翻山越岭
翻山越岭 (fān shān yuè lǐng) literally means “cross mountains, pass ridges” and expresses “cross difficult terrain; overcome major obstacles”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: fan shan yue ling, fan shan yue ling,翻山越岭 meaning, 翻山越岭 in english
Cross difficult terrain; overcome major obstacles
Pronunciation: fān shān yuè lǐng
Literal meaning: Cross mountains, pass ridges
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes crossing (翻) mountains (山) and passing (越) ridges (岭). Similar to 跋山涉水, it emphasizes mountainous terrain specifically. The phrase captures the physical challenge of mountain travel. Modern usage describes overcoming difficult challenges, often highlighting the effort involved in reaching remote places or achieving difficult goals.
Examples
English: "The postal workers delivered mail despite the mountainous terrain."
Chinese: 邮递员翻山越岭送信。
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 翻山越岭 mean in English?
翻山越岭 (fān shān yuè lǐng) literally translates to “Cross mountains, pass ridges” and is used to express “Cross difficult terrain; overcome major obstacles”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 翻山越岭 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving cross difficult terrain; overcome major obstacles.
What is the pinyin for 翻山越岭?
The pinyin pronunciation for 翻山越岭 is “fān shān yuè lǐng”.