Chinese word

翻来覆去

Pronunciation

Pinyinfān lái fù qù

Meaning

  • idiomtoss and turn

Example

昨晚翻来覆去，我睡不着。zuó wǎn fān lái fù qù wǒ shuì bù zhe

Last night, I tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.

Illustration for 翻来覆去 (toss and turn)

More examples

毕业选择的问题让她翻来覆去，最后还是按自己的兴趣报了专业。bì yè xuǎn zé de wèn tí ràng tā fān lái fù qù zuì hòu hái shì àn zì jǐ de xìng qù bào le zhuān yè

The question of what to choose after graduation made her turn it over and over in her mind, but in the end she chose a major based on her interests.

Core concept

A repeated reversal keeps a body or a thought from settling in one place.

Common phrases

  • 在床上翻来覆去zài chuáng shàng fān lái fù qù

    toss and turn in bed

  • 翻来覆去的想法fān lái fù qù de xiáng fǎ

    repetitive thoughts

Similar words

辗转反侧zhán zhuán fǎn cè: Restlessly shifting from one side to the other in bed and being unable to sleep.
夜不能寐yè bù néng mèi: Being unable to fall asleep at night.
寝食难安qǐn shí nán ān: Worrying so much that eating and sleeping are both disturbed.

Definition in Chinese

主要指心中反复思虑、辗转难决，也可用于描写人在床上翻来覆去睡不着。zhǔ yào zhǐ xīn zhōng fǎn fù sī lǜ zhán zhuǎn nán jué yě kě yòng yú miáo xiě rén zài chuáng shàng fān lái fù qù shuì bù zhe

Word origin

翻 (fān, "turn over") + 来 (lái, "come") + 覆 (fù, "turn upside down") + 去 (qù, "go") combine to picture movement that reverses and repeats without settling.

Usage tips

  • The surrounding subject helps identify the use: a person often has restless physical movement, while a problem, plan, or worry often returns repeatedly in the mind.

Other meanings

  • over and over againidiom
  • turn over in one's mindidiom

Opposites

  • 安然无忧ān rán wú yōufree from worryidiom

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