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弄潮儿向涛头立

弄潮兒向濤頭立
nòngcháoérxiàngtāotóulì
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 the wave-rider stands atop the crest of the surge
  2. 2 the bold one faces the wave head-on
  3. 3 (lit.) the tide-player faces the wave's head and stands

Examples

创业者就该做弄潮儿向涛头立，敢为人先。
Chuàngyè zhě jiù gāi zuò nòngcháo'ér xiàng tāotóu lì, gǎn wéi rén xiān.
Entrepreneurs should be wave-riders standing at the crest, daring to be first.
改革开放四十年，涌现出许多弄潮儿向涛头立的人物。
Gǎigé kāifàng sìshí nián, yǒngxiàn chū xǔduō nòngcháo'ér xiàng tāotóu lì de rénwù.
Forty years of reform and opening up has produced many figures standing fearlessly at the crest of the wave.

Tips

history
From Pan Lang's (潘阆) Northern-Song ci 《酒泉子·长忆观潮》 (Jiuquanzi: Long Remembering the Tide). Full couplet: 『弄潮儿向涛头立，手把红旗旗不湿』— 'the tide-rider stands on the wave's crest, red flag in hand, the flag unwetted.' The poem recalls the Qiantang River tide-riders, young men who raced into the bore for sport. 弄潮儿 has since come to mean anyone who thrives amid risk.
usage
Modern 弄潮儿 is a compliment — a bold pioneer riding the tide of their times. Pronunciation note: 弄 here is nòng (to play/handle), not lòng (alley).

Stroke Order

弄 nòng
潮 cháo
儿 ér
向 xiàng
涛 tāo
头 tóu
立 lì