推波助澜

推波助瀾

tuībō-zhùlán

idiom #33,204

Meanings

1 to push the waves and add to the billows
2 to fan the flames; to add fuel to the fire
3 to encourage something (usually bad) to grow

Characters

to help; to aid

big wave; billow

Examples

HSK 3

媒体的报道对事件起了推波助澜的作用。

Méitǐ de bàodào duì shìjiàn qǐ le tuībō-zhùlán de zuòyòng.

The media coverage fanned the flames of the incident.

HSK 5

他不但不劝架，反而推波助澜。

Tā bùdàn bù quànjià, fǎn'ér tuībō-zhùlán.

Not only did he fail to break up the fight - he egged it on.

HSK 7-9

谣言四起，有人故意推波助澜。

Yáoyán sìqǐ, yǒurén gùyì tuībō-zhùlán.

Rumors are everywhere - someone is deliberately stirring the pot.

Tips

history

From Wang Tong's 《文中子·问易篇》 (Sui): 真君建德之事，足推波助澜 - acts attributed to Emperor Zhenjun 'push the waves and aid the billows'. The original sense leaned neutral; modern usage is almost always negative.

usage

Predominantly negative now - worsening an already-bad situation (rumors, conflict, panic). Compare with 火上浇油 (pour oil on fire), which is more vivid and physical.

Stroke Order

推 tuī

波 bō

助 zhù

澜 lán