fickle friendship; unreliable human relationships
A yojijukugo describing how people's feelings and loyalties can change as unpredictably as clouds and rain. Used in literary or formal contexts to lament inconstancy in friendships or alliances.
The world is full of fickle friendships; yesterday's friend can become today's enemy.
朝三暮四 refers to being easily deceived by superficial changes or to capriciousness, while 翻雲覆雨 specifically describes the fickleness of human relationships.
変わりやすい is a general adjective for 'changeable' or 'fickle', whereas 翻雲覆雨 is a literary yojijukugo with a specific focus on the inconstancy of friendships.
A yojijukugo of Chinese origin, literally 'overturning clouds and covering rain', metaphorically describing the unpredictable nature of human feelings and relationships.