Meaning: Literally translated as “the gears of destiny begin to turn,” this Chinese expression metaphorically signifies a pivotal moment when one’s life trajectory drastically changes, often ushering in a stroke of good fortune that propels an individual from the mundane routines of everyday life to the realms of celebrity or substantial wealth. Likely rooted in Japanese manga and animation, the imagery of fate’s gears turning draws from the metaphorical association of “gears” with the societal positions of different individuals. Example: A: 你姐當年為什么移民去美國？ Nǐjiě dāngnián wèishénme yímín qù měiguó？ Why did your elder sister move to the United States years ago? B: 當時她畢業不久，命運的齒輪開始轉動，那天下班她在電梯里遇到了未來的丈夫，幾個月后就結婚跟他一起去美國了。 Dāngshí tā bìyè bùjiǔ， mìngyùn de chǐlún kāishǐ zhuàndòng， nàtiān xiàbān tā zài diàntī lǐ yùdào le wèilái de zhàngfū， jǐgeyuè hòu jiù jiéhūn gēn tā yīqǐ qù měiguó le。 She had just graduated from university, and had no inkling that a single event would radically reshape her future. She met her future husband in an elevator after work, and within a few months, they married and departed for the United States. | 