翻云覆雨

翻雲覆雨

fānyúnfùyǔ

idiom #22,771

Meanings

1 fickle and inconstant
2 to play people against each other
3 to shift one's position unpredictably

Characters

to flip / to turn over

to overturn / to cover

Examples

他这个人翻云覆雨，谁都不信任他。

Tā zhège rén fānyúnfùyǔ, shuí dōu bù xìnrèn tā.

This person is fickle and unpredictable — nobody trusts him.

政客翻云覆雨，承诺不可轻信。

Zhèngkè fānyúnfùyǔ, chéngnuò bù kě qīng xìn.

Politicians shift their positions constantly; their promises should not be trusted lightly.

她翻云覆雨的手段让所有人都摸不清她的立场。

Tā fānyúnfùyǔ de shǒuduàn ràng suǒyǒu rén dōu mō bu qīng tā de lìchǎng.

Her manipulative ways made it impossible for anyone to know her true position.

Tips

history

From a poem by Du Fu (杜甫, 712–770 AD): 翻手作云覆手雨 — 'flip the hand and make clouds, turn it over and make rain.' He used it to criticize the fickle nature of powerful people who change alliances without scruple.

Stroke Order

翻 fān

云 yún

覆 fù

雨 yǔ