咸鱼翻身

鹹魚翻身

xiányú-fānshēn

idiom

Meanings

1 the salted fish flips over (idiom)
2 an unexpected turn of fortune
3 a comeback from rock bottom

Characters

flip, turn over

Examples

HSK 3

这部老电影最近咸鱼翻身，重新走红。

Zhèbù lǎo diànyǐng zuìjìn xiányúfānshēn, chóngxīn zǒuhóng.

This old film has had an unexpected revival and become popular again.

HSK 4

他失业三年后终于咸鱼翻身，开了自己的公司。

Tā shīyè sānnián hòu zhōngyú xiányúfānshēn, kāi le zìjǐ de gōngsī.

After three years unemployed, he finally made his comeback and opened his own company.

Tips

memory

The Cantonese-origin metaphor: a 咸鱼 (salted fish) is dead and dried - the ultimate hopeless object. If even a salted fish can flip over, anyone can stage a comeback. The phrase 'I'm a salted fish' (我是一条咸鱼) became internet slang in the 2010s for 'I have no ambition', making 咸鱼翻身 a perfect comeback retort.

Stroke Order

咸 xián

鱼 yú

翻 fān

身 shēn