出山 (chū shān) — to come out of retirement / seclusion to take a leadership or government post; (figurative) to return to public life

Definition

Literally 'come down from the mountain' — used when a retired or reclusive figure (general, official, executive) returns to take a leadership role. The figurative extension also covers any comeback to public life.

verb
to come out of retirement / seclusion to take a leadership or government post(figurative) to return to public life

Examples

  • 出山，。
    Lǎo jiàng jūn zhōng yú chū shān, qīn zì zhǐ huī zhè chǎng zhàn yì.
    The old general finally came out of retirement to personally command this battle.
  • ，出山。
    Gōng sī yù dào wēi jī, qián dǒng shì zhǎng zhǐ hǎo chū shān.
    The company hit a crisis, so the former chairman had to come back and take charge.
  • ，出山？
    Tā tuì xiū duō nián, zhè cì wèi hé yuàn yì chū shān?
    He's been retired for years — why is he willing to come out and take the lead this time?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

出chūleave
山shānmountain

Coming out of the mountain (山) to take public office.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Open 出 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

山 shows three mountain peaks side by side.

Open 山 →

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