每天成语
background texture
< 恃才傲物众口铄金 >

峰回路转

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: fēng huí lù zhuǎn
  • English Translation: The path winds around the peaks (a dramatic turn of events)
  • Idiom Composition: 「峰」（Mountain peak）＋「回」（To wind, circle, or curve）＋「路」（Road or path）＋「转」（To shift, change direction, or turn）
  • Meaning: Originally describing a mountain path that winds around peaks, revealing new scenery at every turn. Figuratively, it refers to a situation that takes a sudden, dramatic turn for the better after reaching a deadlock or a low point.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「峰回路转」 contains the following nuances:

  • An Unexpected Turning Point: This idiom emphasizes a 'dramatic change' rather than a gradual one. It highlights the moment a solution or hope appears just when a situation seemed hopeless or stuck.
  • Visual Imagery: It evokes the image of a mountain peak blocking one's path, only for the road to curve around it and reveal a brand-new horizon. It suggests that the 'end' of a road is often just a sharp turn.

3. Usage

「峰回路转」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Business and Negotiations: Used when a deal or project on the verge of failure suddenly recovers due to a new factor.
    • Example:「本以为谈判已经破裂，没想到对方突然做出让步，局势瞬间峰回路转。」
      （I thought the negotiations had already failed, but the other party suddenly made a concession, and the situation took a dramatic turn for the better in an instant.)
  • Life and Fate: Used in a literary or philosophical sense to show that hope remains even in the darkest times.
    • Example:「人生际遇往往峰回路转，处于低谷时也不必过分绝望。」
      （Life's journey often takes unexpected turns, so there is no need to feel excessive despair when you are at a low point.)
  • Describing Scenery (Original Meaning): Describing the physical experience of a winding mountain path where the view changes constantly.
    • Example:「沿着山道向上，峰回路转，每一处弯道后的景色都截然不同。」
      （Climbing up the mountain path, the road winds around the peaks, and with every turn, a completely different view unfolds.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 就在大家都要放弃的时候，事情出现了峰回路转的变化。
    （Just as everyone was about to give up, the situation underwent a dramatic turn.）
  2. 这部电影的情节跌宕起伏，结局更是峰回路转，出人意料。
    （The plot of this movie is full of ups and downs, and the ending is even more full of twists and turns, exceeding all expectations.）
  3. 经过多方努力，这家濒临破产的企业终于峰回路转，扭亏为盈。
    （After efforts from many sides, this company on the brink of bankruptcy finally saw a breakthrough and turned its losses into profits.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The idiom originates from a passage in 'The Pavilion of the Old Drunkard' (醉翁亭记) by the famous Northern Song Dynasty writer Ouyang Xiu (欧阳修). He used it to describe the beautiful, winding scenery leading to a pavilion in the mountains.
  • It is frequently used alongside the idiom 柳暗花明 (liǔ àn huā míng). While 柳暗花明 (liǔ àn huā míng) focuses on the discovery of a beautiful new hope, 峰回路转 (fēng huí lù zhuǎn) places more emphasis on the process of the dramatic shift or the turning point itself.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

峰回路转 (fēng huí lù zhuǎn) describes a dramatic and positive shift in circumstances. While it originally depicted the winding nature of mountain trails, it is now most commonly used in business, storytelling, or life to describe an unexpected breakthrough or a 'plot twist' that leads to a favorable outcome. It serves as a hopeful reminder that even in a stalemate, a new path may be just around the corner.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 2

Idiom Essay

fēng huí lù zhuǎn
峰回路转
A Sudden Turn for the Better
xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下，nǐ你zhèng zài正在shēn shān深山lǐ里tú bù徒步。

Imagine you are hiking deep in the mountains.

zǒu走le了hěn很jiǔ久，yǎn qián眼前tū rán突然chū xiàn出现le了yī zuò一座jù dà巨大de的shān fēng山峰，dǎng zhù挡住le了qù lù去路。

After walking for a long time, a massive peak suddenly appears, blocking your path.

kàn qǐ lái看起来，qián miàn前面de的lù路hǎo xiàng好像duàn断le了，zài yě再也zǒu走bù tōng不通le了。

It looks as if the road ahead is cut off and you can no longer pass.

zhè shí hòu这时候，nǐ你shèn zhì甚至kě néng可能huì会gǎn dào感到yì diǎn一点jué wàng绝望，xiǎng yào想要huí tóu回头。

At this moment, you might even feel a bit of despair and want to turn back.

dàn shì但是，dāng当nǐ你shì zhe试着zài再wǎng qián往前zǒu走jǐ bù几步，rào guò绕过nà ge那个shān jiǎo山角，yǎn qián眼前de的jǐng xiàng景象tū rán突然biàn变le了：yī tiáo一条xīn新de的xiǎo lù小路chū xiàn出现le了，shèn zhì甚至hái还huì会kàn dào看到měi lì美丽de的fēng jǐng风景，huò zhě或者yī zuò一座xiū xī休息de的liáng tíng凉亭。

However, when you try to take a few more steps and round that corner of the mountain, the scene suddenly changes: a new path appears, and you might even see beautiful scenery or a pavilion to rest in.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常měi de美的chéng yǔ成语，jiù shì就是yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè ge这个shùn jiān瞬间de的，jiào叫“fēng huí lù zhuǎn峰回路转”。

In Chinese, there is a very beautiful idiom used to describe this moment called 峰回路转.

zì miàn字面shàng上kàn看，“fēng峰”shì是shān fēng山峰，“huí回”shì是qū zhé曲折huán rào环绕；“lù路”shì是dào lù道路，“zhuǎn转”shì是zhuǎn wān转弯。

Literally, 峰 means mountain peak and 回 means winding or circling; 路 means road and 转 means to turn.

hé qǐ lái合起来jiù shì就是：shān fēng山峰chóng dié重叠huán rào环绕，dào lù道路yě也gēn zhe跟着wān yán蜿蜒qū zhé曲折。

Put together, it means: the peaks overlap and circle around, and the road winds along with them.

zuì chū最初，gǔ rén古人shì是yòng用tā它lái来miáo xiě描写shān shuǐ山水jǐng sè景色de的。

Originally, ancient people used it to describe the scenery of mountains and rivers.

dàn但zài在xiàn dài现代shēng huó生活zhōng中，wǒ men我们gèng更duō多shí hòu时候shì是yòng用tā它lái来xíng róng形容yī zhǒng一种rén shēng人生de的jìng yù境遇。

But in modern life, we use it more often to describe a life situation.

shén me yàng什么样de的qíng kuàng情况jiào叫“fēng huí lù zhuǎn峰回路转”ne呢？

What kind of situation is called 峰回路转?

tōng cháng通常shì是nǐ你jué de觉得shì qíng事情yǐ jīng已经fēi cháng非常zāo gāo糟糕，shèn zhì甚至xiàn rù陷入jué jìng绝境de的shí hòu时候。

It is usually when you feel things have become very bad, or you have even fallen into a desperate situation.

bǐ rú比如，yí gè一个xiàng mù项目yù dào遇到le了dà大má fán麻烦，suǒ yǒu rén所有人dōu都jué de觉得méi没xī wàng希望le了；huò zhě或者shēng huó生活lǐ里yù dào遇到le了yī lián chuàn一连串de的dǎ jī打击，ràng让nǐ你jué de觉得zǒu tóu wú lù走投无路。

For example, a project hits a major snag and everyone thinks there is no hope; or a series of setbacks in life makes you feel you have nowhere to go.

jiù就zài在nǐ你zhǔn bèi准备fàng qì放弃de的nà那yī kè一刻，shì qíng事情tū rán突然fā shēng发生le了biàn huà变化。

At the very moment you are ready to give up, things suddenly change.

yě xǔ也许shì是yí gè一个xīn新de的jī huì机会chū xiàn出现le了，yě xǔ也许shì是yí gè一个yì xiǎng bù dào意想不到de的rén人shēn chū伸出le了yuán shǒu援手。

Perhaps a new opportunity appears, or an unexpected person lends a helping hand.

yuán běn原本yǐ wéi以为de的“sǐ hú tòng死胡同”，tū rán突然biàn chéng变成le了yī tiáo一条xīn新lù路。

What was thought to be a dead end suddenly becomes a new path.

zhè zhǒng这种gǎn jué感觉，jiù shì就是“fēng huí lù zhuǎn峰回路转”。

This feeling is exactly 峰回路转.

tā它hé和“yī fān fēng shùn一帆风顺”wán quán完全bù tóng不同。

It is completely different from 一帆风顺.

“yī fān fēng shùn一帆风顺”shì是yì zhí一直dōu都hěn很shùn lì顺利，ér而“fēng huí lù zhuǎn峰回路转”bì xū必须xiān先yǒu有nà ge那个“dǎng zhù挡住lù路de的shān fēng山峰”，xiān先yǒu有kùn nán困难hé和mí máng迷茫，rán hòu然后cái才yǒu有nà ge那个jīng xǐ惊喜de的zhuǎn zhé转折。

一帆风顺 means everything is smooth all the time, while 峰回路转 must first have that mountain peak blocking the way, with difficulties and confusion, before the surprise turn occurs.

zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语lǐ里，cáng藏zhe着yī zhǒng一种hěn很shēn深de的zhé xué哲学：hěn很duō多shí hòu时候，wǒ men我们yǐ wéi以为de的“zhōng diǎn终点”，qí shí其实zhǐ shì只是yí gè一个“guǎi diǎn拐点”。

Hidden within this idiom is a deep philosophy: many times, what we think is the end is actually just a turning point.

wǒ men我们zài在dāng xià当下nà ge那个shí kè时刻，yīn wèi因为shì xiàn视线bèi被dǎng zhù挡住le了，suǒ yǐ所以kàn bú jiàn看不见hòu miàn后面de的lù路。

At that specific moment, because our vision is blocked, we cannot see the road behind.

dàn但zhè这bìng并bù不dài biǎo代表lù路bù不cún zài存在。

But that does not mean the road does not exist.

suǒ yǐ所以，“fēng huí lù zhuǎn峰回路转”bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是zài在xíng róng形容yùn qì运气hǎo好。

Therefore, 峰回路转 is not just describing good luck.

tā它gèng更xiàng像shì是yī zhǒng一种ān wèi安慰hé和gǔ lì鼓励。

It is more like a form of comfort and encouragement.

tā它zài在tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们：dāng当nǐ你jué de觉得yǎn qián眼前wú lù kě zǒu无路可走de的shí hòu时候，yě xǔ也许bìng并bú shì不是lù路zǒu走wán完le了，ér而zhǐ shì只是gāi该zhuǎn wān转弯le了。

It reminds us: when you feel there is no way forward, perhaps it is not that the road has ended, but simply that it is time to turn.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你xiàn rù陷入kùn jìng困境，jué de觉得kàn看bú dào不到wèi lái未来de的shí hòu时候，bù fáng不妨zài在xīn lǐ心里duì对zì jǐ自己shuō说：yě xǔ也许，zhè这zhǐ shì只是dào到le了“fēng huí lù zhuǎn峰回路转”de的shí hòu时候。

Next time you are in a difficult situation and feel you cannot see the future, you might as well say to yourself: perhaps this is just the time for 峰回路转.

zài再jiān chí坚持zǒu走jǐ bù几步，zhuǎn guò转过zhè ge这个wān弯，fēng jǐng风景kě néng可能jiù就huì会wán quán完全bù tóng不同。

Persist for a few more steps and turn this corner; the scenery might be completely different.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

Try creating sentences using '峰回路转'!

0/50