应运而生 (yìng yùn ér shēng) — (idiom) to emerge at the right time; to arise in response to the times

Definition

Idiom meaning something new appears precisely when conditions favor it — a timely, natural emergence (e.g. new industries, policies).

idiom
to emerge at the right timeto arise in response to the times

Examples

  • ，应运而生。
    Suí zhe hù lián wǎng de pǔ jí, xǔ duō xīn háng yè yìng yùn ér shēng.
    With the spread of the internet, many new industries have emerged at the right time.
  • ，应运而生，。
    Yì qíng qī jiān, zài xiàn jiào yù yìng yùn ér shēng, mǎn zú le xué shēng de xué xí xū qiú.
    During the pandemic, online education arose in response to the times, meeting students' learning needs.
  • ，应运而生。
    Zhè ge zhèng cè chū tái hòu, yì pī huán bǎo qǐ yè yìng yùn ér shēng.
    After this policy was introduced, a batch of environmental protection companies emerged at the right time.

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →

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 運; 运 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòmotion
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn運yùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 運 combines 辵, meaning motion, with 軍 to give the sound; the simplified 运 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 运 →

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 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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