翻雲覆雨
Chinese
flit about; translate; turn over | cloud; (abbr.) for Yunnan; surname | to cover; to overflow; to reply to a letter to cover; to overflow; to reply to a letter; to overturn; to capsize | rain | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (翻雲覆雨) | 翻 | 雲 | 覆 | 雨 | |
simp. (翻云覆雨) | 翻 | 云 | 覆 | 雨 |
Etymology
From a line in 《貧交行》 by Du Fu (杜甫):
- 翻手作雲覆手雨,紛紛輕薄何須數? [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- Fānshǒu zuò yún fùshǒu yǔ, fēnfēn qīngbó héxū shù? [Pinyin]
- (please add an English translation of this example)
翻手作云覆手雨,纷纷轻薄何须数? [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Idiom
翻雲覆雨
- (figuratively) to be fickle; to shift one's grounds constantly
- (figuratively) to play politics; to be tricky
- (figuratively) to make love