推波助澜

推波助瀾

tuībōzhùlán

idiom #33,204

Meanings

1 to push the waves and add to the billows (idiom)
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

媒体的报道对事件起了推波助澜的作用。

Méitǐ de bàodào duì shìjiàn qǐ le tuībōzhùlán de zuòyòng.

The media coverage fanned the flames of the incident.

谣言四起，有人故意推波助澜。

Yáoyán sì qǐ, yǒurén gùyì tuībōzhùlán.

Rumors are everywhere — someone is deliberately stirring the pot.

他不但不劝架，反而推波助澜。

Tā bùdàn bù quàn jià, fǎn'ér tuībōzhùlán.

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

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