faa3 fu6 nau2 wai4 san4 kei4化腐朽為神奇化腐朽为神奇
Definition
To turn waste into something useful; to transform the useless or bad into something wonderful.
How it's used
This idiom is a high level literary expression used to praise someone's exceptional skill in transforming something useless or broken into something valuable. It is often used in professional or creative contexts, such as describing a talented interior designer, a chef who uses leftovers, or a clever business strategist. While it sounds formal, it is frequently used in casual conversation to express genuine admiration for someone's ingenuity.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of magic or alchemy, but it is strictly metaphorical. It should not be used to describe literal physical changes, such as cooking raw ingredients into a meal, as that would be an overstatement.
Grammar color guide
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.
