Chinese word

酸甜苦辣

Pronunciation

Pinyinsuān tián kǔ là

Meaning

  • idiomthe ups and downs of life

Example

我们一起经历了酸甜苦辣。wǒ men yì qǐ jīng lì le suān tián kǔ là

We have been through the ups and downs of life together.

Illustration for 酸甜苦辣 (the ups and downs of life)

More examples

他年轻时尝尽了酸甜苦辣。tā nián qīng shí cháng jǐn le suān tián kǔ là

He experienced all of life's ups and downs when he was young.

Core concept

A set of contrasting tastes becomes a picture of a life containing pleasure, hardship, and change.

Common phrases

  • 尝尽酸甜苦辣cháng jǐn suān tián kǔ là

    experience all life's ups and downs

  • 经历酸甜苦辣jīng lì suān tián kǔ là

    experience life's ups and downs

  • 体味酸甜苦辣tǐ wèi suān tián kǔ là

    experience life's ups and downs firsthand

Similar words

同甘共苦tóng gān gòng kǔ: Going through happiness and suffering together.
患难与共huàn nàn yǔ gòng: Standing together and helping each other in difficult times.

Definition in Chinese

以酸、甜、苦、辣四字象征人生的各种滋味，概括人生的苦乐交织与起伏变化。yǐ suān tián kǔ là sì zì xiàng zhēng rén shēng de gè zhǒng zī wèi gài kuò rén shēng de kǔ lè jiāo zhī yǔ qǐ fú biàn huà

Word origin

酸甜苦辣 (suāntiánkǔlà, "sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy") joins four taste words so that many different experiences become one image of a varied life.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, the idiom can describe good and bad experiences shared by any group, without implying that they lasted for many years.

Other meanings

  • the joys and sorrows of lifeidiom

Opposites

Word lists with this word