大喜过望
大喜过望 (dà xǐ guò wàng) literally means “greatly pleased beyond expectation” and expresses “unexpected joy”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: da xi guo wang, da xi guo wang,大喜过望 meaning, 大喜过望 in english
Unexpected joy
Pronunciation: dà xǐ guò wàng Literal meaning: Greatly pleased beyond expectation
Origin & Usage
Ying Bu defected from Xiang Yu to Liu Bang and was received, on arrival, by a Liu Bang who did not get up, sat having his feet washed, and barely acknowledged him. Ying Bu went back to his quarters intending to kill himself, found lodgings, attendants and provisions laid on at the same scale as Liu Bang's own — and was delighted (大喜) beyond (过) what he had hoped for (望). The Records of the Grand Historian tells it as a piece of deliberate stagecraft, which is worth knowing about a phrase now used for any happy surprise.
Examples
English: "Winning the award was a joy that exceeded all my expectations."
Chinese: 获奖的喜悦大喜过望。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
改过自新
gǎi guò zì xīn
Turn over a new leaf after wrongdoing
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喜出望外
xǐ chū wàng wài
Overjoyed; pleasantly surprised
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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闻过则喜
wén guò zé xǐ
Welcome criticism; embrace feedback
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紫气东来
zǐ qì dōng lái
Good fortune is on its way
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四海为家
sì hǎi wéi jiā
At home anywhere
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两虎相争
liǎng hǔ xiāng zhēng
Fierce competition between equals
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指鹿为马
zhǐ lù wéi mǎ
Deliberately distort truth as power display
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 大喜过望 mean in English?
大喜过望 (dà xǐ guò wàng) literally translates to “Greatly pleased beyond expectation” and is used to express “Unexpected joy”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 大喜过望 used?
Situation: Winning the award was a joy that exceeded all my expectations.
What is the pinyin for 大喜过望?
The pinyin pronunciation for 大喜过望 is “dà xǐ guò wàng”.