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不计其数

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: bù jì qí shù
  • English Translation: Countless / Innumerable
  • Idiom Composition: Not / Cannot (negation).To calculate or count.Its or their (referring to the subject).Number or quantity.
  • Meaning: Describes a quantity so vast that it cannot be calculated or counted. It is used to emphasize an extremely large number of people or things.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

不计其数 contains the following nuances:

  • Overwhelming Quantity: It emphasizes not just a 'large' amount, but a volume so massive that precise tracking or counting is practically impossible.
  • Neutral Application: The idiom is neutral and can describe positive things like 'successes' or 'tourists,' as well as negative things like 'casualties' or 'failures.'

3. Usage

不计其数 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Describing a situation (as a predicate/complement): Used to state that the subject exists in an uncountable quantity. It is often used in the structure '多得不计其数' (so many that they are beyond count).
    • Example:每到假期,来这里参观的游客多得不计其数
      Every holiday, the tourists visiting here are countless.)
  • Modifying a noun (as an attributive): Used in the form '不计其数的~' to modify a noun, indicating that the object is present in massive quantities.
    • Example:这场战争造成了不计其数的平民伤亡。
      This war caused innumerable civilian casualties.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 天上的星星不计其数,根本数不过来。
    The stars in the sky are countless; it's impossible to count them all.
  2. 他在那个领域发表过不计其数的文章。
    He has published innumerable articles in that field.
  3. 这种类似的错误在过去发生过不计其数
    Similar mistakes have occurred countless times in the past.
  4. 海底蕴藏着不计其数的宝藏。
    The seabed hides innumerable treasures.

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Origin: This expression appears in Song Dynasty (宋朝) literature, such as Wulin Old Events (武林旧事), and has been used since ancient times to mean 'beyond calculation.'
  • Hyperbolic Usage: Even if a number is technically countable, speakers use 不计其数 (bù jì qí shù) as a hyperbole to express their subjective feeling of an overwhelming amount.
  • Nuance: While similar to 数不胜数 (shǔ bù shèng shǔ), 不计其数 (bù jì qí shù) is often preferred in more objective descriptions, such as data or factual reporting.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

不计其数 (bù jì qí shù) is a common idiom used to describe something that is beyond count. It can be used as a modifier before a noun or as a complement to emphasize 'how many' there are. It is a versatile expression suitable for both positive and negative contexts, appearing frequently in both daily conversation and formal reports.

Idiom Essay

bù jì qí shù
不计其数
Countless
zàizhè ge这个shì jiè世界shànghěn duō很多dōng xī东西shìkě yǐ可以shùqīng chǔ清楚de

In this world, many things can be counted clearly.

bǐ rú比如kǒu dài口袋delíng qián零钱bǐ rú比如yí gè一个xīng qī星期yǒujǐ tiān几天

For example, the change in your pocket, or how many days are in a week.

dàn shì但是dāngshù liàng数量duōdàoyí dìng一定chéng dù程度duōdàochāo chū超出lewǒ men我们denài xīn耐心shèn zhì甚至chāo chū超出lewǒ men我们dexiǎng xiàng想象shíshù zì数字jiùshī qù失去leyì yì意义

However, when the quantity reaches a certain point, exceeding our patience or even our imagination, numbers lose their meaning.

zhōng wén中文yǒuyí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种zhuàng tài状态jiàobù jì qí shù不计其数

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this state called 不计其数.

zì miàn字面shàngkàndeyì si意思fēi cháng非常zhí jiē直接

Literally, its meaning is very direct.

shìjì suàn计算shùshìshù mù数目

计 means to calculate, and 数 means number.

qǐ lái起来jiù shì就是méi fǎ没法jì suàn计算deshù mù数目

Combined, it means: there is no way to calculate the number.

dànzhèbù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shìzàishuōhěn duō很多

But this is not just saying "many."

bù jì qí shù不计其数dài yǒu带有yī zhǒng一种shì jué视觉shàngdechōng jī冲击gǎn

不计其数 carries a sense of visual impact.

xíng róng形容deshìyī zhǒng一种pū tiān gài dì铺天盖地demì mì má má密密麻麻dejǐng xiàng景象

It describes a scene that is overwhelming and dense.

shì zhe试着xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下zhè yàng这样dehuà miàn画面xià tiān夏天deyè wǎn夜晚tái tóu抬头kàntiān kōng天空màn tiān漫天dexīng xīng星星shǎn shǎn fā guāng闪闪发光huò zhě或者qiū fēng秋风chuīguòshù yè树叶xiàngyī yàng一样là xià落下mǎnlezhěng tiáo整条jiē dào街道

Try to imagine such a picture: on a summer night, you look up at the sky and the stars are shining all over; or when the autumn wind blows, leaves fall like rain, covering the entire street.

zàizhè zhǒng这种shí hòu时候bú huì不会xiǎngzhè lǐ这里dào dǐ到底yǒujǐ kē几颗xīng xīng星星huò zhě或者yǒujǐ piàn几片shù yè树叶

At such times, you don't think about "exactly how many stars are here" or "how many leaves there are."

zhǐhuìgǎn jué dào感觉到yī zhǒng一种jù dà巨大dewú fǎ无法cè liáng测量defēng fù丰富

You only feel a vast, immeasurable abundance.

wǒ men我们zàishēng huó生活zhōngcháng yòng常用láixíng róng形容nà xiē那些yīn wèi因为tàiduōérbèiwǒ men我们hū lüè忽略lejù tǐ具体shù liàng数量deshì wù事物

In life, we often use it to describe things that are so numerous that we ignore their specific count.

bǐ rú比如lì shǐ历史shàngyǒubù jì qí shù不计其数dewú míng yīng xióng无名英雄bǐ rú比如wèi le为了wán chéng完成yí gè一个mèng xiǎng梦想kě néng可能jīng lì经历guòbù jì qí shù不计其数deshī bài失败cháng shì尝试

For example, there have been 不计其数 unsung heroes in history; or, to achieve a dream, you may have experienced 不计其数 failures and attempts.

zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语qí shí其实zàití xǐng提醒wǒ men我们dāngshì wù事物duōdàobù jì qí shù不计其数deshí hòu时候jù tǐ具体deshù zì数字yǐ jīng已经bù zài不再zhòng yào重要le

This idiom actually reminds us: when things are so many that they are 不计其数, specific numbers are no longer important.

zhòng yào重要deshìnà zhǒng那种guī mó规模nà zhǒng那种lì liàng力量yǐ jí以及dài gěi带给wǒ men我们dewú fǎ无法bèijì suàn计算dezhèn hàn震撼

What matters is that scale, that power, and the incalculable shock it brings us.

xià cì下次dāngmiàn duì面对yī piàn一片guǎng kuò广阔dehuā hǎi花海huò zhě或者huí xiǎng qǐ回想起guò qù过去wú shù gè无数个nǔ lì努力deshùn jiān瞬间shíxū yào需要shù qīng chǔ数清楚tā men它们dào dǐ到底yǒuduō shǎo多少

Next time, when you face a vast sea of flowers or recall countless moments of hard work in the past, you don't need to count exactly how many there are.

zhǐxū yào需要yòngbù jì qí shù不计其数zhè ge这个jiùnéngzhǔn què准确biǎo dá表达chūnà zhǒng那种hào dà浩大fán duō繁多

You only need to use the term 不计其数 to accurately express that magnitude and multiplicity.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

Try creating sentences using '不计其数'!

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