脱胎换骨
tuō tāi huàn gǔ
to be thoroughly remade; a complete transformation
Character by character
脱tuō
shed
shed
胎tāi
mortal body
mortal body
换huàn
change
change
骨gǔ
bones
bones
Example
经过几年的改革，这家老工厂已经脱胎换骨，成了行业里的明星企业。
After a few years of reform the old factory has been completely transformed into a star of its industry.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
A Daoist picture: an adept who becomes an immortal sheds his mortal body and bones. Now said of people who reform themselves and of firms, towns or industries that are remade, almost always for the better.
Learn this in Lesson 66 · HSK 6: 《哪吒2》与中国电影 (Ne Zha 2 and Chinese cinema)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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