📖 Meaning
The idiom describes a road full of pits and hollows that is rough and hard to travel. Figuratively, it refers to a life or journey beset with many difficulties and setbacks rather than smooth sailing. It conveys that one's path forward is filled with obstacles and troubles.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces back to the Western Han dynasty writer Yang Xiong (扬雄), who in his rhapsody (赋) used the word "坎坷" to describe rough, pitted terrain in contrast to the flat, even ground of the Zhou homeland. The juxtaposition of rough and level ground became a metaphor for hardship versus ease. Over time, the term came to be applied figuratively to people's life journeys, meaning full of setbacks and difficulties. The idiom was later widely used in literary works to describe trying paths and troubled times.
💡 Example Usage
他这一生历经坎坷不平，却始终不曾放弃心中的理想。
His life has been full of hardships and setbacks, yet he has never given up the ideals in his heart.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 坎坷不平
- Pinyin: kǎn kě bù píng
- Literal Translation: bumpy, uneven, not smooth
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4