物极必反
物极必反 (wù jí bì fǎn) literally means “things at extreme reverse” and expresses “push far enough and it turns”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: wu ji bi fan, wu ji bi fan,物极必反 meaning, 物极必反 in english
Push far enough and it turns
Pronunciation: wù jí bì fǎn Literal meaning: Things at extreme reverse
Origin & Usage
When a thing (物) reaches its extreme (极) it must (必) turn back (反). The formula is put most plainly in the Lüshi Chunqiu, which argues that the ruler should not occupy the complete, the extreme or the full, because what is complete will be broken, what is extreme will reverse, and what is full will drain away. It is not fatalism: it is a warning against pressing an advantage all the way to its limit, on the grounds that the limit is precisely where the advantage begins to work backwards. Markets, political dominance, personal habits: usually invoked at the moment somebody is winning too comfortably to notice.
Examples
English: "After the market peaked, a correction was inevitable"
Chinese: 市场达到顶峰后，调整是不可避免的
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Good and evil deeds repaid in kind
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势在必行
shì zài bì xíng
No longer optional
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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四面楚歌
sì miàn chǔ gē
Surrounded by hostility
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 物极必反 mean in English?
物极必反 (wù jí bì fǎn) literally translates to “Things at extreme reverse” and is used to express “Push far enough and it turns”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 物极必反 used?
Situation: After the market peaked, a correction was inevitable
What is the pinyin for 物极必反?
The pinyin pronunciation for 物极必反 is “wù jí bì fǎn”.
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