翻云覆雨

翻雲覆雨

fānyún-fùyǔ

idiom #22,771

Meanings

1 fickle and inconstant
2 to play people against each other
3 to shift one's position unpredictably

Characters

to flip / to turn over

to overturn / to cover

Examples

HSK 5

他这个人翻云覆雨，谁都不信任他。

Tā zhège rén fānyún-fùyǔ, shuí dōu bù xìnrèn tā.

This person is fickle and unpredictable - nobody trusts him.

HSK 6

政客翻云覆雨，承诺不可轻信。

Zhèngkè fānyún-fùyǔ, chéngnuò bùkě qīngxìn.

Politicians shift their positions constantly; their promises should not be trusted lightly.

HSK 6

她翻云覆雨的手段让所有人都摸不清她的立场。

Tā fānyún-fùyǔ de shǒuduàn ràng suǒyǒurén dōu mō bu qīng tā de lìchǎng.

Her manipulative ways made it impossible for anyone to know her true position.

Tips

history

From a poem by Du Fu (杜甫, 712-770 AD): 翻手作云覆手雨 - 'flip the hand and make clouds, turn it over and make rain.' He used it to criticize the fickle nature of powerful people who change alliances without scruple.

Stroke Order

翻 fān

云 yún

覆 fù

雨 yǔ