司空见惯
司空见惯 (sī kōng jiàn guàn) literally means “minister of works sees it habitually” and expresses “so common as to attract no attention”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: si kong jian guan, si kong jian guan,司空见惯 meaning, 司空见惯 in english
So common as to attract no attention
Pronunciation: sī kōng jiàn guàn Literal meaning: Minister of Works sees it habitually
Origin & Usage
This idiom originates from a Tang Dynasty story where the poet Liu Yuxi visited Minister of Works (司空) Li Shen. When beautiful courtesans performed, Liu composed a poem noting that such sights were habitual (见惯) to the minister. The phrase evolved to describe anything so common it no longer attracts attention. Modern usage describes phenomena that have become routine through frequency, losing their ability to surprise or impress.
Examples
English: "Traffic jams have become so common that no one complains anymore."
Chinese: 交通堵塞已经司空见惯，没人再抱怨了。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Master something completely
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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
Love ease, hate work
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Extremes lead to reversal
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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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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 司空见惯 mean in English?
司空见惯 (sī kōng jiàn guàn) literally translates to “Minister of Works sees it habitually” and is used to express “So common as to attract no attention”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 司空见惯 used?
Situation: Traffic jams have become so common that no one complains anymore.
What is the pinyin for 司空见惯?
The pinyin pronunciation for 司空见惯 is “sī kōng jiàn guàn”.