Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== wǎnhuí: 挽回 - To Redeem, Salvage, Save (a situation), Win Back ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** wanhui, 挽回, how to say redeem in Chinese, save a situation Chinese, win back ex in Chinese, salvage a relationship, 挽回损失, 挽回面子, 挽回感情, reverse a loss Chinese, damage control Chinese. * **Summary:** **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** is a powerful Chinese verb that means to actively reverse a negative situation or retrieve something that has been lost. More than just "getting something back," it implies a concerted effort to **redeem** a loss, **salvage** a failing project, **win back** someone's affection, or **restore** one's reputation. Whether you're trying to fix a business deal gone wrong or mend a broken relationship, **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** is the essential term for pulling things back from the brink of failure. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** wǎnhuí * **Part of Speech:** Verb * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** To retrieve, redeem, or reverse a negative situation, loss, or decline. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** as "damage control" with a sense of personal urgency and restoration. It's not about passively waiting for things to get better; it's about taking decisive action to pull something back from a negative path. The "something" can be tangible, like financial losses, or intangible and deeply personal, like a relationship, one's honor (face), or a favorable situation. The core feeling is one of active effort to restore a previous, better state. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **挽 (wǎn):** This character means "to pull," "to draw," or "to lead." The hand radical on the left (扌) clearly indicates an action done with the hands. Imagine pulling a rope or leading a horse—that's the essence of **挽 (wǎn)**. * **回 (huí):** This character means "to return," "to go back," or "to circle back." It's one of the most fundamental characters for movement and direction. * **Combined Meaning:** The combination is beautifully intuitive: **挽 (to pull) + 回 (back)**. Together, they create a vivid picture of actively and forcefully pulling something back to where it should be, reversing its course from a negative direction. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** is deeply connected to the cultural concept of **[[面子 (miànzi) - Face]]**, or social honor and reputation. In many situations, a loss (in business, an argument, a relationship) is not just a private matter but also a public loss of face. The act of **挽回** is therefore crucial for restoring one's social standing and re-establishing harmony. * **Comparison with Western Concepts:** A Westerner might say "I'm trying to fix things" or "I'm doing some damage control." While "damage control" is similar, it can feel corporate, impersonal, and focused on merely mitigating negative consequences. **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** often carries a more personal, emotional weight. It emphasizes the goal of **restoration** and returning to a previous good state, not just stopping the bleeding. Trying to **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** a relationship is about winning back love and trust, a much more profound goal than simply "fixing" it. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** is a common and important word used in both formal and serious informal contexts. It appears frequently in news, business reports, and personal conversations about significant life events. * **In Business and Finance (挽回损失 - wǎnhuí sǔnshī):** This is one of the most common uses. It refers to actions taken to recover lost investments, recoup financial losses, or win back a client who was about to leave. * //"Our priority now is to **挽回** these losses."// * **In Relationships (挽回感情 - wǎnhuí gǎnqíng):** This is a huge topic in modern China, from advice columns to TV dramas. It means trying to win back an ex-partner, save a failing marriage, or mend a broken friendship. It implies a serious effort to repair trust and affection. * //"He bought her flowers every day, hoping to **挽回** her heart."// * **In Reputation and Social Standing (挽回面子 - wǎnhuí miànzi):** When someone is publicly embarrassed or their reputation is damaged, they will take steps to **挽回面子** (save face). This could involve a public apology, a demonstration of competence, or disproving a rumor. * //"After the scandal, the company launched a huge PR campaign to **挽回** its image."// ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我们必须采取紧急措施来**挽回**公司的声誉。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū cǎiqǔ jǐnjí cuòshī lái **wǎnhuí** gōngsī de shēngyù. * English: We must take emergency measures to **salvage** the company's reputation. * Analysis: This is a classic business/PR context. **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** here means to restore a good reputation that has been damaged. * **Example 2:** * 他试图**挽回**他们的婚姻，但已经太晚了。 * Pinyin: Tā shìtú **wǎnhuí** tāmen de hūnyīn, dàn yǐjīng tài wǎn le. * English: He tried to **save** their marriage, but it was already too late. * Analysis: Here, **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** is used for a relationship. It implies that the marriage was on the brink of failure and he was making a final effort to pull it back. * **Example 3:** * 尽管我们尽了最大努力，但仍然没能**挽回**损失。 * Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn wǒmen jìn le zuìdà nǔlì, dàn réngrán méi néng **wǎnhuí** sǔnshī. * English: Despite our best efforts, we still couldn't **redeem** the losses. * Analysis: This sentence highlights the effort involved in **挽回 (wǎnhuí)**. It's often paired with words like "effort" (努力 nǔlì). The common collocation here is **挽回损失 (wǎnhuí sǔnshī)**. * **Example 4:** * 他的一个道歉就足以**挽回**我们的友谊。 * Pinyin: Tā de yí ge dàoqiàn jiù zúyǐ **wǎnhuí** wǒmen de yǒuyì. * English: His one apology was enough to **salvage** our friendship. * Analysis: This shows that **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** can be used for friendships, not just romantic relationships. The action required for salvaging it can be simple. * **Example 5:** * 在比赛的最后几分钟，球队成功**挽回**了败局。 * Pinyin: Zài bǐsài de zuìhòu jǐ fēnzhōng, qiúduì chénggōng **wǎnhuí** le bàijú. * English: In the last few minutes of the game, the team successfully **reversed** the losing situation. * Analysis: **挽回败局 (wǎnhuí bàijú)** is a set phrase meaning "to turn a defeat into a victory" or "to save a losing game." It captures the idea of pulling back from the brink of losing. * **Example 6:** * 这个错误是可以**挽回**的，别太担心。 * Pinyin: Zhège cuòwù shì kěyǐ **wǎnhuí** de, bié tài dānxīn. * English: This mistake is **remediable**, don't worry too much. * Analysis: This shows **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** can be used to describe a situation or mistake as "salvageable" or "fixable." * **Example 7:** * A: 我搞砸了和那个重要客户的会议。 * A: Pinyin: Wǒ gǎozá le hé nàge zhòngyào kèhù de huìyì. * A: English: I messed up the meeting with that important client. * B: 别急，我们想想办法怎么**挽回**这个客户。 * B: Pinyin: Bié jí, wǒmen xiǎngxiang bànfǎ zěnme **wǎnhuí** zhège kèhù. * B: English: Don't panic, let's think of a way to **win back** this client. * Analysis: This conversational example shows a very practical use case: figuring out a strategy to **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** a business relationship. * **Example 8:** * 有些决定一旦做出，就再也无法**挽回**了。 * Pinyin: Yǒuxiē juédìng yídàn zuòchū, jiù zàiyě wúfǎ **wǎnhuí** le. * English: Once some decisions are made, they are completely **irreversible**. * Analysis: The phrase **无法挽回 (wúfǎ wǎnhuí)** means "irretrievable," "irreversible," or "irreparable." It's a very strong and common way to express that a situation is beyond saving. * **Example 9:** * 政府正在努力**挽回**下滑的经济颓势。 * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ zhèngzài nǔlì **wǎnhuí** xiàhuá de jīngjì tuíshì. * English: The government is working hard to **reverse** the declining economic trend. * Analysis: This demonstrates **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** being used on a large, abstract scale. **挽回颓势 (wǎnhuí tuíshì)** means to reverse a trend of decline or decadence. * **Example 10:** * 为了**挽回**面子，他请了所有同事吃大餐。 * Pinyin: Wèile **wǎnhuí** miànzi, tā qǐng le suǒyǒu tóngshì chī dàcān. * English: In order to **save face**, he treated all of his colleagues to a big meal. * Analysis: A perfect example of the link between **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** and **[[面子 (miànzi) - Face]]**. The action (treating colleagues) is a direct attempt to repair his social standing. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`挽回 (wǎnhuí)` vs. `恢复 (huīfù)`** * **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** implies active effort to pull something back from a negative state. You **挽回** a loss, a relationship, a situation. * **恢复 (huīfù)** means "to recover" or "to return to a normal state," and can happen naturally or with less direct "pulling." * **Incorrect:** 我生病了，我要**挽回**我的健康。 (Wǒ shēngbìng le, wǒ yào wǎnhuí wǒde jiànkāng.) - This sounds strange, as if your health ran away and you have to chase it. * **Correct:** 我生病了，我要**恢复**健康。 (Wǒ shēngbìng le, wǒ yào huīfù jiànkāng.) - I'm sick, I need to recover my health. * **Correct:** 他努力工作，**挽回**了公司的损失。 (Tā nǔlì gōngzuò, wǎnhuí le gōngsī de sǔnshī.) - He worked hard and redeemed the company's losses. * **`挽回 (wǎnhuí)` vs. `找回 (zhǎo huí)`** * **挽回 (wǎnhuí)** is for abstract concepts, situations, or intangible things (love, reputation, an advantage). * **找回 (zhǎo huí)** means "to find" a physical object that was lost. * **Incorrect:** 我想**挽回**我丢的钱包。 (Wǒ xiǎng wǎnhuí wǒ diū de qiánbāo.) * **Correct:** 我想**找回**我丢的钱包。 (Wǒ xiǎng zhǎohuí wǒ diū de qiánbāo.) - I want to find my lost wallet. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[弥补 (míbǔ)]] (míbǔ) - To compensate for, to make up for. Focuses on filling a gap or deficiency caused by a mistake or loss. * [[补救 (bǔjiù)]] (bǔjiù) - To remedy. Focuses on the remedial action taken to fix a problem or error. * [[拯救 (zhěngjiù)]] (zhěngjiù) - To save, to rescue. Much more dramatic than **挽回**; used for saving lives, a nation from peril, or a company from total bankruptcy. * [[恢复 (huīfù)]] (huīfù) - To recover, to restore. Describes the state of returning to normal, often without the same sense of active struggle as **挽回**. * [[面子 (miànzi)]] (miànzi) - Face, reputation. The crucial social concept that one often tries to **挽回**. * [[损失 (sǔnshī)]] (sǔnshī) - Loss, damage. The negative event or thing that prompts the action of **挽回**. * [[局面 (júmiàn)]] (júmiàn) - Situation, state of affairs. Often used with **挽回** as in **挽回局面 (wǎnhuí júmiàn)**, to save the situation. * [[破镜重圆 (pò jìng chóng yuán)]] (pò jìng chóng yuán) - A chengyu (idiom) literally meaning "a broken mirror made whole again." It's a beautiful and specific way to describe a couple getting back together—a very specific type of **挽回感情 (wǎnhuí gǎnqíng)**.