水泄不通
水泄不通 (shuǐ xiè bù tōng) literally means “water cannot leak through” and expresses “impenetrably crowded”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: shui xie bu tong, shui xie bu tong,水泄不通 meaning, 水泄不通 in english
Impenetrably crowded
Pronunciation: shuǐ xiè bù tōng Literal meaning: Water cannot leak through
Origin & Usage
So tight that water (水) cannot leak (泄) through (不通). The phrase comes out of Chan Buddhist writing, where such formulations describe a completeness with no gap in it, and the everyday use has kept the geometry and dropped the metaphysics. Chinese applies it to two situations in particular: a crowd so dense that nobody can move, and a cordon so complete that nobody can slip out. Holiday train stations and police operations are its natural homes.
Examples
English: "The security at the event was so tight that no one could get in without proper clearance."
Chinese: 这个地方的安保水泄不通，任何人都无法进入。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Shirk effort by preference
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Push far enough and it turns
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Good and evil deeds repaid in kind
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 水泄不通 mean in English?
水泄不通 (shuǐ xiè bù tōng) literally translates to “Water cannot leak through” and is used to express “Impenetrably crowded”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 水泄不通 used?
Situation: The security at the event was so tight that no one could get in without proper clearance.
What is the pinyin for 水泄不通?
The pinyin pronunciation for 水泄不通 is “shuǐ xiè bù tōng”.