失而复得

失而復得
shī'ér-fùdé
idiom #32,299

Meanings

  1. 1 to lose something and then regain it
  2. 2 to recover what was lost

Examples

Diū le sān tiān de qiánbāo shī'ér-fùdé, tā gāoxìng jíle.
After three days, his lost wallet turned up - he was overjoyed.
Shī'ér-fùdé de yǒuqíng géwài zhēnguì.
A friendship that is lost and then regained is especially precious.

Tips

grammar
Classical structure: (lose) + (and then, classical conjunction) + (again) + (obtain) = 'lost, and then re-obtained'. here links the two stages temporally rather than as a contrast.
usage
Often used emotionally, for relationships, trust, or treasured belongings, to highlight that the recovery itself adds value. Distinct from 物归原主 (returned to its rightful owner), which focuses on ownership.

Stroke Order

shī
ér
de