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跌宕起伏 (diē dàng qǐ fú) — (idiom) full of ups and downs; dramatic; eventful; with many twists and turns

Definition

Literary idiom for 'full of dramatic ups and downs', used for stories, plots, lives, or music — not for small daily changes. Stronger and more elegant than the everyday 曲折.

idiom
full of ups and downsdramaticeventfulwith many twists and turns

Examples

  • 跌宕起伏，。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō de qíng jié diē dàng qǐ fú, ràng rén kàn dé tíng bú xià lái.
    The plot of this novel is full of twists and turns — it's hard to stop reading.
  • 跌宕起伏，，。
    Tā de rén shēng jīng lì diē dàng qǐ fú, cóng pín kùn dào chéng gōng, fēi cháng gǎn rén.
    His life experience has been full of ups and downs — from poverty to success, very moving.
  • 跌宕起伏，。
    Zhè shǒu jiāo xiǎng qǔ xuán lǜ diē dàng qǐ fú, biǎo xiàn lì hěn qiáng.
    This symphony's melody is full of dramatic shifts, with great expressive power.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

跌宕ups and downs
跌diēfall宕dàngsway
联合Coordinate
起伏rise and fall
起qǐrise伏fúfall
联合Coordinate

跌宕 and 起伏 both describe falling and rising, so 跌宕起伏 means many twists and ups and downs.

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
失
失shī跌diē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

跌 pairs 足 (foot) with 失, which gives a hint to its sound.

Open 跌 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 宕 →

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

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

伏 combines 人 (person) and 犬 (dog), as a dog beside a person or a person taking a dog's low posture, to show lying prostrate.

Open 伏 →
Appears in
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