Definition
颠沛流离 is a four-character idiom (成语) describing a life of wandering, homelessness, and suffering — often due to war, poverty, or persecution. The literal meaning ('toppled and drifted apart') figuratively refers to being forced from place to place with no stable home. Use it to talk about someone's experience of upheaval and displacement over a period of time.
f.e.
to wander about in desperate plightdrifting from place to placevagrant and destitute
Examples
- 颠沛流离，。Zhànzhēng ràng wúshù jiātíng diān pèi liú lí, shīqù jiāyuán.War caused countless families to wander in desperate plight, losing their homes.
- 颠沛流离，。Tā niánqīng shí jīnglì le yí duàn diān pèi liú lí de shēnghuó, hòulái cái āndìng xiàlái.He experienced a period of vagrant life when young, and only later settled down.
- 颠沛流离，。Xǔduō nànmín zhìjīn réng guòzhe diān pèi liú lí de rìzi, jí xū guójì shèhuì yuánzhù.Many refugees still live a life of wandering and hardship, urgently needing help from the international community.
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