上 shǎng falling and rising tone / third tone in modern Mandarin / used in 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1] syn 黄昏恋 黃昏戀 huáng hūn liàn fig. romantic relationship between an elderly couple / falling in love in the autumn of one's life 不符合 bù fú hé discrepant / falling short (of expectations) / not matching up / not conforming / (figures) disagree / unbecoming 升降 昇降 shēng jiàng rising and falling syn 纷飞 紛飛 fēn fēi to swirl in the air (of thickly falling snowflakes, flower petals etc) / to flutter about 扑通 撲通 pū tōng (onom.) sound of object falling into water / plop syn 递减 遞減 dì jiǎn progressively decreasing / gradually falling / in descending order 闹翻 鬧翻 nào fān to have a falling out / to have a big argument syn 四分五裂 sì fēn wǔ liè all split up and in pieces (idiom) / disunity (in an organization) / complete lack of unity / to disintegrate / falling apart / to be at sixes and sevens syn 咕咚 gū dōng splash / (onom.) for heavy things falling down syn 泪如雨下 淚如雨下 lèi rú yǔ xià tears falling like rain (idiom) syn 杞人忧天 杞人憂天 qǐ rén yōu tiān man of Qǐ fears the sky falling (idiom) / groundless fears syn 分崩离析 分崩離析 fēn bēng lí xī to collapse and fall apart (idiom) / to break up / falling to pieces syn 飕飕 颼颼 sōu sōu sound of the wind blowing or rain falling syn 闹矛盾 鬧矛盾 nào máo dùn to be at loggerheads / to have a falling out 撕破脸 撕破臉 sī pò liǎn to have an acrimonious falling-out / to shed all pretense of cordiality / to tear into each other 落石 luò shí falling stone 陨星 隕星 yǔn xīng meteorite / falling star syn 跌打损伤 跌打損傷 diē dǎ sǔn shāng injury such as contusion, sprain or fracture from falling, blow etc 去声 去聲 qù shēng falling tone / fourth tone in modern Mandarin syn 抑扬 抑揚 yì yáng modulation (rising and falling pitch) / intonation / a cadence / to rise and fall (of a body floating in water) syn 上声 上聲 shǎng shēng falling and rising tone / third tone in modern Mandarin syn 叶落归根 葉落歸根 yè luò guī gēn a falling leaf returns to the roots (idiom) / everything has its ancestral home / In old age, an expatriate longs to return home. syn 捺 nà to press down firmly / to suppress / right-falling stroke in Chinese characters (e.g. the last stroke of 大[da4]) syn 磔 zhé old term for the right-falling stroke in Chinese characters (e.g. the last stroke of 大[da4]), now called 捺[na4] / sound made by birds (onom.) / (literary) to dismember (form of punishment) / to spread syn 杞国忧天 杞國憂天 qǐ guó yōu tiān man of Qǐ fears the sky falling (idiom) / groundless fears 落叶归根 落葉歸根 luò yè guī gēn lit. a falling leaf returns to the roots (idiom) / fig. all things go back to their source eventually / in old age, an expatriate returns home syn 一叶知秋 一葉知秋 yī yè zhī qiū lit. the falling of one leaf heralds the coming of autumn (idiom) / fig. a small sign can indicate a great trend / a straw in the wind 一木难支 一木難支 yī mù nán zhī lit. a single post cannot prop up a falling house (idiom) / fig. one is helpless alone syn 降调 降調 jiàng diào falling intonation (linguistics) / to lower the key of a tune / to demote 病包儿 病包兒 bìng bāo r a person who is always falling ill / chronic invalid syn 啪哒 啪噠 pā dā (onom.) sound of object falling into water / plop 摔断 摔斷 shuāi duàn to fall and break / to break (bones) by falling 撕破脸皮 撕破臉皮 sī pò liǎn pí to have an acrimonious falling-out / to shed all pretense of cordiality / to tear into each other / see 撕破臉|撕破脸[si1 po4 lian3] 第三声 第三聲 dì sān shēng third tone in Mandarin / falling-rising tone syn 第四声 第四聲 dì sì shēng fourth tone in Mandarin / falling tone syn 跌市 diē shì falling stock prices / bear market 跌风 跌風 diē fēng falling prices / bear market 霎霎 shà shà (onom.) falling rain / chilly air / cold wind 头朝下 頭朝下 tóu cháo xià (falling or suspended) head downwards / headfirst / headlong 第二春 dì èr chūn (lit.) second spring / (fig.) falling in love for the second time / a new lease of life / rebirth 落花有意，流水无情 落花有意，流水無情 luò huā yǒu yì , liú shuǐ wú qíng lit. the falling flowers are yearning for love, but the heartless brook ripples on (idiom) / fig. one side is willing, yet the other one remains indifferent (usually of unrequited love) 扑跌 撲跌 pū diē to fall flat on one's face / (martial arts) pouncing and falling (i.e. all kinds of moves) 嚗 bó (onom.) sound of sth splitting or breaking apart / sound of an object falling to the ground / a cry of rage / Taiwan pr. [bo1] 闹掰 鬧掰 nào bāi (dialect) to have a falling-out (with sb) 风雨交加 風雨交加 fēng yǔ jiāo jiā (idiom) The wind is blowing and the rain is falling at the same time. Figuratively, it refers to several difficulties or disasters striking simultaneously. syn 更长梦短 更長夢短 gēng cháng mèng duǎn (idiom) To have a troubled mind and great difficulty falling asleep, with sleep easily interrupted. 流水落花 liú shuǐ luò huā (idiom) Evokes the scene at the end of spring, with falling flowers and flowing water. It also metaphorically refers to the passing of happy times. 乱琼碎玉 亂瓊碎玉 luàn qióng suì yù (idiom) Refers to falling snowflakes. 落英缤纷 落英繽紛 luò yīng bīn fēn (idiom) Describes the beautiful scene of flowers falling in profusion and drifting through the air. 清新俊逸 qīng xīn jùn yì (idiom) Fresh, refined, and original, without falling into cliché or conventionality. 如堕烟海 rú duò yān hǎi (idiom) As if falling into a boundless sea of mist and smoke. It means losing one’s bearings, being unable to find the main thread or grasp the essentials. syn 桑落瓦解 sāng luò wǎ jiě (idiom) Like mulberry leaves falling and roof tiles coming apart, it describes a situation deteriorating to the point of being beyond recovery. 碎琼乱玉 碎瓊亂玉 suì qióng luàn yù (idiom) Refers to falling snowflakes. 天堂地狱 天堂地獄 tiān táng dì yù (idiom) Originally a Buddhist expression referring to the virtuous ascending to heaven and the wicked falling into hell after death. 学如不及，犹恐失之 學如不及，猶恐失之 xué rú bù jí yóu kǒng shī zhī (idiom) To study as if trying to catch up with something, always afraid of falling behind and then of losing it once it is reached. 一败如水 一敗如水 yī bài rú shuǐ (idiom) Describes an army suffering a crushing defeat and falling into complete disarray. syn 坠茵落溷 墜茵落溷 zhuì yīn luò hùn (idiom) People may find themselves in very different circumstances, like petals falling either onto a mat or into a latrine. 一览而尽 yī lǎn ér jìn (idiom) To take in all the elements of something in a single glance, with everything falling within one's view. 东山复起 dōng shān fù qǐ (idiom) To take up an important position again. By extension, to regain power after falling from it / equivalent to “东山再起”. 从风而服 cóng fēng ér fú (idiom) To submit quickly, like something falling before the wind. It describes the submission of the weak to a stronger power. 仰面朝天 yǎng miàn cháo tiān (idiom) Describes someone lying on their back with their face turned upward, or falling backward. It portrays a sprawled or overturned position. 凄然泪下 qī rán lèi xià (idiom) To express deep sorrow, with tears falling from one's eyes. 前仆后踣 qián pú hòu bó (idiom) Describes the bravery and tragic intensity of a struggle, with fighters falling one after another. 吃饭防噎，走路防跌 chī fàn fáng yē，zǒu lù fáng diē (idiom) One should avoid choking while eating and falling while walking. The expression advises caution in handling matters. 坌鸟先飞 坌鳥先飛 bèn niǎo xiān fēi (idiom) Describes a less capable person who starts first for fear of falling behind others. It is often used modestly or self-deprecatingly. 坐戒垂堂 zuò jǐng chuí táng (idiom) Not to sit beneath the edge of a roof for fear of being struck by a falling tile. It describes someone cautious and intent on protecting themselves. 垂翼暴鳞 垂翼暴鱗 chuí yù bào lín (idiom) To lose one’s position or suffer a setback. The image is of a bird folding its wings and falling, and a snake shedding its scales. 大雪纷飞 大雪紛飛 dà xuě fēn fēi (idiom) Snowflakes are falling in large quantities. It describes heavy snowfall. syn 学如不及 學如不及 xué rú bù jí (idiom) To study as if pursuing something, always afraid of falling behind. 弹雨枪林 dàn yǔ qiāng lín (idiom) Describes extremely fierce fighting, with bullets falling like rain and rifles standing like a forest. 恐后争先 kǒng hòu zhēng xiān (idiom) To fear falling behind and strive to move ahead. It describes a very strong desire to make progress. 断线珍珠 duàn xiàn zhēn zhū (idiom) A metaphor for tears falling profusely like pearls spilling from a broken string. 旋复回皇 xuán fù huí huáng (idiom) Describes the winding, recurring movement and rising and falling of a melody or sound. 有过之无不及 有過之無不及 yǒu guò zhī wú bù jí (idiom) By comparison, something surpasses its reference point without falling short in any respect. syn 望杏瞻榆 wàng xìng zhān yú (idiom) To watch the apricot blossoms and the falling elm seeds. It refers to following the agricultural calendar and carrying out farm work at the proper time. 未成一篑 未成一簣 wèi chéng yī kuì (idiom) To fail when success was almost within reach. It is synonymous with “falling short at the last step.” 泣涕如雨 qì tì rú yǔ (idiom) To cry with tears falling like rain. It describes extreme sorrow. 涉笔成雅 涉筆成雅 shè bǐ chéng yǎ (idiom) To write elegantly as soon as one takes up the brush, without falling into banality. 淅淅沥沥 淅淅瀝瀝 xī xī lì lì (idiom) An onomatopoeia describing the soft sound of rain, wind, falling leaves, and similar things. 清丽俊逸 qīng lì jùn yì (idiom) Describes poetry or prose that is clear, beautiful, elegant, and original, without falling into cliché. 玉殒香消 玉殞香消 yù yǔn xiāng xiāo (idiom) The death of a beautiful woman, expressed in poetic and euphemistic language. It portrays her death as the falling of jade and the fading of a flower. 珠落玉盘 珠落玉盤 zhū luò yù pán (idiom) Pearls falling onto a jade plate: an image for a sound that is exceptionally pleasing and melodious. 瑞雪霏霏 ruì xuě fēi fēi (idiom) Refers to heavy snow falling thickly, regarded as a sign of a plentiful harvest. 甘处下流 甘處下流 gān chǔ xià liú (idiom) To be willing to remain in an inferior position / to accept falling behind others. 目成心授 mù chéng xīn shòu (idiom) To communicate affection through one's eyes and return each other's love. It usually describes two people falling in love with one another. 目成眉语 目成眉語 mù chéng méi yǔ (idiom) Describes a man and a woman conveying affection through their eyes and mutually falling in love. 瞠乎后矣 chēng hū hòu yǐ (idiom) To be left staring helplessly from behind, unable to catch up with others. It describes falling irretrievably behind. 纷纷洋洋 紛紛洋洋 fēn fēn yáng yáng (idiom) Describes snowflakes or small particles resembling snowflakes drifting or falling in disorder. It can also refer to things scattering through the air. 置而不问 置而不問 zhì ér bù wèn (idiom) The passage laments that capable people are discarded while the incapable are neither removed nor questioned, and asks how long affairs can continue without falling into ruin. 踊跃争先 yǒng yuè zhēng xiān (idiom) To compete eagerly to be first and avoid falling behind. 踣不复振 bó bù fù zhèn (idiom) To be unable to rise again after falling. It describes someone who fails to recover after suffering a setback. 转辗反侧 轉輾反側 zhuǎn zhǎn fǎn cè (idiom) To be so troubled that one tosses and turns without falling asleep. It is synonymous with “toss and turn restlessly.” 连绵起伏 lián mián qǐ fú (idiom) To continue without interruption while rising and falling in an uneven pattern. 雨鬣霜蹄 yǔ liè shuāng tí (idiom) Describes a fine steed galloping with its mane raised like falling rain and its four hooves flying, white as frost. 风饕雪虐 風饕雪虐 fēng tāo xuě nüè (idiom) Describes extremely cold weather with both strong winds and falling snow. 飘樊落溷 piāo fán luò hùn (idiom) Describes how chance can lead people to different fates, some prosperous and others poor. It also often refers to a woman falling into prostitution. 飘籵坠溷 piāo fān zhuì hùn (idiom) Describes how chance can lead people to different fates, some prosperous and others poor. It also often refers to a woman falling into prostitution. 飘飘零零 piāo piāo líng líng (idiom) Describes flowers, leaves, and other things withering and falling. Metaphorically, it also describes a person wandering from place to place in hardship. 