翻天 (fān tiān) — to cause an earth-shaking upheaval; to overturn the heavens (figurative)
Definition
翻天 (fān tiān) is a fixed figurative verb meaning 'to overturn the heavens' — used for earth-shaking upheaval, not a literal action. It normally appears in 成语 like 翻天覆地 or with 想 / 要 to describe an ambition or change of world-shaking scale.
verb
to cause an earth-shaking upheavalto overturn the heavens (figurative)
Examples
- 翻天。Tā de yě xīn dà dào xiǎng fān tiān.His ambition is so great he wants to overturn heaven.
- 。Tā fān le tiān yě méi yòng.Even if he overturns heaven, it's useless.
- 翻天。Zhè chǎng biàn gé jiǎn zhí yào fān tiān.This transformation is about to cause an earth-shaking upheaval.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.