每天成语
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卷土重来

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: juǎn tǔ chóng lái
  • English Translation: To make a comeback with a vengeance; to return with renewed force
  • Idiom Composition: 「卷」（To roll up or swirl）＋「土」（Dust or soil, representing the speed and force of an army）＋「重」（Again or once more）＋「来」（To come or return）
  • Meaning: Literally 'rolling up the dust and coming back,' this idiom describes someone who has suffered a defeat or failure but returns with great momentum and power. In modern Chinese, it is frequently used to describe the resurgence of something negative, such as a disease, a disaster, or an opposing force.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「卷土重来」 contains the following nuances:

  • Intensity of Momentum: The phrase 卷土 (juǎn tǔ), meaning 'rolling up the dust,' emphasizes that the return is not quiet or subtle, but accompanied by great force and visible impact.
  • Shift in Nuance: Originally a neutral or even romanticized expression for a hero's return, in modern Chinese it has shifted toward a 'pejorative' (贬义) or neutral sense, often describing the return of unwanted things like 'the enemy' or 'a plague.'

3. Usage

「卷土重来」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Competition or Conflict: Used to describe a competitor or opposing force that prepares and returns for a rematch.
    • Example:「虽然上次比赛输了，但对手发誓明年一定会卷土重来。」
      （Although they lost the last match, the opponents vowed to make a comeback next year.)
  • Resurgence of Negative Phenomena: Commonly used for the return of diseases, viruses, bad weather, or social vices.
    • Example:「如果不加强防范，这种病毒很可能会卷土重来。」
      （If precautions are not strengthened, this virus is likely to return with a vengeance.)
  • Personal Resilience: Describes an individual's determination to try again after a major setback.
    • Example:「经历破产后，他并没有气馁，而是准备卷土重来。」
      （After experiencing bankruptcy, he did not lose heart but prepared to stage a comeback.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 我们要警惕那些已经被取缔的非法活动卷土重来。
    （We must be vigilant against the resurgence of illegal activities that have already been banned.）
  2. 沙尘暴在春季往往会卷土重来，影响空气质量。
    （Sandstorms often return in the spring, affecting the air quality.）
  3. 这家公司经过重组后卷土重来，迅速占领了市场。
    （After restructuring, the company made a powerful comeback and quickly captured the market.）
  4. 失败并不可怕，可怕的是失去了卷土重来的勇气。
    （Failure is not scary; what is scary is losing the courage to try again.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Source: This idiom comes from the poem 'Inscription on Wujiang Pavilion' (题乌江亭) by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu (杜牧).
  • Historical Context: The poem discusses the Chu-Han Contention. Du Mu suggests that if the hegemon Xiang Yu (项羽) had not committed suicide after his defeat but had instead returned to his home region, he might have **made a comeback** and changed history.
  • Modern Usage Note: While the original poem was a sympathetic 'what if' regarding a fallen hero, modern speakers often use it to warn against the return of negative forces. For a purely positive 'rising from the ashes' context, learners should consider using 东山再起 (dōng shān zài qǐ).

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 卷土重来 (juǎn tǔ chóng lái) evokes the image of an army's horses kicking up clouds of dust as they charge back into battle. While it originated from a poem reflecting on a hero's potential return, modern usage often carries a negative or neutral nuance, such as a virus returning or an enemy counterattacking. When describing a positive personal recovery, the idiom 东山再起 (dōng shān zài qǐ) is often a more suitable alternative.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 1

Idiom Essay

juǎn tǔ chóng lái
卷土重来
Making a Comeback
miàn duì面对shī bài失败，rén men人们tōng cháng通常huì会yǒu有liǎng zhǒng两种fǎn yìng反应。

When facing failure, people usually have two types of reactions.

yī zhǒng一种shì是qiāo qiāo悄悄lí kāi离开，chéng rèn承认jié shù结束；ér而lìng另yī zhǒng一种，shì是jī xù积蓄lì liàng力量，zhǔn bèi准备xià yī cì下一次gèng更měng liè猛烈de的kāi shǐ开始。

One is to leave quietly and admit it is over; the other is to gather strength and prepare for a more intense start next time.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常yǒu有huà miàn画面gǎn感de的chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容hòu后yī zhǒng一种qíng kuàng情况，jiào叫“juǎn tǔ chóng lái卷土重来”。

In Chinese, there is a very vivid idiom used specifically to describe the latter situation, called 卷土重来.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感jí极qiáng强。

This phrase has a very strong sense of imagery.

“juǎn tǔ卷土”，yì si意思shì是rén mǎ人马bēn pǎo奔跑shí时，yáng qǐ扬起le了jù dà巨大de的chén tǔ尘土。

卷土 means that when people and horses run, they kick up a huge amount of dust.

nǐ你kě yǐ可以xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下gǔ dài古代de的zhàn chǎng战场，yī zhī一支jūn duì军队suī rán虽然gāng gāng刚刚dǎ打shū输le了，dàn但tā men他们bìng并méi yǒu没有sàn散qù去，ér shì而是chóng xīn重新jí hé集合，wàn mǎ bēn téng万马奔腾dì地chōng冲huí lái回来，mǎ tí马蹄dài带qǐ起de的chén tǔ尘土zhē zhù遮住le了tiān kōng天空。

You can imagine an ancient battlefield where an army, though having just lost, did not disperse but regrouped and charged back with thousands of horses galloping, the dust raised by the hooves covering the sky.

suǒ yǐ所以，“juǎn tǔ chóng lái卷土重来”bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是“chóng xīn kāi shǐ重新开始”。

Therefore, 卷土重来 is not just about starting over.

rú guǒ如果nǐ你zhǐ shì只是ān jìng安静dì地zài再shì试yī cì一次，nà那jiào叫“cóng tóu zài lái从头再来”。

If you just quietly try again, that is called 从头再来.

ér而“juǎn tǔ chóng lái卷土重来”，dài带zhe着yī zhǒng一种shēng shì声势，yī zhǒng一种sù dù速度，hé和yī zhǒng一种“wǒ我bù不fú shū服输”de的qiáng yìng tài dù强硬态度。

However, 卷土重来 carries a sense of momentum, speed, and a tough attitude of refusing to admit defeat.

tā它qiáng diào强调de的shì是——zhè这yī cì一次huí lái回来，wǒ我de的lì liàng力量bǐ比shàng cì上次gèng更qiáng强，shēng shì声势bǐ比shàng cì上次gèng更dà大。

It emphasizes that this time back, my strength is greater and my momentum is larger than before.

zài在shēng huó生活zhōng中，wǒ men我们jīng cháng经常yòng用tā它lái来xíng róng形容nà xiē那些jīng lì经历le了cuò zhé挫折，què却yī rán依然chōng mǎn充满yě xīn野心de的rén人huò或shì事。

In life, we often use it to describe people or things that have experienced setbacks but remain full of ambition.

bǐ rú比如，yī zhī一支qù nián去年shū diào输掉jué sài决赛de的qiú duì球队，jīn nián今年jīng guò经过kè kǔ刻苦xùn liàn训练，dài带zhe着gèng更qiáng强de的zhèn róng阵容huí dào回到le了sài chǎng赛场；huò zhě或者，yí gè一个céng jīng曾经chuàng yè创业shī bài失败de的rén人，xī qǔ吸取le了jiào xùn教训，dài带zhe着gèng更hǎo好de的chǎn pǐn产品zài cì再次miàn duì面对shì chǎng市场。

For example, a team that lost the finals last year returns to the field this year after hard training with a stronger lineup; or an entrepreneur who failed before learns their lesson and faces the market again with a better product.

dāng rán当然，yīn wèi因为zhè ge这个cí词dài biǎo代表zhe着yī zhǒng一种“qiáng dà强大de的fǎn pū反扑lì liàng力量”，yǒu shí hòu有时候tā它yě也huì会yòng lái用来xíng róng形容yī xiē一些wǒ men我们bù不xī wàng希望kàn dào看到de的shì wù事物。

Of course, because this word represents a powerful counter-attack force, it is sometimes used to describe things we do not wish to see.

bǐ rú比如bèi被xiāo miè消灭de的hài chóng害虫，huò zhě或者mǒu zhǒng某种huài坏xí guàn习惯，rú guǒ如果bù不zhù yì注意，tā men它们yě也kě néng可能huì会“juǎn tǔ chóng lái卷土重来”。

For instance, pests that were eliminated or a bad habit might 卷土重来 if one is not careful.

dàn但bù guǎn不管shì是yòng用zài在hǎo好de的yí miàn一面，hái shì还是huài坏de的yí miàn一面，zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语de的hé xīn核心gǎn jué感觉dōu都shì是yī yàng一样de的：tā它gào sù告诉wǒ men我们，shī bài失败bìng并bù不yì wèi zhe意味着zhōng diǎn终点。

But whether used in a positive or negative sense, the core feeling of this idiom is the same: it tells us that failure does not mean the end.

zhǐ yào只要lì liàng力量hái还zài在，zhǐ yào只要jué xīn决心hái还zài在，nà ge那个céng jīng曾经dǎo xià倒下de的rén人，shì是yǒu有kě néng可能dài带zhe着màn tiān漫天de的chén tǔ尘土，chóng xīn重新huí dào回到wǔ tái舞台zhōng yāng中央de的。

As long as the strength and determination remain, the person who once fell is capable of returning to the center of the stage amidst a cloud of dust.

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