扭转乾坤

扭轉乾坤

niǔzhuǎn-qiánkūn

idiom #26,468

Meanings

1 to reverse the situation completely
2 to turn the tide
3 to transform a hopeless situation
4 to change the course of events dramatically

Characters

to twist; to turn

to turn; to rotate; to change

heaven; the first hexagram in the I Ching

earth; the second hexagram in the I Ching

Examples

HSK 7-9

他们在最后关头扭转乾坤，赢得了比赛。

Tāmen zài zuìhòu guāntóu niǔzhuǎnqiánkūn, yíngdé le bǐsài.

They turned the tide at the last moment and won the match.

HSK 7-9

新领导上任后，公司的命运被扭转乾坤。

Xīn lǐngdǎo shàngrèn hòu, gōngsī de mìngyùn bèi niǔzhuǎnqiánkūn.

After the new leader took office, the fate of the company was completely reversed.

HSK 7-9

没有人能凭一己之力扭转乾坤。

Méiyǒu rén néng píng yījǐ zhī lì niǔzhuǎnqiánkūn.

No one can single-handedly turn the entire situation around.

Tips

history

乾坤 refers to Heaven and Earth from the I Ching (Book of Changes). To 'twist Heaven and Earth' means to achieve a change so dramatic it is like reshaping the cosmos.

Stroke Order

扭 niǔ

转 zhuǎn

乾 qián

坤 kūn