lên voi xuống chó
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
to have ups and downs in one's life; to go from rags to riches and/or riches to rags; to move up and down the socioeconomic ladder
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗
Equivalents & related
Near equivalent
ups and downs
Experiences of good and bad fortune or success
English
Near equivalent
rags to riches
From poverty to wealth
English
Near equivalent
sóng gió
(noun) storm; troubles; ups and downs; vicissitudes (of life)
Tiếng Việt · via ups and downs
Near equivalent
mưa gió
(noun) vicissitudes of life; ups and downs
Tiếng Việt · via ups and downs
Near equivalent
thăng trầm
(noun) ups and downs
Tiếng Việt · via ups and downs
Near equivalent
phong ba
(noun) the vicissitudes of life; the reverses or tricks of fortune; the ups and downs
Tiếng Việt · via ups and downs
Near equivalent
thịnh suy
(noun) ups and downs
Tiếng Việt · via ups and downs
Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.
Common questions
What does “lên voi xuống chó” mean?
to have ups and downs in one's life; to go from rags to riches and/or riches to rags; to move up and down the socioeconomic ladder
Is “lên voi xuống chó” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.
What is the closest equivalent?
“ups and downs” (English) — near equivalent.