Dictionary › 塞翁失马

塞翁失马

sài wēng shī mǎ

4-character word Traditional 塞翁失馬

What 塞翁失马 means

1. lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)
2. fig. a blessing in disguise
3. it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good

The characters in 塞翁失马

• 塞sè(bound form) to block; to obstruct
• 翁wēngelderly man; father; father-in-law
• 失shīto lose; to miss; to fail
• 马mǎhorse; horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess; knight in Western chess

Example sentences

• 塞翁失马
  Sàiwēngshīmǎ
  Every cloud has a silver lining.

Words starting with 塞翁失马

• 塞翁失马安知非福sài wēng shī mǎ ān zhī fēi fúthe old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)…
• 塞翁失马焉知非福sài wēng shī mǎ yān zhī fēi fúthe old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)…