忘乎所以
忘乎所以 (wàng hū suǒ yǐ) literally means “forget one's place” and expresses “carried away by success”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: wang hu suo yi, wang hu suo yi,忘乎所以 meaning, 忘乎所以 in english
Carried away by success
Pronunciation: wàng hū suǒ yǐ Literal meaning: Forget one's place
Origin & Usage
To forget (忘) about (乎) the wherefore (所以) of oneself — the grammar is deliberately vague and the sense is losing track of who and where you are. It belongs to vernacular fiction and describes a specific failure: not arrogance in general but the temporary kind produced by a success, elation or flattery, in which someone's sense of proportion goes missing for an evening. People who have just been promoted, praised in public, or allowed to talk for too long.
Examples
English: "He was so engrossed in the concert that he lost track of time."
Chinese: 他陶醉于音乐会中，忘乎所以，完全忘记了时间。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
举棋不定
jǔ qí bù dìng
Indecisive hesitation
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朝三暮四
zhāo sān mù sì
Fickle and inconsistent
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顾此失彼
gù cǐ shī bǐ
Unable to cover everything at once
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好高骛远
hào gāo wù yuǎn
Unrealistic aspirations
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脚踏两船
jiǎo tà liǎng chuán
Indecision, double-dealing
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居功自傲
jū gōng zì ào
Conceited about one's own merits
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大快人心
dà kuài rén xīn
Satisfaction at a wrong being punished
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得意忘形
dé yì wàng xíng
Become carried away by success
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 忘乎所以 mean in English?
忘乎所以 (wàng hū suǒ yǐ) literally translates to “Forget one's place” and is used to express “Carried away by success”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 忘乎所以 used?
Situation: He was so engrossed in the concert that he lost track of time.
What is the pinyin for 忘乎所以?
The pinyin pronunciation for 忘乎所以 is “wàng hū suǒ yǐ”.