坠茵落溷 — “To fall onto a cushion or into a latrine”

坠茵落溷 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to fall onto a cushion or into a latrine”. Describes how people, though starting from similar origins, can end up in very different, often contrasting, situations or destinies, some favorable and some unfavorable, often due to chance. Literally, “To fall onto a cushion or into a latrine”.

Frequency

坠茵落溷 Pronunciation and Pinyin

坠茵落溷 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
坠	zhuì	7	fall, drop, or sink
茵	yīn	9	mat or cushion
落	luò	12	fall, drop, settle, decline
溷	hùn	13	turbid, dirty, or toilet

Example Sentence with 坠茵落溷

在社会大潮中，每个人的命运都如同坠茵落溷，有的平步青云，有的则默默无闻。

In the great tide of society, everyone's fate is like petals falling onto a cushion or into a latrine; some rise swiftly, while others remain obscure.

Origin and Story of 坠茵落溷

During the Southern Dynasties (Liang period), Prince Ziliang was discussing the matter of wealth and poverty with Fan Zhen, an atheist, questioning the relationship between good fortune and karma.

Fan Zhen replied, "Human life is like the flowers on a tree. Although they all grow on the same branch, when a strong wind suddenly blows, some petals drift down onto the cushions in a wealthy person's home, while others fall into a latrine. This is simply how different destinies unfold, a matter of chance rather than inherent cause and effect."