📖 Meaning
Originally referred to the arrival of a favorable moment when one's fate takes a turn for the better. It describes a situation where circumstances improve after a period of difficulty or bad luck. The idiom conveys the idea that changing times can bring changing fortunes.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in the Qing dynasty folk song collection 'Baixue Yiyin' (白雪遗音), compiled by Hua Guangsheng, in the tune section 'Ma Tou Diao - Ma Yi Shen Xiang.' The lyrics tell of a woman comparing herself to Han Sumei, who was born into a life of hardship but whose fortunes turned when a noble person recognized and promoted her. Over time, the expression came to be widely used to describe a reversal of bad luck and an improvement in one's circumstances.
💡 Example Usage
经过多年挫折，他终于时来运转，事业蒸蒸日上。
After years of setbacks, his fortunes finally turned and his career flourished.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 时来运转
- Pinyin: shí lái yùn zhuǎn
- Literal Translation: time, comes, fortune, turns
- Category: Success
- Characters: 4