人山人海
人山人海 (rén shān rén hǎi) literally means “people mountain people sea” and expresses “vast crowds of people”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: ren shan ren hai, ren shan ren hai,人山人海 meaning, 人山人海 in english
Vast crowds of people
Pronunciation: rén shān rén hǎi Literal meaning: People mountain people sea
Origin & Usage
People (人) as mountains (山), people (人) as sea (海). The construction repeats 人 rather than joining the two landforms, which is what gives it its rhythm and makes it one of the first idioms most learners can produce. It describes density rather than number: the point is that individuals have stopped being distinguishable. Holiday sites, stations and markets, in a tone running from neutral to weary rather than admiring.
Examples
English: "The famous tourist site was filled with countless visitors during the holiday"
Chinese: 这个著名景点在假期期间挤满了数不清的游客
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
安如泰山
ān rú tài shān
Absolutely stable and unshakable
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泰山压顶
tài shān yā dǐng
Overwhelming pressure bearing down
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开门见山
kāi mén jiàn shān
Get straight to point
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高山流水
gāo shān liú shuǐ
Perfect artistic understanding between friends
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愚公移山
yú gōng yí shān
Persistence overcomes huge obstacles
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东山再起
dōng shān zài qǐ
Make a comeback after setback or retirement
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铁证如山
tiě zhèng rú shān
Irrefutable evidence; conclusive proof
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跋山涉水
bá shān shè shuǐ
Travel through hardship; overcome obstacles
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 人山人海 mean in English?
人山人海 (rén shān rén hǎi) literally translates to “People mountain people sea” and is used to express “Vast crowds of people”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 人山人海 used?
Situation: The famous tourist site was filled with countless visitors during the holiday
What is the pinyin for 人山人海?
The pinyin pronunciation for 人山人海 is “rén shān rén hǎi”.
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