柳暗花明 (liǔ àn huā míng) — (idiom) a glimmer of hope in a desperate situation; a turn for the better after adversity

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'things suddenly look up' — a turn for the better after a setback, with a literary, set-phrase feel rather than everyday wording.

idiom
a glimmer of hope in a desperate situationa turn for the better after adversity

Examples

  • ，柳暗花明，。
    Jīng guò jǐ nián de nǔ lì, tā de shì yè zhōng yú liǔ àn huā míng, yíng lái le xīn de fā zhǎn.
    After years of hard work, his career finally saw a glimmer of hope and ushered in new development.
  • ，，柳暗花明。
    Bié huī xīn, jiān chí xià qù, zǒng huì liǔ àn huā míng de.
    Don't lose heart; keep going, and there will always be a turn for the better.
  • ，柳暗花明，。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù yuán běn xiàn rù le jiāng jú, méi xiǎng dào liǔ àn huā míng, wǒ men zhǎo dào le yí gè wán měi de jiě jué fāng àn.
    This project was stuck in a deadlock, but unexpectedly a glimmer of hope appeared and we found a perfect solution.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

柳暗willows dim
柳liǔwillow暗àndim
主谓Subject + predicate
花明flowers bright
花huāflower明míngbright
主谓Subject + predicate

The pair 柳暗 and 花明 sets dim willows against bright flowers, suggesting a turn from gloom to hope.

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
卯
卯mǎo柳liǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The willow character 柳 pairs 木, tree, with 卯, which gives its sound.

Open 柳 →

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
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
音
音yīn暗àn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暗 pairs 日 (sun) with 音, which gives the sound.

Open 暗 →

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cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →

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

明 combines 日 (sun) and 月 (moon), showing the sun just rising while the moon has not yet set, or two bright objects in the sky, to express brightness.

Open 明 →

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