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从天而降 (cóng tiān ér jiàng) — to appear out of the blue; very unexpectedly (of events or arrivals)

Definition

An idiom for something dropping or arriving 'from the sky' — sudden and unexpected, like a gift, disaster, or person appearing out of nowhere. Often used for dramatic or surprising arrivals (good or bad).

idiom
to appear out of the bluevery unexpectedly (of events or arrivals)

Examples

  • 从天而降，。
    Zhè fèn gōng zuò jī huì jiù xiàng cóng tiān ér jiàng yí yàng, ràng wǒ jīng xǐ wàn fēn.
    This job opportunity came out of the blue and surprised me greatly.
  • 从天而降，。
    Tā cóng tiān ér jiàng dì chū xiàn zài wǒ men miàn qián, dà jiā dōu hěn jī dòng.
    He appeared before us out of nowhere, and everyone was very excited.
  • 从天而降，。
    Yì chǎng bào yǔ cóng tiān ér jiàng, bǎ zhěng gè chéng shì dōu yān le.
    A rainstorm came down out of the blue and flooded the entire city.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

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
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →

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

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

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
阝Written in full as阜fùhill, wall
Sound part声符shēngfú
夅
夅jiàng降xiáng
Same sound today

降 pairs 阝 (a hill or wall, written in full as 阜) with 夅, a sound part meaning 'to descend'; together they picture descending a hill.

Open 降 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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