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天翻地覆 (tiān fān dì fù) — earth-shattering, radical (change); turn everything upside down

Definition

Idiom meaning 'heaven turned over and earth overturned' — a sweeping, radical upheaval or transformation. Describes change on a huge scale, often dramatic and sudden.

idiom
earth-shatteringradical (change)turn everything upside down

Examples

  • 天翻地覆。
    Zhè jǐ nián zhōng guó fā shēng le tiān fān dì fù de biàn huà.
    China has undergone earth-shattering changes in recent years.
  • 天翻地覆。
    Zhè chǎng gé mìng gěi guó jiā dài lái le tiān fān dì fù de chōng jī.
    This revolution brought an earth-shattering impact to the country.
  • 天翻地覆。
    Zhè ge xiāo xi ràng dà jiā gǎn dào tiān fān dì fù.
    This news made everyone feel it was earth-shattering.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

天翻heaven turns
天tiānheaven翻fānturn over
主谓Subject + predicate
地覆earth overturns
地dìearth覆fùoverturn
主谓Subject + predicate

“天” and “地” are paired with “翻” and “覆”, both suggesting overturning, so the image is earthshaking change.

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
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 →

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
羽羽yǔwings
Sound part声符shēngfú
番
番fān翻fān
Same sound today

翻 pairs 羽 (wings) with 番, which gives the sound. The shape shows something fluttering.

Open 翻 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →

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
襾襾yà
Sound part声符shēngfú
復
復fù覆fù
Same sound today

覆 pairs 襾, a part connected to the meaning, with 復, which gives the sound.

Open 覆 →
Appears in
Change & ProcessIdioms & Set Phrases

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