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sài 塞 wēng 翁 shī 失 mǎ 马

塞翁失马 sài wēng shī mǎ

a blessing in disguise; a setback may turn out to be a benefit

Literally: frontier old-man lose horse

Intermediate 🦉 Wisdom & judgement
🃏 Practise intermediate chengyu

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Origin

From the Huainanzi: an old man on the frontier lost his horse, which returned with another; his son broke a leg riding it and so was spared conscription in a war.

How to use it

Standalone or predicate; neutral, consoling. Often 塞翁失马,焉知非福.

Example sentences

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  1. 没考上那所大学也许是塞翁失马，现在的学校更适合你。
    Méi kǎoshàng nà suǒ dàxué yěxǔ shì sài wēng shī mǎ, xiànzài de xuéxiào gèng shìhé nǐ.
    Not getting into that university may be a blessing in disguise; your current school suits you better.
    not pass-into that (measure) university perhaps is frontier old-man lose horse, now (particle) school more suit you
  2. 他被公司辞退后自己创业成功了，真是塞翁失马。
    Tā bèi gōngsī cítuì hòu zìjǐ chuàngyè chénggōng le, zhēnshi sài wēng shī mǎ.
    After the company let him go he started his own successful business; a blessing in disguise indeed.
    he by company dismiss after self start-business succeed (particle), truly frontier old-man lose horse

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