Meaning: Something that creates a brief sensation but is soon forgotten
Hindi: क्षणिक चर्चा का विषय
Synonyms: short-lived sensation, passing fad
Asked in: SSC Selection Post Ph-14 2026 (Higher Secondary Level) · SSC CHSL 2024 T-1 · SSC CGL 2019 T-2
nine days' wonder in SSC previous-year questions
- SSC CHSL 2024 T-1 Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate idiomatic expression that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.
Last year art critics praised Animesh as if he were a master, but he turned out to be a pleasure for a short time.
(SSC CHSL 2024 T-1 (05-July Shift 3))Answer & explanation
Answer: D) a nine days’ wonder
Correct Answer: a nine days’ wonder
Explanation:
The sentence suggests that Animesh was briefly praised but quickly forgotten or proved disappointing — something that attracted attention only for a short time.
Let’s evaluate the options:
• A house of cards – something weak or unstable; doesn’t fit the idea of short-lived attention.
• A bull in a china shop – someone clumsy or disruptive; unrelated here.
• A dish fit for Gods – means something of the highest quality; opposite in meaning.
• A nine days’ wonder – ✅ an idiom meaning something that gets a lot of attention for a short time and is soon forgotten; fits perfectly.
✅ Therefore, “a nine days’ wonder” is the most appropriate idiomatic e - SSC Selection Post Ph-14 2026 (Higher Secondary Level) Idioms & Phrases
In the following sentence, out of the four alternatives, choose the one which gives the correct meaning of the underlined idiom or phrase.
In the quiet village, the arrival of the famous movie star was a nine days' wonder.Answer & explanation
Answer: C) An event that creates short-lived interest
Meaning: a nine days' wonder = something that causes great excitement for a short time and is then forgotten *(कुछ दिनों का कौतूहल, क्षणिक सनसनी)*.
The star's arrival set the quiet village talking — but only briefly.
Origin.
An old English proverb: *"a wonder lasts but nine days"* — it appears in Chaucer's *Troilus and Criseyde*. The actor Will Kemp later called his famous 1600 morris dance from London to Norwich his *Nine Daies Wonder*.
Why the others are wrong.
#B A miracle that lasts for many years *(वर्षों टिकने वाला चमत्कार)* — the opposite; the idiom stresses how quickly interest fades.
#B An occasion that lasts for over a week *(एक सप्ताह से अधिक चलने वाला अवसर)* — takes *nine days* - SSC CGL 2019 T-2 Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom in the given sentence.
Her success as a singer was a̲ ̲n̲i̲n̲e̲ ̲d̲a̲y̲s̲’̲ ̲w̲o̲n̲d̲e̲r̲.Answer & explanation
Answer: A) a short-lived sensation
✅ Correct Answer: Option A (a short-lived sensation)
Type: Idiom
"a nine days' wonder" = something that draws attention for a short while and is then forgotten (क्षणिक चर्चा).
Why the others are wrong
• eternal fame / proud achievement / impossible feat – opposite or unrelated.
Examples
- “His sudden fame was just a nine days' wonder.”
nine days' wonder – questions
What is the meaning of nine days' wonder in Hindi?
nine days' wonder means “क्षणिक चर्चा का विषय” in Hindi. In English: Something that creates a brief sensation but is soon forgotten
What are the synonyms of nine days' wonder?
Synonyms of nine days' wonder: short-lived sensation, passing fad.
Has nine days' wonder been asked in SSC exams?
Yes – nine days' wonder has been asked 3 times in SSC exams: SSC Selection Post Ph-14 2026 (Higher Secondary Level), SSC CHSL 2024 T-1, SSC CGL 2019 T-2.