见风转舵 jianfeng zhuanduò shift with the wind

Explanation

指看形势或看别人的眼色行事。

To describe someone who acts according to the circumstances or the opinions of others.

Origin Story

北风呼啸，大雪纷飞。一位老农赶着马车，艰难地走在雪地里。他原本打算去集市卖菜，可这大雪封路，生意自然做不成。老农心里焦急万分，他不禁想起了前几天听到的关于“见风转舵”的故事。故事中，一位船夫在航行时，总是根据风向调整船舵，从而顺利到达目的地。老农灵机一动，他决定改变主意，不去集市了，而是前往附近的村庄，那里或许会有需要蔬菜的村民。他驾着马车，朝着村庄的方向前进。果然，他找到了几个村民，他们都急需新鲜蔬菜。老农顺利地把蔬菜卖了出去，不仅赚到了一些钱，还避免了被困在雪地里的风险。 回到家后，老农不禁感叹：“这‘见风转舵’还真是个好办法！在人生的道路上，我们也应该像这位船夫一样，根据实际情况灵活应变，才能克服困难，获得成功！”

beifeng hu xiao,daxue fenfei. yiwèi laonong gǎnzhe machē, jiannan de zài xuědì lǐ. tā yuánběn dǎsuàn qù jìshì mài cài,kě zhè dàxuě fēng lù, shēngyì zìrán zuò bù chéng. laonong xīn lǐ jiāojí wànfēn, tā bù jīn xiǎng qǐ le qián jǐ tiān tīng dào de guānyú “jiànfēng zhuǎnduò” de gùshì. gùshì zhōng, yī wèi chuánfū zài hángxíng shí, zǒngshì gēnjù fēngxiàng tiáo zhěng chuánduò, cóng'ér shùnlì dàodá mùdìdì. laonong língjī yīdòng, tā juédìng gǎibiàn zhuyi, bù qù jìshì le, érshì qiánwǎng fùjìn de cūn zhuāng, nàlǐ huòxǔ huì yǒu xūyào shūcài de cūnmín. tā jiàzhe machē, cháo zhù cūn zhuāng de fāngxiàng qiánjìn. guǒrán, tā zhǎodào le jǐ gè cūnmín, tāmen dōu jíxū xīnxiān shūcài. laonong shùnlì de bǎ shūcài mài le chū qù, bù jǐn zuàn dào le yīxiē qián, hái bìmiǎn le bèi kùn zài xuědì lǐ de fēngxiǎn. huí dào jiā hòu, laonong bù jīn gǎntàn: “zhè ‘jiànfēng zhuǎnduò’ háishì zhen shì gè hǎo bànfǎ! zài rénshēng de dàolù shang, wǒmen yě yīnggāi xiàng zhè wèi chuánfū yīyàng, gēnjù shíjì qíngkuàng línghuó yìngbiàn, cáinéng kèfú kùnnan, huòdé chénggōng!”

A strong north wind howled, snow falling heavily. An old farmer was struggling to drive his cart through the snow. He had planned to go to the market to sell his vegetables, but the heavy snow blocked the roads, making it impossible to do business. The farmer was very anxious and remembered the story he'd heard a few days earlier about 'turning the rudder with the wind'. In the story, a boatman always adjusted his rudder according to the direction of the wind, allowing him to reach his destination smoothly. The farmer had a sudden idea: He decided to change his mind, not to go to the market, but to go to the nearby villages, where there might be villagers in need of vegetables. He drove his cart towards the village. Sure enough, he found several villagers who were in urgent need of fresh vegetables. The farmer successfully sold his vegetables, not only earning some money but also avoiding the risk of being trapped in the snow. Back home, the farmer couldn't help but sigh: 'Following the wind and turning the rudder is really a good way! On the path of life, we should also be like this boatman, adapting flexibly to actual situations, so that we can overcome difficulties and achieve success!'

Usage

常用来形容人善于察言观色，随机应变。

cháng yòng lái xíngróng rén shàn yú chá yán guān sè, suíjī yìngbiàn

Often used to describe someone who is good at observing and adapting to the situation.

Examples

• 他总是见风转舵，让人难以捉摸。

  ta zongshi jianfeng zhuanduò, ràng rén nanyi zhuōmo

  He always shifts with the wind, making him unpredictable.

• 商场如战场，见风转舵是生存之道。

  shangchang ru zhanchang, jianfeng zhuanduò shì shengcun zhi dao

  The market is like a battlefield; adapting to changing conditions is essential for survival.

Related Idioms

• 见机行事

• 随机应变

Opposite Idioms

• 坚持己见

• 一意孤行