyutping]

   Wow, this pair of sisters is exquisitely charming! Both are at the very bloom of youth—twenty-four years old, radiant with freshness. Their enchanting smiles are like an appetizer; the moment I indulge voraciously, I become utterly spellbound! (throughout pun between food and people)

   (literally, “Wow, this pair of sisters is so hot it's overwhelming! Both are at that precise moment of youthful bloom—twenty-four years old, tender and crisp. The preliminary delight of their captivating smiles, once I desire it greedily, would make me utterly spellbound!”)

   今貌比嫦娥，愔蒂綻芳華；呢年恰花信，闓苞映朝霞。 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
   今貌比嫦娥，愔蒂绽芳华；呢年恰花信，闿苞映朝霞。 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

   gam¹ maau⁶ bei² soeng⁴ ngo⁴, jam¹ dai³ zaan⁶ fong¹ waa⁴; ni¹ nin⁴ hap¹ faa¹ seon³, hoi¹ baau¹ jing² ciu⁴ haa⁴. [Jyutping]

   Her grace rivals the moon’s fair face; / A bloom in quiet, she finds her place. / At blooming age, she stands so bright; / A morn-lit bud, greeting the light.
   (features in the original:
   1. both halves of the entire text form 對偶／对偶 (deoi3 ngau5, “rhetoric of corresponding words share lexical category”).
   2. last characters of 2nd and 4th lines, 華／华 (waa4) and 霞 (haa4), rhymes.
   3. 愔 (jam1, “a quiet, gentle, almost silent unfolding”), 闓／闿 (hoi1, “a more active, deliberate opening or revealing”) mean peacefulness with subtly different dynamics, i.e. they are parasynonymous. )

   (literally, “Now her looks compare to Chang'e; quietly, buds bloom in splendor. / This year just at flowering age; opening buds reflect the dawn clouds.”)

   • (Can we date this quote?), 宗粲 [Zong Can], 題沈竹齋太守夫人慈暉館詩草:

     年華花信短，才調玉台新。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     年华花信短，才调玉台新。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     Niánhuá huāxìn duǎn, cái diào yùtái xīn. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2013 July 17, “揭秘:「中國公主」成人舞會與中共「紅三代」”, in 大紀元時報 [The Epoch Times]‎^[3]:

     據瞭解，舞會採用國際通行的提名人委員會推薦制，即獲邀女生須有提名人提名方可受邀出席。獲選標準為：品質高潔、漂亮、氣質優雅、苗條、出身於華人世界「詩禮簪纓」(也就是名門之後)，年齡則必須年滿15歲（及笄之年）至24歲（花信之年）之間。 [MSC, trad.]
     据了解，舞会采用国际通行的提名人委员会推荐制，即获邀女生须有提名人提名方可受邀出席。获选标准为：品质高洁、漂亮、气质优雅、苗条、出身于华人世界「诗礼簪缨」(也就是名门之后)，年龄则必须年满15岁（及笄之年）至24岁（花信之年）之间。 [MSC, simp.]

     Jù liǎojiě, wǔhuì cǎiyòng guójì tōngxíng de tímíngrén wěiyuánhuì tuījiàn zhì, jí huò yāo nǚshēng xū yǒu tímíngrén tímíng fāng kě shòuyāo chūxí. Huòxuǎn biāozhǔn wèi: pǐnzhì gāojié, piàoliàng, qìzhì yōuyǎ, miáotiáo, chūshēn yú huárén shìjiè “shīlǐzānyīng” (yě jiùshì míngmén zhīhòu), niánlíng zé bìxū niánmǎn 15 suì (jíjī zhī nián) zhì 24 suì (huāxìn zhī nián) zhījiān. [Pinyin]

     According to available information, the ball adopts the internationally recognized nomination committee recommendation system. This means that female attendees must be nominated by a nominator in order to receive an invitation. The selection criteria are as follows: noble character, physical attractiveness, elegant temperament, a slender figure, and a background of coming from a distinguished Chinese family with a heritage of scholarly and aristocratic traditions (i.e., descendants of renowned lineages). Additionally, participants must be between the ages of 15 (the traditional age of coming of age for young women) and 24 (the prime years of youth).

   • 2020 December 1, “旗袍雅韵，醉美古城，桃花姬邀你共赏华服盛典！”, in 新华财经 [Xinhua Financial]:

     选手们来自各行各业，她们之中，既有碧玉年华的少女，也有花信年华的淑女，还有耳顺之年的银发长者。虽然年龄各异，但她们都用婀娜多姿的身段，自信优雅的步伐，展现出了别样年华的美。 [MSC, simp.]
     選手們來自各行各業，她們之中，既有碧玉年華的少女，也有花信年華的淑女，還有耳順之年的銀髮長者。雖然年齡各異，但她們都用婀娜多姿的身段，自信優雅的步伐，展現出了別樣年華的美。 [MSC, trad.]

     Xuǎnshǒu men láizì gèxínggèyè, tāmen zhīzhōng, jì yǒu bìyù niánhuá de shàonǚ, yě yǒu huāxìn niánhuá de shūnǚ, háiyǒu ěrshùnzhīnián de yínfā chángzhě. Suīrán niánlíng gèyì, dàn tāmen dōu yòng ēnuóduōzī de shēnduàn, zìxìn yōuyǎ de bùfá, zhǎnxiàn chū le biéyàng niánhuá de měi. [Pinyin]

     The participants come from all walks of life, ranging from young maidens in the prime of youth[16], ladies in the bloom of their lives[24], to silver-haired seniors in their graceful years[60]. Despite their varied ages, they all showcase the beauty of their respective stages in life through graceful poise and confident, elegant strides.

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see 花 (huā),‎ 信.
   • (Can we date this quote?), 李益 [Li Yi], 行舟:

     柳花飛入正行舟，臥引菱花信碧流。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     柳花飞入正行舟，卧引菱花信碧流。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     Liǔ huā fēi rù zhèng xíng zhōu, wò yǐn línghuā xìn bì liú. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

It is less popular among the laudatory titles of ages in Chinese (notably occupied by 吾十有五而志於學，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳順，七十而從心所欲，不踰矩。), so someone knowing it probably knows the other age titles.

• “花信”, in 重編國語辭典修訂本 [Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese), National Academy for Educational Research (Taiwan), 2021.
• 花信 in ZDIC