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急转直下 (jí zhuǎn zhí xià) — (idiom) to take a sudden turn for the worse; to go into rapid decline

Definition

Idiom: a situation suddenly worsens or deteriorates sharply — used for events like markets, health, or relations, not for personal feelings.

idiom
to take a sudden turn for the worseto go into rapid decline

Examples

  • 急转直下，。
    Gǔ shì háng qíng tū rán jí zhuǎn zhí xià, tóu zī zhě sǔn shī cǎn zhòng.
    The stock market suddenly took a sharp downturn, and investors suffered heavy losses.
  • 急转直下，。
    Tā de bìng qíng zài shǒu shù hòu jí zhuǎn zhí xià, yī shēng lì kè jìn xíng le qiǎng jiù.
    His condition took a sudden turn for the worse after the operation, and the doctors immediately performed emergency treatment.
  • 急转直下。
    Liǎng guó guān xì cóng yǒu hǎo jiāo liú jí zhuǎn zhí xià wèi jǐn zhāng duì zhì.
    The relationship between the two countries went from friendly exchanges to a rapid escalation of tensions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

急转sudden turn
急jísudden转zhuǎnturn
偏正Modifier + head
直下straight descent
直zhístraight下xiàdescend
偏正Modifier + head

急转 suggests a sudden turn, and 直下 a straight descent; together they describe a rapid fall.

Characters in this word

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí急jí
Same sound today

急 pairs 心 (heart) with 及, which gives the sound.

Open 急 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān轉zhuǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Open 转 →

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

The earliest form of 直 pairs 目, an eye, with an unclear stroke 丨.

Open 直 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →
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