扭转乾坤 niǔ zhuǎn qián kūn turn the tide

Explanation

乾坤指天地，比喻彻底改变局势，使不好的局面变成好的局面。

乾坤 refers to heaven and earth, and it is used as a metaphor to thoroughly change the situation, turning a bad situation into a good one.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，边关告急，敌军来势汹汹，大有席卷中原之势。朝廷上下人心惶惶，大臣们纷纷献策，但都未能有效遏制敌军攻势。这时，一位年轻的将军站了出来，他胸有成竹，向皇上提出了一个大胆的作战计划。他的计划并非正面迎敌，而是利用敌军轻敌冒进的心理，采取迂回战术，出其不意地攻击敌军后方补给线，切断敌军的粮草供应。皇上本犹豫不决，但在大臣们的极力劝说下，最终批准了该计划。将军带领将士们日夜兼程，经过数月的艰苦作战，终于成功切断了敌军的补给线。敌军因粮草断绝，士气低落，战斗力急剧下降。最终，在唐军的反攻下，敌军溃不成军，狼狈逃窜。此战不仅扭转了乾坤，也巩固了大唐的国威。

huà shuō táng cháo shíqī, biānguān gàojí, dǐjūn láishì xīōngxiōng, dà yǒu xíjuǎn zhōngyuán zhī shì. cháoting shàngxià rénxīn huánghuáng, dà chén men fēnfēn xiàncè, dàn dōu wèi néng yǒuxiào èzhì dǐjūn gōngsì. zhè shí, yī wèi niánqīng de jiāngjūn zhàn le chūlái, tā xiōng yǒu chéngzhū, xiàng huángshàng tíchūle yīgè dàdǎn de zuòzhàn jìhuà. tā de jìhuà bìng fēi zhèngmiàn yíngdí, ér shì lìyòng dǐjūn qīngdí màojìn de xīnlǐ, cǎiqǔ yūhuí zhàoshù, chū qí bù yì de gōngjī dǐjūn hòu fāng bǔjǐ xiàn, qiēduàn dǐjūn de liángcǎo gōngyìng. huángshàng běn yóuyù bùjué, dàn zài dà chén men de jīlì quānshuō xià, zuìzhōng pīzhǔnle gāi jìhuà. jiāngjūn dàilǐng jiàngshì men rìyè jiānchéng, jīngguò shù yuè de jiānkǔ zuòzhàn, zhōngyú chénggōng qiēduànle dǐjūn de bǔjǐ xiàn. dǐjūn yīn liángcǎo duànjué, shìqì dīluò, zhàndòulì jíjù xiàjiàng. zuìzhōng, zài tángjūn de fǎngōng xià, dǐjūn kuì bù chéngjūn, lángbèi táocuàn. cǐ zhàn bù jǐn niǔ zhuǎnle qián kūn, yě gùgù le dà táng de guówēi.

During the Tang Dynasty, there was an urgent crisis at the border. The enemy's forces were menacing and seemed poised to conquer the entire Central Plains. Panic spread throughout the imperial court, and ministers offered various strategies, but none proved effective in curbing the enemy's advance. A young general stepped forward, confidently proposing a daring battle plan to the emperor. His plan did not involve a direct confrontation, but rather used the enemy's arrogance and recklessness to their advantage, employing a flanking maneuver to unexpectedly attack the enemy's rear supply lines and cut off their food and supplies. Initially hesitant, the emperor eventually approved the plan under the strong urging of his ministers. The general led his troops day and night, and after months of arduous fighting, successfully severed the enemy's supply lines. Deprived of supplies, the enemy's morale plummeted, and their combat effectiveness drastically decreased. Finally, under the counterattack of the Tang army, the enemy army was routed, fleeing in disarray. This battle not only turned the tide but also solidified the prestige of the Tang Dynasty.

Usage

常用于形容彻底改变不利局面，扭转乾坤，多用于重大事件的转折点。

cháng yòng yú xíngróng chèdǐ gǎibiàn bùlì júmiàn, niǔ zhuǎn qián kūn, duō yòng yú zhòngdà shìjiàn de zhuǎnzhé diǎn

Often used to describe a thorough change in an unfavorable situation, turning the tide, mostly at the turning point of major events.

Examples

• 面对危局，他临危不乱，最终扭转乾坤，取得了胜利。

  miàn duì wēijú, tā língwēi bùluàn, zuìzhōng niǔ zhuǎn qián kūn, qǔdéle shènglì

  In the face of a crisis, he remained calm and eventually turned the tide to achieve victory.

• 经过几番努力，公司终于扭转乾坤，摆脱了困境。

  jīngguò jǐ fān nǔlì, gōngsī zuìzhōng niǔ zhuǎn qián kūn, bǎituōle kùnjìng

  After several attempts, the company finally turned the tide and got rid of the predicament.

Related Idioms

• 力挽狂澜

• 起死回生

Opposite Idioms

• 每况愈下

• 江河日下