此起彼伏 cǐqǐ-bǐfú up here, down there (idiom)
up here, down there (idiom); to rise and fall in succession; no sooner one subsides, the next arises; repeating continuously; occurring again and again (of applause, fires, waves, protests, conflicts, uprisings etc)
How to remember 此起彼伏: 此 this + 起 rise up + 彼 that + 伏 to crouch = up here, down there (idiom).
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How it is used
- Idiom 'rising here, falling there' - one thing after another in continuous succession.
- 掌声此起彼伏 (zhǎngshēng cǐqǐ bǐfú) waves of applause; also of protests, fires, waves.
- Conveys endless, overlapping recurrence - as one subsides, another arises.