Definition
起死回生 is a four-character idiom (成语) that literally means 'rise from death and return to life'. It describes bringing someone or something back from the brink of death or total failure. You can use it in medical contexts (reviving a patient) or figuratively (reviving a failing business, project, or relationship). The characters are: 起 (rise), 死 (death), 回 (return), 生 (life).
f.e.
to bring back from the brink of deathto revive or resurrect (literally or figuratively)
Examples
- ,起死回生。Yīshēng yòng le yì zhǒng xīn yào, zhōngyú ràng bìngrén qǐ sǐ huí shēng le.The doctor used a new medicine and finally brought the patient back from the brink of death.
- ,起死回生。Zhè jiā gōngsī tōngguò gǎigé, shíxiàn le qǐ sǐ huí shēng.This company achieved a revival through reforms.
- 起死回生。Zhège gùshi jiǎng de shì yí gè yīngxióng qǐ sǐ huí shēng de jīnglì.This story tells of a hero's experience of coming back from the dead.
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