📖 Meaning
The world (or the entire country) is in great turmoil and chaos. It describes a situation where social order has broken down and widespread unrest prevails. Often used to depict periods of war, rebellion, or political collapse.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in the 'Book of the Later Han' (后汉书), in the biography of the eunuch Cao Jie. During the Eastern Han dynasty, corrupt eunuchs seized power, imprisoned and killed the Empress Dowager, and persecuted loyal officials. The historian used this phrase to describe the resulting collapse of order across the empire. It later became a common expression for times of nationwide upheaval.
💡 Example Usage
东汉末年天下大乱，群雄并起，百姓流离失所。
In the late Eastern Han dynasty, the world fell into great chaos, warlords rose up everywhere, and the common people were displaced from their homes.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 天下大乱
- Pinyin: tiān xià dà luàn
- Literal Translation: sky, under, great, chaos
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4