门庭若市
门庭若市 (mén tíng ruò shì) literally means “doorway busy as market” and expresses “extremely popular”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: men ting ruo shi, men ting ruo shi,门庭若市 meaning, 门庭若市 in english
Extremely popular
Pronunciation: mén tíng ruò shì Literal meaning: Doorway busy as market
Origin & Usage
Zou Ji persuaded King Wei of Qi that everyone around him had a reason to flatter him, and the king proclaimed rewards for anyone who would name his faults. At first the gate and courtyard (门庭) were as crowded as a market (若市). After some months people still came, but only now and then; after a full year there was nothing left for anyone to submit. The phrase preserves the crowd at its height and drops the rest of the curve. A shop, an office, a household that visitors will not stop arriving at — and the compliment is about the demand rather than about the visitors.
Examples
English: "The new restaurant was so popular that it was always packed with customers"
Chinese: 这家新餐厅很受欢迎，总是顾客盈门
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
画龙点睛
huà lóng diǎn jīng
Add crucial finishing touch
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抛砖引玉
pāo zhuān yǐn yù
Offer modest view to inspire better
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大相径庭
dà xiāng jìng tíng
Vastly different; poles apart
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一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rén
Sudden, remarkable success
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百折不挠
bǎi zhé bù náo
Unshakeable despite adversity
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水滴石穿
shuǐ dī shí chuān
Persistence achieves anything
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天道酬勤
tiān dào chóu qín
Effort is eventually repaid
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破釜沉舟
pò fǔ chén zhōu
Commit with no retreat
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 门庭若市 mean in English?
门庭若市 (mén tíng ruò shì) literally translates to “Doorway busy as market” and is used to express “Extremely popular”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 门庭若市 used?
Situation: The new restaurant was so popular that it was always packed with customers
What is the pinyin for 门庭若市?
The pinyin pronunciation for 门庭若市 is “mén tíng ruò shì”.
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