床前明月光 (chuáng qián míng yuè guāng, bright moonlight in front of my bed) opens the most famous poem in the Chinese language. Li Bai wrote 静夜思 (jìng yè sī), Quiet Night Thoughts, more than 1,200 years ago, and almost every child in China learns it by heart: moonlight on the floor looks like frost, the poet lifts his head to the moon, then lowers it and thinks of home. This worksheet sets out the four five-character lines with pinyin above each character, so learners can copy the poem line by line and then write it from memory. Below the sheet you will find a line-by-line English translation and notes on the words that matter, such as 疑 (yí, to wonder), 举头 (jǔ tóu, to raise your head) and 故乡 (gù xiāng, hometown). It makes a perfect first poem for kids and beginners and a natural fit for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Print it free or save the PDF, and read the poem aloud before you start writing.
静夜思 (jìng yè sī) with pinyin and English
- 床前明月光， chuáng qián míng yuè guāng: Bright moonlight shines in front of my bed;
- 疑是地上霜。 yí shì dì shàng shuāng: I wonder if it is frost on the ground.
- 举头望明月， jǔ tóu wàng míng yuè: I lift my head and gaze at the bright moon,
- 低头思故乡。 dī tóu sī gù xiāng: then lower my head and think of home.
About the poem
静夜思 (jìng yè sī), Quiet Night Thoughts: by 李白 (Lǐ Bái), Tang dynasty (618-907).
Song-dynasty printings read 床前看月光 (chuáng qián kàn yuè guāng) and 举头望山月 (jǔ tóu wàng shān yuè); schools and most modern editions use the text given here.
More Chinese poems for kids
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- Jiang Xue (江雪): Copy Liu Zongyuan's 江雪 (jiāng xuě), River Snow, line by line with pinyin. 千山鸟飞绝 万径人踪灭 孤舟蓑笠翁 独钓寒江雪
- Yuan Ri (元日): Copy Wang Anshi's 元日 (yuán rì), the classic Chinese New Year poem, line by line with pinyin. 爆竹声中一岁除 春风送暖入屠苏 千门万户曈曈日 总把新桃换旧符
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Frequently asked questions
What does 静夜思 (jìng yè sī) mean?
静夜思 (jìng yè sī) means 'Thoughts on a Quiet Night'. In four lines, Li Bai sees moonlight on the floor in front of his bed, wonders if it is frost, looks up at the moon and then lowers his head, missing his hometown, 故乡 (gù xiāng).
Who wrote 静夜思 (jìng yè sī)?
静夜思 (jìng yè sī) was written by 李白 (Lǐ Bái), the Tang poet often called the Immortal of Poetry, 诗仙 (shī xiān), and famous for poems about the moon, wine and travel. Li Bai wrote it in the Tang dynasty, more than 1,200 years ago.
How long is 静夜思 (jìng yè sī)?
静夜思 (jìng yè sī) has four lines of five characters, 20 characters in all, which is why it is often the first poem children learn by heart. The worksheet gives each line its own row of grids with pinyin above.
Is it 床前明月光 (chuáng qián míng yuè guāng) or 床前看月光 (chuáng qián kàn yuè guāng)?
Both texts exist. Song-dynasty printings read 床前看月光 (chuáng qián kàn yuè guāng) and 举头望山月 (jǔ tóu wàng shān yuè), while schools and most modern editions use 床前明月光 (chuáng qián míng yuè guāng) and 举头望明月 (jǔ tóu wàng míng yuè), the text on this worksheet.
Is this worksheet free to print?
Yes. The 静夜思 (jìng yè sī) worksheet is free to print or save as a PDF, with no account or email needed, and you can print as many copies as you like for a class. Choose A4 or US Letter before you press Print or Save PDF.