revolving lantern; kaleidoscope of events
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
revolving lantern; running-horse lantern (traditional folk toy)
A traditional Chinese decorative lantern featuring paper cutouts that spin due to heat convection from a candle. Often seen at festivals.
At the Lantern Festival temple fair, various revolving lanterns attracted large crowds of tourists.
This revolving lantern has paper cutouts of characters from *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*.
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The heat from the candle flame slowly turns the wheel of the revolving lantern.
noun
kaleidoscope of events; rapid succession (of people or things)
Metaphorical usage describing rapid turnover of personnel or constantly changing situations. Often used to describe political appointments, company leadership changes, or rapidly shifting scenes.
The company has seen frequent changes in senior management lately, with CEOs rotating rapidly like a revolving lantern.
Over the years, the vendors at the doorway have come and gone in rapid succession like a revolving lantern.
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The rapid turnover of political figures on the scene is dizzying, like a revolving lantern.