应接不暇
应接不暇 (yìng jiē bù xiá) literally means “responding and receiving without leisure” and expresses “too much to cope with; overwhelmed”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: ying jie bu xia, ying jie bu xia,应接不暇 meaning, 应接不暇 in english
Too much to cope with; overwhelmed
Pronunciation: yìng jiē bù xiá
Literal meaning: Responding and receiving without leisure
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes being so busy responding (应) and receiving (接) that there is no (不) leisure (暇). It originates from texts describing the overwhelming beauty of scenery that the eyes cannot fully take in. The phrase evolved to describe any situation with too much to handle. Modern usage commonly describes being overwhelmed by work, visitors, or demands, suggesting a positive problem (abundance) that nevertheless exceeds capacity to manage.
Examples
English: "The sudden influx of customers left the staff overwhelmed."
Chinese: 突然涌入的顾客让员工应接不暇。
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 应接不暇 mean in English?
应接不暇 (yìng jiē bù xiá) literally translates to “Responding and receiving without leisure” and is used to express “Too much to cope with; overwhelmed”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 应接不暇 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving too much to cope with; overwhelmed.
What is the pinyin for 应接不暇?
The pinyin pronunciation for 应接不暇 is “yìng jiē bù xiá”.