跌宕起伏

diēdàng-qǐfú

idiom #27,046

Meanings

1 full of ups and downs
2 turbulent and eventful
3 undulating (of a story, melody, or life)

Characters

to fall; to drop

free; unrestrained; to delay

to rise; to begin

to lie down; to submit; hidden

Examples

这部小说情节跌宕起伏，引人入胜。

Zhèbù xiǎoshuō qíngjié diēdàngqǐfú, yǐnrénrùshèng.

The plot of this novel is full of twists and turns, utterly captivating.

他的一生跌宕起伏，经历了无数磨难。

Tā de yīshēng diēdàngqǐfú, jīnglì le wúshù mónàn.

His life was filled with ups and downs and countless hardships.

Tips

usage

跌宕起伏 is commonly used to describe narratives, music, or life experiences that have dramatic highs and lows. It is especially frequent in literary and journalistic writing.

Stroke Order

跌 diē

宕 dàng

起 qǐ

伏 fú