门可罗雀
门可罗雀 (mén kě luó què) literally means “door can catch sparrows” and expresses “deserted; hardly a visitor”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: men ke luo que, men ke luo que,门可罗雀 meaning, 门可罗雀 in english
Deserted; hardly a visitor
Pronunciation: mén kě luó què Literal meaning: Door can catch sparrows
Origin & Usage
Zhai Gong, when he held high office, had a doorway crowded with visitors. Dismissed, he found the gateway (门) so empty that one could (可) have strung a net (罗) across it for sparrows (雀). Restored to office, he saw the visitors coming back, and wrote on his gate that only in death and life is friendship known, only in poverty and wealth is its quality seen. The Records of the Grand Historian preserves the sign. The phrase describes deserted premises, and it never entirely loses Zhai Gong's bitterness about what emptied them.
Examples
English: "After his departure, the once-bustling shop became deserted and quiet."
Chinese: 他离开后，这家曾经热闹的商店门可罗雀。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
鸦雀无声
yā què wú shēng
Completely silent; so quiet you could hear a pin drop
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包罗万象
bāo luó wàn xiàng
All-inclusive
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黄粱一梦
huáng liáng yī mèng
Ephemeral dreams
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揭竿而起
jiē gān ér qǐ
Grassroots uprising
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朝三暮四
zhāo sān mù sì
Fickle and inconsistent
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惊弓之鸟
jīng gōng zhī niǎo
Fear from past trauma
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临渊羡鱼
lín yuān xiàn yú
Act, don't just dream
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如火如荼
rú huǒ rú tú
Intense and vigorous
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 门可罗雀 mean in English?
门可罗雀 (mén kě luó què) literally translates to “Door can catch sparrows” and is used to express “Deserted; hardly a visitor”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 门可罗雀 used?
Situation: After his departure, the once-bustling shop became deserted and quiet.
What is the pinyin for 门可罗雀?
The pinyin pronunciation for 门可罗雀 is “mén kě luó què”.