风口浪尖

風口浪尖

fēngkǒu-làngjiān

idiom #41,147

Meanings

1 at the forefront of a storm
2 at the center of controversy
3 in the eye of the storm; on the cutting edge of conflict

Characters

Examples

HSK 5

改革开放初期，深圳处在风口浪尖上。

Gǎigé kāifàng chūqī, Shēnzhèn chǔ zài fēngkǒulàngjiān shàng.

In the early reform era, Shenzhen was at the forefront of the storm.

HSK 7-9

这位企业家正站在舆论的风口浪尖。

Zhè wèi qǐyèjiā zhèng zhàn zài yúlùn de fēngkǒulàngjiān.

This entrepreneur is standing at the eye of the public opinion storm.

Tips

memory

风口 'the mouth of the wind' + 浪尖 'the tip of the wave' - where the wind is strongest and the waves break highest. A visceral image of the most exposed position.

usage

Typically introduced by 站在 (stand at), 推到 (be pushed to), or 处在 (be situated at). Describes a person, company, or city at the most exposed point of a public dispute or historical moment.

Stroke Order

风 fēng

口 kǒu

浪 làng

尖 jiān