extremes meet; things reverse at the extreme
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
when things reach an extreme, they inevitably turn into their opposites; extremes meet
Expresses the dialectical view that extremes naturally trigger reversal. Used to comment on cycles of fortune, market trends, or personal behavior that has gone too far.
Gǔ股
shì市
zhǎng涨
de得
tài太
gāo高
，
huí回
diào调
shì是
bì必
rán然
de的
，
zhè这
zhèng正
shì是
wù物
jí极
bì必
fǎn反
de的
dào道
lǐ理
。
When the stock market rises too high, a pullback is inevitable—this is exactly the principle that extremes reverse.
Tā他
gōng工
zuò作
tài太
pīn拼
mìng命
，
zuì最
hòu后
bìng病
dǎo倒
le了
，
zhēn真
shì是
wù物
jí极
bì必
fǎn反
。
He worked himself so hard that he finally fell ill—truly a case of extremes meeting their opposites.
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Lè乐
jí极
shēng生
bēi悲
，
wù物
jí极
bì必
fǎn反
，
zhè这
shì是
gǔ古
rén人
zǒng总
jié结
de的
zhì智
huì慧
。
Extreme joy begets sorrow, and extremes inevitably reverse—this is the wisdom summed up by the ancients.
Bié别
liàn练
de得
tài太
hěn狠
le了
，
jì记
zhù住
wù物
jí极
bì必
fǎn反
。
Don't train too intensely; remember that things reverse when pushed to extremes.