一波三折
一波三折 (yī bō sān zhé) literally means “one wave three turns” and expresses “many twists and turns”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: yi bo san zhe, yi bo san zhe,一波三折 meaning, 一波三折 in english
Many twists and turns
Pronunciation: yī bō sān zhé Literal meaning: One wave three turns
Origin & Usage
Wang Xizhi, writing on brush method, said that in making a single wave-stroke (一波) the brush turns three times (三折) — the long diagonal that ends a character is not one movement but three changes of direction, and a stroke drawn straight is dead. The phrase left calligraphy for narrative and now describes anything that reached its end by a route with bends in it. Negotiations, applications and journeys — and what it promises is arrival as well as difficulty.
Examples
English: "Their journey to success had many unexpected challenges"
Chinese: 他们的成功之路经历了许多意想不到的挑战
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Push far enough and it 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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推波助澜
tuī bō zhù lán
Amplifying existing trends or momentum
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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 一波三折 mean in English?
一波三折 (yī bō sān zhé) literally translates to “One wave three turns” and is used to express “Many twists and turns”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 一波三折 used?
Situation: Their journey to success had many unexpected challenges
What is the pinyin for 一波三折?
The pinyin pronunciation for 一波三折 is “yī bō sān zhé”.
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