拨乱反正

撥亂反正

bōluàn-fǎnzhèng

idiom #32,734

Meanings

1 to bring order out of chaos
2 to restore things to their proper state
3 to set right what had gone wrong

Characters

to set aside; to push away

chaos; disorder

to return (to); reverse

correct; proper

Examples

新政府上台后立即着手拨乱反正。

Xīn zhèngfǔ shàngtái hòu lìjí zhuóshǒu bōluàn-fǎnzhèng.

After taking office, the new government immediately set about restoring order.

这次改革旨在拨乱反正，恢复公司的正常运营。

Zhè cì gǎigé zhǐzài bōluàn-fǎnzhèng, huīfù gōngsī de zhèngcháng yùnyíng.

This reform aims to set things right and restore the company's normal operations.

他们努力拨乱反正，清除多年的积弊。

Tāmen nǔlì bōluàn-fǎnzhèng, qīngchú duōnián de jībì.

They worked hard to put things right and clear away years of accumulated problems.

Tips

history

From 《公羊传·哀公十四年》: 拨乱世，反诸正 - 'set a disordered age back to rightness'. The Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals praises Confucius for this ambition.

register

Formal and political - common in official speeches, editorials, and history textbooks (notably describing post-Cultural-Revolution reforms). Avoid in casual conversation.

Stroke Order

拨 bō

乱 luàn

反 fǎn

正 zhèng