浩浩荡荡

Pronunciation: hào hào dàng dàng
Literal meaning: Vast mighty flow

Origin & Usage

This rhythmic description of vast (浩浩) flowing (荡荡) movement originated from classical descriptions of the Yellow River's mighty course. During the Tang Dynasty, it evolved to describe impressive military processions and large-scale social movements. The doubled characters create a sense of continuous, unstoppable momentum. Historical texts used it to convey both physical scale and moral force. Modern usage describes large-scale trends, social movements, or historical progress, suggesting both magnitude and inevitability. It captures the awe-inspiring nature of collective human endeavor while maintaining connection to natural imagery.

Examples

English: "The reform movement swept through the industry like a mighty wave"

Chinese: 改革运动浩浩荡荡地席卷了整个行业

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