石沉大海
石沉大海 (shí chén dà hǎi) literally means “stone sinks into the sea” and expresses “disappear without trace”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: shi chen da hai, shi chen da hai,石沉大海 meaning, 石沉大海 in english
Disappear without trace
Pronunciation: shí chén dà hǎi Literal meaning: Stone sinks into the sea
Origin & Usage
A stone (石) sinking (沉) into the open sea (大海). What the image supplies that 'no reply' does not is the total absence of evidence — no splash worth noting, no floating remnant, no way to establish that anything was thrown at all. That is the specific frustration it names. Job applications, submitted manuscripts, petitions and messages, and the complaint is less about refusal than about the silence, which leaves nothing to respond to.
Examples
English: "After sending out his application, he felt like his hopes had vanished without a trace."
Chinese: 他的申请就像石沉大海，再也没有消息。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
海枯石烂
hǎi kū shí làn
Until the end of time; eternal love
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破釜沉舟
pò fǔ chén zhōu
Commit with no retreat
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沉鱼落雁
chén yú luò yàn
Beauty so stunning it affects natural world
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沉默寡言
chén mò guǎ yán
Reserved and thoughtful
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枕石漱流
zhěn shí shù liú
Live as a recluse in the wild
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枕流漱石
zhěn liú shù shí
Live as a recluse in the wild
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水落石出
shuǐ luò shí chū
Truth will emerge
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海阔天空
hǎi kuò tiān kōng
Unbounded scope; or talk that rambles everywhere
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 石沉大海 mean in English?
石沉大海 (shí chén dà hǎi) literally translates to “Stone sinks into the sea” and is used to express “Disappear without trace”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 石沉大海 used?
Situation: After sending out his application, he felt like his hopes had vanished without a trace.
What is the pinyin for 石沉大海?
The pinyin pronunciation for 石沉大海 is “shí chén dà hǎi”.