因祸得福

Pronunciation: yīn huò dé fú Literal meaning: Gain fortune from misfortune

Origin & Usage

The thought is a commonplace of Warring States argument — that the same event is a disaster or a windfall depending on where you are standing in time, and that a skilled person converts one into the other. Chinese has a fuller story for it in 塞翁失马, the old man whose lost horse, returned horse, and injured son each reverse the previous judgement. This phrase is the compressed version: by way of (因) misfortune (祸) one obtains (得) blessing (福). It is normally said in retrospect, about a setback that turned out to have opened something, and it is the standard consolation offered to someone who has just lost a job.

Examples

English: "Sometimes, setbacks can lead to unexpected opportunities."

Chinese: 有时候，挫折能带来意想不到的机会。