#liyue characters

[chrisjalejo]

Liyue Mons

[hollowwhisperings]

Liyue: Literal & Literary Meanings of Character Names

as my knowledge of classical chinese literature is pitiful, this list is not nearly as comprehensive as it could be.

characters are listed by element, in the following order: geo, electro, dendro, hydro, pyro, cryo, anemo.

Zhōnglí (钟离)

literal: "clock/bell" + "to depart"

literary: "leave at bell" or "clocking out" (it's a euphemism for both retirement & death).

pun1: 重力 (zhòng lì) = gravity

pun2: 重利 (zhòng lì) = huge profit/high interest

pun3: 中立 (zhōng lì) = neutrality

pun4: zhongli's "li" (离) is liyue's "li" (璃) without a king (王).

(kudos to genshin's reddit community for that last one)

Zībái (兹白)

literal: "now/present/this" + "white/pure/clear"

literary: "present clarity"

pun1: 自白 (zì bái) = to make clear (i.e. exposition)

Níngguāng (凝光)

literal: "congealed/concentrated' + "light/lustre/glory"

literary: "concentration of glory"

Yūn Jǐn (云堇)

literal: "cloud" + "violet"

pun1: 云锦 (yún jǐn) = cloud-pattern brocade i.e. an element of elaborate & luxurious traditional costume.

pun2: 运斤成风 (yùn jīn chéng fēng) = "whirling axe achieves wind" = extreme skill at an uncanny feat

Kèqíng (刻晴)

literal = "cut/carve/engrave/to set a time limit" + "fine/clear"

literary: "clearcut"

pun1: 客卿kèqīng = a visiting minister

Běidǒu (北斗)

literal: "north" + "dipper"

literary: this is the chinese name for the constellation "ursa major/the big dipper" (i.e. the qixing constellation).

Baízhú (白术)

literal = "white/clear/pure" + "atractylodes flower/technique/method"

scientific: the main stem of a large-headed atractylodes (an ingredient used in traditional chinese medicine).

literary: "pure methodology"

pun: 白住 (baízhù) = to live somewhere for free i.e. this dying doctor is named "free life"

Yáo Yáo (瑶瑶)

literal = "precious jade" + "precious jade"

(saying someone's given name twice is a way of giving them a cutesy nickname)

(...that said, this character is indeed used as a family name so this could legitimately be her actual name)

pun1: 喓喓 (yāoyāo) = chirp of singing insects

pun2: 摇摇车 (yáoyáo chē) = a kiddie ride (e.g. a merry-go-round or mechanical horse)

pun3: "遥遥[领先]" (yáoyáo lǐngxiān) = to hold a safe lead (literary)

Yèlán (夜兰)

literal = "night" + "orchid"

literary: "夜阑人静" (yè lán rén jìng) = "in the dead of the night"

pun: the above idiom taken literally translates to "a quiet person breaks in at night" (yelan is a spy).

Xíngqiū (行秋)

literal: "behaviour/conduct/travel/circulate/perform/carry out" + "autumn"

literary: "ambling [through] autumn"

pun1: 星球 (xīngqiú) = a celestial body (e.g. a star or planet)

pun2: 星球大戰 (xīngqiú dàzhàn) = chinese name for star wars

Hú Táo (胡桃)

literal: "outrageous/reckless/what?/why?/to win at mahjong/butterfly" + "peach/walnut/marriage"

literary: butterfly [of death] + peach [of immortality] -> "life & death"

note: the more commonly used word for "walnut" is 核桃 (hétáo); hútáo is only really used in 胡桃夾子 ("nutcracker").

Xiānglíng (香菱)

literal: "fragrant/appetizing/spice/popular" + "waternut"

pun1: 响铃 (xiăng líng) = "jingling bells"

pun2: 项领 (xiàng lǐng) = "nape of neck" (literal) = "vital/essential" (literary)

Xīnyàn (辛焱)

literal: "hot/suffering" + "flame"

literary: "flaming hot"

pun1: 心眼 (xīnyăn) = heart

pun2: 新顏 (xīn yán) = "fresh look" (of fashion)

Yānfēi (烟绯)

literal: "smoke" + "scarlet/crimson"

literary: "scarlet smoke"

pun1: 驗非 (yàn fēi) = "prove wrongdoing" (she's a lawyer)

pun2: 湮廢 (yān fèi) = "forgotten & discarded"

Jiā Míng (嘉明)

literal: "praise/commend" + "sight/brightness/justice/understand"

literary: "praising righteousness"; "commending justice"; "good vision"; "praise & understand"; etc.

pun1: "gaming" (if you butcher the pronunciation)

pun2: 假名 (jiămíng) = a fake name (as used by artists or runaways)

Qīqī (七七)

literal: seven-seven.

pun: "double seven" (49 days) is the traditional length of a chinese mourning period.

Gānyŭ (甘雨)

literal: timely rainfall.

pun1: 甘於 (gān yú) = "happy to [work]"

pun2: 幹員 (gànyuán) = a capable official

Shēnhè (申鹤)

literal: reporting crane.

pun: 審核 (shĕnhé) = to audit

Chóngyún (重云)

literal: cloud layer.

pun1: 衝蘊 (chōngyùn) = "rush/flowing" + "containment" = container of overflowing energy (i.e. too much yang)

Xiāo (魈)

literal: "mischievous".

named for the "山魈" (shān xiāo), a type of one-footed mountain spirit.

(monosyllablic names are considered dehumanizing in chinese culture: xiao's name isn't really a name; rex lapis basically named him "elf" and called it a day)

pun1: 消 (xiāo) = to vanish/disappear/eliminate

pun2: 霄 (xiāo) = clouds/heaven/firmament

pun3: 枭 (xiāo) = brave/valiant (literary)

pun4: 箫 (xiāo) = a vertical bamboo flute

pun5: 㴋 (xiāo) = sound of wind and rain

pun6: 翛 (xiāo) = free and unrestrained

pun[etc]: ...i've only bothered with the most thematically relevant exact homophones but, in case you're looking for it, the "xiao" that means "little/young/junior" is xiăo.

xiao's true name is 金翅鹏王 (jīn chì péng wáng): he is the "golden-winged lord p'eng", one of the eight guardian deities of mount sumeru (the centre of the world in hindu & buddhist cosmology).

Xiányún (闲云)

literal: "idle" + "cloud"

literary: 閑雲野鶴 ("idle clouds; wild cranes") is an idiom meaning "unfettered by worldly concerns".

pun: she's "idle cloud" the "unfettered" wild crane.

Lán Yàn (蓝砚)

literal: "blue/indigo plant" + "inkstone/inkslab/classmate"

literary: indigo scholar.

pun1: 嵐煙 (lán yān) mountain mist

pun2: 蘭言 (lányán) = intimate conversation

pun3: 蓝燕 (lán yàn) = blue swallow (bird) -> her constellation is 玄燕 (xuán yàn) "black/dark/profound" + "swallow (bird)"

[corneliastreetapartment]

Because why does childe literally have a hydro vision yet always forget to hydrate

Childe: I desire moisture. Zhongli: Please just say "I want water" like a normal person.

[mielwriting]

Genshin Impact Fic Recommendations

I will soon add actual links to all of these. But for now, I'm tired. I have made sure the title and author names are exactly as they appear on ao3, so you should find them if you type it word for word into the search bar.

Disclaimer 1:

Many of these fics are not the author's only Genshin fic. I only put one per author, but if you like these fics, I highly recommend checking out the authors' other fics!

Disclaimer 2:

I often forget things that are important to me. If your fic is not here, do not feel bad! it's highly likely that:

A) I do love it, but my brain simply made me forget.

B) I plan to add it to this post soon! I can only add so many things at once.

C) I haven't found it yet :)

Oneshots:

Solitude by purplesan

Whispers of a Past Lullaby by Shadow_Laviko

Wrap me in blankets and serve me tea by Karotta

i can't promise you forever (because that's not enough) by spryzzi_xxed

Corrupted Chalk by prettypinklass

Multi-chapter:

Windwheel Aster: Adored by the Wind by Imagination4444

The Stars, They Shine in Your Eyes by Mikazukini

Fear of Cold by Krows

More Than A Mirror's Image by OrcinusAstra

The Last Constellation of the Knight by LeeRyder

After Everything by Amanveth

Rex Not-So-Incognito by str0phiK

To kill a god, you murder their believers by Sapphire_but_PINK

Do all good things truly come to an end? (Or is this just the beginning) by Gigglemite

This one is listed as part 2 of a series, but it's mostly disconnected from part 1. I simply picked the fic that I felt best represented the series as a whole. I recommend reading the whole series.

Deepest Depths of the Soul by NoNoNoah

Linger in the Valley - ABANDONED by llavasinge

yes, this fic is discontinued on a minor cliffhanger. BUT it's so good you should read it anyway. And then read the author's other fics.

[byzantiumhollow]

Beidou and Hu Tao sketches :3

[zombiepaper-woah]

[vittamina]

"Maybe I'll go play with Yuegui for a little bit, then come back and do some more training after I've had a break..."

[monsieurhiona]

a lil sneak peak of smt fun im doing hehe