雪 (Xuě)

「忽如一夜春风来，千树万树梨花开」

As if a spring breeze swept through the night, ten thousand pear trees burst into bloom

— Cen Shen, 'Song of White Snow in Farewell to Secretary Wu'

As if overnight a spring breeze arrived and ten thousand pear trees blossomed — the immortal verse comparing winter snow to spring flowers.

「孤舟蓑笠翁，独钓寒江雪」

An old man in a straw raincoat and bamboo hat in a lone boat, fishing alone on the cold snowy river

— Liu Zongyuan, 'River Snow'

A lone boat, an old man in a rain hat, fishing alone on a freezing river — an image of noble solitude.

「梅须逊雪三分白，雪却输梅一段香」

The plum blossom yields to the snow in whiteness, but the snow falls short of the plum's fragrance

— Lu Meipo, 'Snow and Plum'

The plum blossom cannot match the snow's pure white, and the snow lacks the plum's sweet fragrance — each has its own strengths.