塞翁失马

塞翁失馬
sàiwēngshīmǎ
  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

CEDICT

Every cloud has a silver lining. / A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Wiktionary

古时候边塞上有个老翁，丢了一匹马。别人去安慰他，他却说：「怎麽知道不是件好事呢？」过了几个月，这匹马果然带着一匹好马回来了。典出《淮南子．人间》。比喻祸福时常互转，不能以一时论定。宋．陆游〈贺蒋尚书出知婺州启〉：「鲁人获麟以为不祥，虽爱憎之叵测；塞翁失马未必非福，抑倚伏之何常。」《儒林外史．第四○回》：「萧云仙呼天抢地，尽哀尽礼，治办丧事，十分尽心。却自己叹息道：『人说塞翁失马，未知是福是祸。』」也作「北叟失马」。

重編國語辭典

比喻一时的损失，可能带来意外的好处

維基詞典

Entry Composition

1 塞 sài (bound form) strategic stronghold
2 翁 wēng
  1. elderly man
  2. father
  3. father-in-law
  4. neck feathers of a bird (old)
3 失马 shīmǎ to lose a horse

Containing this entry

塞翁失马安知非福 sàiwēngshīmǎānzhīfēifú
  1. the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
  2. it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
  3. also written 塞翁失马焉知非福
塞翁失马焉知非福 sàiwēngshīmǎyānzhīfēifú
  1. the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
  2. it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good

Related entries

北叟失马 běisǒushīmǎ
  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
塞翁失马安知非福 sàiwēngshīmǎānzhīfēifú
  1. the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
  2. it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
  3. also written 塞翁失马焉知非福
塞翁失马焉知非福 sàiwēngshīmǎyānzhīfēifú
  1. the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
  2. it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good