东山再起

dōng shān zài qǐ

  • Meaning

    Literal

    To return to office after living in Dong Shan

    Usage

    To regain one's strength or power after previously losing it

  • Connotation

    Neutral

  • Usage Examples

    对于一家在十年前还前景堪忧的公司来说,目前的状况算是东山再起了 | Duìyú yījiā zài shí nián qián hái qiánjǐng kānyōu de gōngsī lái shuō, mùqián de zhuàngkuàng suànshì dōngshānzàiqǐ le
    For a company that whose prospects were exceptionally bleak ten years ago, the current situation is really a comeback
    [Source]

    演员和音乐家偶尔会东山再起,但技术公司几乎从来不会 | Yǎnyuán hé yīnyuè jiā ǒu'ěr huì dōngshānzàiqǐ, dàn jìshù gōngsī jīhū cónglái bu huì
    Actors and musicians occasionally will make a comeback, but tech companies almost never will
    [Source]

  • Equivalents

    English

    To make a comeback

    Chinese

    None

  • Entry Notes

    The Qián Qín (前秦) was one of the kingdoms during the Sixteen Kingdoms Period (十六国, shí liù guó | 304 - 439), a tumultuous period which saw China broken into many warring entities. 前秦 should not be confused with the Qín Dynasty (秦, 221 - 206 BC).

  • Origin

    《晋书》(Jìn Shū), a work documenting the history of the Jìn Dynasty (晋, 265 - 420). It was written by Táng Dynasty (唐, 618 - 907) historian 房玄龄 (Fáng Xuán Líng)

  • Story

    During the Jìn Dynasty (晋, 266 - 420), there lived a man named 谢安 (Xiè Ān). When 谢安 was young, he was extremely talented and well-known, and it was assumed that he would eventually become a high-ranking government official. However, in his first government post, he only lasted one month before resigning. From there, he went to live in 东山 (Dōng Shān, located in present-day Zhèjiāng province (浙江)) and ignored the repeated attempts of the royal court to bring him into its service.

    Finally, though, when 谢安 was over forty years old, the Jìn was attacked by the 前秦 (Qián Qín), and 谢安 was asked yet again to come to his country's service. This time, seeing that refusing could lead to his home's demise, 谢安 agreed, and sure enough, he helped lead his country to victory.

  • Citations and Helpful Resources

    • 汉语成语小词典 (hànyǔ chéngyǔ xiǎo cídiǎn)
    • 现代汉语规范词典 (xiàndài hànyǔ guīfàn cídiǎn)
    • 多功能成语词典 (duō gōngnéng chéngyǔ cídiǎn)
    • 汉语大词典 (hànyǔ dà cídiǎn)
    • ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary
    • Pleco Basic Chinese-English Dictionary
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    • 语文米[x]
    • 百度百科[x]
    • 故事无忧[x]
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