fu1 muk6 fung4 ceon1枯木逢春
Jyutpingfu1 muk6 fung4 ceon1
Yalefū muhk fùhng chēun
Definition
To get a new lease on life, recovery of vitality, or a turn for the better in a difficult situation.
- for a patient or dying plant to recover vitality
- figurativeto find a turn for the better in a difficult situation
neutraldescriptionsother
How it's used
This idiom is a literary expression often used in formal or semi-formal contexts to describe a dramatic recovery or a sudden change in fortune. While it carries a positive connotation of renewal, it is rarely used in casual, everyday small talk because of its poetic and slightly dramatic tone. It is most effective when describing a situation that seemed completely hopeless before the sudden improvement.
Examples
He was sick for so long, but finally recovered and got a new lease of life.
This company is on the verge of bankruptcy, how can it possibly turn things around?
Related words
Common phrases
the feeling of a new lease of life
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to describe simple improvements, but it should be reserved for situations that were previously dire or stagnant, like a long-term illness or a failing business.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
