The literal meaning of "一落千丈" is "a sudden fall of a thousand zhang," describing a drastic decline in circumstances, status, reputation, etc., with an enormous drop. It originates from a line in Han Yu's "Listening to Master Ying Play the Qin" from his Collected Works of Mr. Changli: "Climbing by inches, one cannot go up; losing momentum, one falls a thousand zhang or more." Originally it referred to the sound of the qin suddenly shifting from high and resounding to low and deep, and later it was extended to mean things plunging abruptly from a high position to an extremely low state. It is used in a wide range of contexts, and can describe a sudden deterioration in a person's social status, economic situation, academic performance, career prospects, stock prices, and so on. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the Chinese rhetorical tradition of using exaggerated numbers (a thousand zhang) to express dramatic change. Its emotional coloring is somewhat derogatory, often carrying a sense of regret, irony, or warning, and emphasizing the suddenness and severity of the change.
📝 Example
1. Ever since the company's financial scandal broke, his reputation has plummeted, and no one is willing to work with him anymore. (Describing a sharp decline in reputation)
2. Because he was addicted to games and didn't review, his grades plummeted this exam, dropping from the top three in the class to the bottom. (Describing a sudden, significant drop in grades)