Four-character expressions - Turn It Around
四字格 — 反过来（说）
Four-character expressions (four-character group) are frequent in written language and in a formal style. They condense an idea (often quasi-idiomatic).
Elements
How to use it
- Use Turn It Around as a fixed expression, without changing the character order.
- Placement: place Turn It Around at the beginning of the sentence or in an incision, just before the idea you are commenting on.
- Context: use this formula to introduce an opinion, a reaction, or a transition in a dialogue.
- Start by memorizing the global meaning, then reuse the formula in complete sentences.
- Memorize the usual variants (Turn It Around / Turn It Back), and choose a single form per sentence.
- Start with a model sentence (In spoken language, often hear the phrase “Turn It Around”), then replace only the context (subject, time, situation).
Examples
在口语里，常听到“反过来”这种说法。
zài kǒuyǔ lǐ， cháng tīng dào “ fǎn guòlái ” zhè zhǒng shuōfǎ。
In spoken language, often hear the phrase “Turn It Around”.
有些场合也会说“反过来说”。
yǒuxiē chǎng hé yě huì shuō “ fǎn guòlái shuō ”。
In some contexts, also use “Turn It Back”.
Notes and exceptions
- Again — Past experience: Indicates that you have already experienced the action at least once.
- Often incompatible with a precise duration related to the event that is a single point in time.
Common mistakes
- Do not break the expression into isolated words: it functions as a block.
- Avoid literal translation and learn the global meaning in context first.
- When a variant is in parentheses, memorize the two possible forms without mixing them.
- Reuse the formula in a complete sentence, not as a single word.
Practice quiz
Choose the best option for each sentence, then submit to view the correction.
1. Quel élément complète le mieux cette règle ?
(Use **Turn It Around** as a fixed expression, without changing the character order.)
2. Quel élément complète le mieux cette règle ?
(Placement: place **Turn It Around** at the beginning of the sentence or in an incision, just before the idea you are commenting on.)
3. Quel élément complète le mieux cette règle ?
(Context: use this formula to introduce an opinion, a reaction, or a transition in a dialogue.)
4. Quel élément complète le mieux cette règle ?
(Start by memorizing the global meaning, then reuse the formula in complete sentences.)