尘埃落定 (chén āi luò dìng) — (idiom) the dust settles; everything is finally settled; the outcome is clear

Definition

Literally 'the dust settles,' this idiom means a situation is finally decided and won't change again — often after uncertainty like elections, lawsuits, or disputes.

idiom
the dust settleseverything is finally settledthe outcome is clear

Examples

  • 尘埃落定,。
    Xuǎn jǔ jié guǒ zhōng yú chén āi luò dìng, méi yǒu yì wài.
    The election results have finally been settled; there were no surprises.
  • 尘埃落定,。
    Děng zhè jiàn shì chén āi luò dìng yǐ hòu, wǒ men zài jì huà xià yí bù.
    Once this matter has been fully resolved, we can plan the next step.
  • ,尘埃落定。
    Guān si dǎ le sān nián, xiàn zài zǒng suàn chén āi luò dìng le.
    The lawsuit dragged on for three years, and now it's finally settled.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

尘埃dust
联合Coordinate
落定fall and settle
落luòfall定dìngsettle
补充Verb + complement

尘埃 is the dust, and 落定 says it falls and settles, so the outcome is clear.

Characters in this word

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

In 尘, 小 (small) sits above 土 (earth), giving the idea of tiny bits of earth.

Open 尘 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth; soil
Sound part声符shēngfú
矣
矣yǐ埃āi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 土 side of 埃 relates to earth or soil, while 矣 gives the sound.

Open 埃 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →

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