翻箱倒柜 (fān xiāng dǎo guì) — to rummage through everything; to turn everythi… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An idiom for searching frantically — 'turning over every box and cupboard' to find something. Used as a vivid adverbial phrase (often with 地) to describe intense, thorough rummaging.

idiom

to rummage through everythingto turn everything upside down in search of something

Examples

，翻箱倒柜。
Wèi le zhǎo nà fēng zhòng yào de xìn, tā fān xiāng dǎo guì dì zhǎo le yì zhěng tiān.
He spent the whole day rummaging through everything to find that important letter.
翻箱倒柜，。
Xiǎo tōu bǎ jiā lǐ fān xiāng dǎo guì, zhí qián de dōng xī dōu ná zǒu le.
The thief turned the house upside down and took all the valuables.
翻箱倒柜，。
Mā ma fān xiāng dǎo guì, zhōng yú zhǎo dào le nà zhāng jiù zhào piàn.
Mom rummaged through everything and finally found that old photo.

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.

翻箱turn over chests

翻fānturn over箱xiāngchest

动宾Verb + object

倒柜overturn cupboards

倒dǎooverturn柜guìcupboard

动宾Verb + object

翻箱 and 倒柜 describe turning chests and cupboards over while searching.

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.

番羽翻

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

𥫗相箱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

相

相xiāng箱xiāng

Same sound today

箱 combines 竹, showing bamboo, with 相 as a sound part, to write a bamboo box or case.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻到倒

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

到

到dào倒dào

Same sound today

倒 combines 亻 (person) with 到, which gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木巨柜

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

巨

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

柜 combines 木 (tree) with 巨, which gives the sound.

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