諺語 · a single proverb
一波三折
What does 一波三折 (yī bō sān zhé) mean?
一波三折 (yī bō sān zhé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "one wave, three turns." In use it means: A situation full of twists and complications. Nothing goes in a straight line. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "one wave, three turns."
The reading
You planned for a straight road. Instead you got a river with three bends. Each bend hides the next one. You cannot see the end from the start. This is not bad luck. This is how things actually work. The straight road is the fantasy. The three bends are the plan.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Originally a calligraphy term (Wang Xizhi 王羲之); applied to life situations
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 一波三折 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一波三折 (yī bō sān zhé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Originally a calligraphy term (Wang Xizhi 王羲之); applied to life situations. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 一波三折?
In Mandarin it is yī bō sān zhé. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一波三折 aloud in Mandarin.