Course Flashcards Sentences Texts Games
Tools
Hanzi
Characters & strokes
Dictionary
Search everything
LearnChinese.ai - Learn Mandarin Chinese Online LearnChinese.ai - Learn Mandarin Chinese Online
LearnChinese.ai - Learn Mandarin Chinese Online LearnChinese.ai - Learn Mandarin Chinese Online
Course Flashcards Sentences Texts Games
Hanzi
Characters & strokes
Dictionary
Search everything
Login Sign Up
Back to Dictionary
塞翁失马焉知非福
塞翁失馬焉知非福
sàiwēngshīmǎyānzhīfēifú
1. the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
2. it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good

Character Breakdown

塞
sāi
to stop up, to seal, to cork, to block; pass, frontier; fortress
HSK 6 13 丶
翁
wēng
old man; father, father-in-law
10 丶
失
shī
to lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
HSK 4 5 丶
马
mǎ
horse; surname
HSK 3 3 丶
焉
yān
why? where? how?; strange; thereupon, then
11 丶
知
zhī
to know, to perceive, to comprehend
HSK 2 8 丶
非
fēi
not, negative, non-; to oppose
HSK 2 8 丶
福
fú
happiness, good fortune, blessings
HSK 4 13 丶

Metadata

Category
Chinese

LearnChinese.ai

Master Mandarin

Site

About Accounts & Social Contact

Editorial

Learning Resources Blog HSK 2.0 vs 3.0

Legal

Privacy Policy Terms of Service

Support

❤️ Donate

© 2026 LearnChinese.ai. All rights reserved.