鹹魚翻身 [咸鱼－－]

Jyutping haam4 jyu2 faan1 saan1
Pinyin xián yú fān shēn

Definitions (粵典–words.hk)
  1. 語句
    喺​遭遇​挫折​或者​失敗​之​後​，​意外​噉​突破​或者​成功​返​（​注意​：​雖然​「​鹹​魚​」​可以​解屍體​，​但​係​「​鹹​魚翻生​」​唔​會​用​嚟​講死​唔​去​、​執返​條命​呢​個​意思​，​唔​同​「​死過​翻生​」​。​）
    to have an unexpected success after an apparent failure; literally "salted fish reviving" (Note: The phrase is never used to describe close-death encounters; 死過翻生is used instead.)
  2. 參看
    鹹魚翻生、鹹魚返生

鹹魚翻身 [咸鱼－－]

Jyutping haam4 jyu2 faan1 san1
Pinyin xián yú fān shēn

Definitions (CC-CEDICT)
  1. lit. the salted fish turns over (idiom)
  2. fig. to experience a reversal of fortune
Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. verb
    to suddenly thrive and prosper while seemingly hopeless before; to make a comeback victory
    • 鹹魚翻身還是鹹魚
      咸鱼翻身还是咸鱼
      xián yú fān shēn hái shì xián yú
      Even if the underdog becomes the overdog, he is still a dog.
Examples (Wiktionary)
  1. Mandarin
    咸鱼翻身还是咸鱼
    鹹魚翻身還是鹹魚
    xián yú fān shēn hái shì xián yú
    • Even if the underdog becomes the overdog, he is still a dog.