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: 你姐当年为什么移民去美国？

Nǐjiě dāngnián wèishénme yímín qù měiguó？

Why did your elder sister move to the United States years ago?

B: 当时她毕业不久，命运的齿轮开始转动，那天下班她在电梯里遇到了未来的丈夫，几个月后就结婚跟他一起去美国了。

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.