此起彼伏cǐ qǐ bǐ fúno sooner one subsides, the next arises

1. 1.

   no sooner one subsides, the next arisesidiom

2. 2.

   repeating continuouslyidiom

3. 3.

   occurring again and again (of applause, fires, waves, protests, conflicts, uprisings etc)idiom

Figurative meaning

No sooner one subsides, the next arises; repeating continuously.

Literal meaning

This one rises, that one lies low.

• 此this; these
• 起to rise
• 彼that
• 伏to lie low

No attested origin story

此起彼伏 often follows a noun such as 掌声 or 笑声 and can describe sounds or events that keep coming one after another.

1. 演出结束后，掌声此起彼伏。

   Yǎnchū jiéshù hòu, zhǎngshēng cǐ qǐ bǐ fú.

   After the show ended, the applause kept rising again and again.

2. HSK 4

   晚上，村子里的狗叫声此起彼伏。

   Wǎnshang, cūnzi lǐ de gǒu jiào shēng cǐ qǐ bǐ fú.

   At night, the dogs in the village barked one after another, on and on.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   昨晚你睡得好吗？

   Zuówǎn nǐ shuì de hǎo ma?

   Did you sleep well last night?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   不好，外面的车声此起彼伏。

   Bù hǎo, wàimiàn de chē shēng cǐ qǐ bǐ fú.

   No, the traffic noise outside kept going on and on.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   那你换个房间吧。

   Nà nǐ huàn ge fángjiān ba.

   Then maybe switch rooms.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   好主意，我今天就问问。

   Hǎo zhǔyi, wǒ jīntiān jiù wènwen.

   Good idea, I'll ask today.

1. 1.What does 此起彼伏 mean?

   ARepeating continuouslyBImminentCUnprecedented
2. 2.Which sentence uses 此起彼伏 correctly?

   A教室里的笑声此起彼伏。B他此起彼伏地坐着，一动不动。C这里非常安静，此起彼伏。
3. 3.Which idiom fits best? 球赛很精彩，观众的欢呼声____。 (The match was exciting, and the crowd's cheers kept coming again and again.)

   A此起彼伏B迫在眉睫C雪上加霜

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Related idioms

• 一举两得yì jǔ liǎng détwo birds with one stoneHSK 7–9
• 一如既往yì rú jì wǎng(idiom) just as in the past; as before; continuing as alwaysHSK 7–9
• 一目了然yí mù liǎo ránobvious at a glance (idiom)HSK 7–9
• 不可思议bù kě sī yìinconceivable; unimaginable; unfathomableHSK 7–9
• 不知不觉bù zhī bù jué(idiom) unconsciously; unwittinglyHSK 7–9
• 不知所措bù zhī suǒ cuònot knowing what to doHSK 7–9

Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.