拨乱反正 (bō luàn fǎn zhèng) — to bring order out of chaos; to rectify mistakes and restore normal order

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to set right what has been thrown into disorder — used for major political or organizational corrections, not small mistakes.

idiom
to bring order out of chaosto rectify mistakes and restore normal order

Examples

  • ，拨乱反正，。
    Xīn zhèng fǔ shàng tái hòu, bō luàn fǎn zhèng, shè huì hěn kuài huī fù le wěn dìng.
    After the new government came to power, they brought order out of chaos and society quickly returned to stability.
  • ，拨乱反正，。
    Zài xiàng mù xiàn rù hùn luàn shí, jīng lǐ guǒ duàn bō luàn fǎn zhèng, ràng wǒ men huí dào le zhèng guǐ.
    When the project fell into chaos, the manager decisively brought order out of chaos and got us back on track.
  • ，拨乱反正，。
    Jīng lì le shí nián de dòng dàng, zhè ge guó jiā zhōng yú bō luàn fǎn zhèng, kāi shǐ le xīn de fā zhǎn.
    After a decade of turmoil, this country finally brought order out of chaos and began new development.

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.

拨乱remove disorder
拨bōremove乱luàndisorder
动宾Verb + object
反正restore correctness
反fǎnreturn to正zhèngcorrectness
动宾Verb + object

拨乱, removing disorder, and 反正, restoring correctness, together mean bringing order out of chaos.

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 撥; 拨 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
發
發fā撥bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 撥 combines 手 (hand) with 發, which gives the sound; the simplified 拨 is a different form.

Open 拨 →

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 亂; 乱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乚Written in full as乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
𤔔
𤔔𤔔亂luàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 亂 contains 𤔔, a drawing of combing tangled threads, and 乙; the simplified 乱 is only a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 乱 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
厂
厂chǎng反fǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

反 uses 又 (hand) for meaning and 厂 for sound. Its original shape showed a hand turning its palm over, giving the sense of return or reverse.

Open 反 →

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
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng正zhèng
Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

Open 正 →

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