海阔天空
海阔天空 (hǎi kuò tiān kōng) literally means “vast ocean, boundless sky” and expresses “unbounded scope; or talk that rambles everywhere”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: hai kuo tian kong, hai kuo tian kong,海阔天空 meaning, 海阔天空 in english
Unbounded scope; or talk that rambles everywhere
Pronunciation: hǎi kuò tiān kōng Literal meaning: Vast ocean, boundless sky
Origin & Usage
Sea (海) wide (阔) and sky (天) empty (空), from the couplet about the fish leaping where the sea allows and the bird flying where the sky permits. The phrase has two quite different uses. Of circumstances it means unbounded scope, the situation with no walls in it. Of conversation it means something closer to rambling — 聊得海阔天空 is talk that has gone everywhere and settled nowhere — and that second sense is at least as common in speech.
Examples
English: "With endless possibilities ahead, she felt free to pursue her dreams."
Chinese: 前方的道路海阔天空，她可以自由追求自己的梦想。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
天马行空
tiān mǎ xíng kōng
Unrestrained creativity
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高谈阔论
gāo tán kuò lùn
Empty grandiose talk
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天涯海角
tiān yá hǎi jiǎo
Distant separation
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司空见惯
sī kōng jiàn guàn
So common as to attract no attention
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心胸开阔
xīn xiōng kāi kuò
Open-mindedness
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大刀阔斧
dà dāo kuò fǔ
Bold action
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瞒天过海
mán tiān guò hǎi
Disguise true intentions
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唱空城计
chàng kōng chéng jì
Use bold confidence to mask vulnerability
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 海阔天空 mean in English?
海阔天空 (hǎi kuò tiān kōng) literally translates to “Vast ocean, boundless sky” and is used to express “Unbounded scope; or talk that rambles everywhere”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 海阔天空 used?
Situation: With endless possibilities ahead, she felt free to pursue her dreams.
What is the pinyin for 海阔天空?
The pinyin pronunciation for 海阔天空 is “hǎi kuò tiān kōng”.