but6 lyun6 faan2 zing3撥亂反正拨乱反正
Jyutpingbut6 lyun6 faan2 zing3
Yalebuht lyuhn fáan jing
Definition
To restore order; to bring things back to normal from a state of chaos.
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How it's used
This idiom carries a formal and serious tone, often used in political or organizational contexts to describe correcting deep-seated errors. It implies that the previous state was not just messy, but fundamentally wrong or chaotic, requiring significant effort to rectify. While it sounds literary, it is frequently used in news reports and serious discussions about governance or management.
Examples
The company is in complete chaos, how is he going to restore order?
They finally decided to restore order and reform the entire system.
Related words
Common phrases
successfully restore order
determined to restore order
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple way to say "to clean up" or "to fix something small." It is too heavy for everyday chores or minor mistakes, like cleaning a messy room or fixing a broken toy.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
