Closest Chinese expression塞翁失马，焉知非福
Pinyinsài wēng shī mǎ, yān zhī fēi fú
Quick answer
The closest answer is 塞翁失马，焉知非福: An apparent misfortune may lead to an unexpected benefit.
Literal translation
When the old frontier man lost his horse, how could one know it was not a blessing?
Are they completely equivalent?
塞翁失马 questions whether present fortune or misfortune can be judged at all. The English saying more directly promises something good within a bad situation.
When to use the Chinese saying
Use it after a setback whose longer-term consequences remain genuinely uncertain.
Other related Chinese expressions
A single English saying can point to different Chinese expressions depending on whether the speaker wants to emphasize action, patience, warning, hope, or social tone.
