化腐朽為神奇

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Chinese

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to make into; to change into; ‑ization
to make into; to change into; ‑ization; to ... ‑ize; to transform
 
to rot; to decay; rotten
 
because of; for; to
because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
 
trad. (化腐朽為神奇/化腐朽爲神奇) 腐朽 / 神奇
simp. (化腐朽为神奇) 腐朽 神奇
Literally: “to turn something rotten into something magical”.

Etymology

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From Zhuangzi:

神奇臭腐臭腐化為神奇神奇化為臭腐 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
神奇臭腐臭腐化为神奇神奇化为臭腐 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE
Shì qí suǒ měi zhě wéi shénqí, qí suǒ è zhě wéi chòufǔ. Chòufǔhuàwéi shénqí, shénqí fù huàwéi chòufǔ. [Pinyin]
What we love is animation. What we hate is corruption. But corruption in its turn becomes animation, and animation once more becomes corruption.

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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化腐朽為神奇

  1. to find a new use for something that has been discarded; to make a silk purse of a sow's ear

Synonyms

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