转折点

• Pinyin: zhuǎn zhé diǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 转 = 车 + 专 (turn); 折 = 扌 + 斤 (bend); 点 = 灬 + 占 (point)

Meaning

Turning point; watershed moment; inflection point. A specific moment when significant change occurs.

A precise point in time marking a fundamental shift in trajectory, whether in history, business, personal life, or narrative. More specific than 转折, emphasizing a particular moment rather than a general transition.

Examples

1. 这次会议成为项目的转折点。 This meeting became the project’s turning point.
2. 疫情是全球经济的一个转折点。 The pandemic was a turning point for the global economy.
3. 那次失败反而成了他事业的转折点。 That failure actually became a turning point in his career.

Usage Guide

Context: history, business, analysis

Tone: analytical

Do Say

• 智能手机的问世是通信技术的转折点。(The advent of smartphones was a turning point in communication technology.)
• 找到那份工作是我人生的转折点。(Finding that job was the turning point of my life.)

Don't Say

• 每天都有转折点 — 转折点 implies rarity and significance; don't overuse for minor changes

Origin & History

转折 (turning, transition) + 点 (point)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal