不可胜数

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: bù kě shèng shǔ
• English Translation: Innumerable (too many to count)
• Idiom Composition: 「不」（Not）＋「可」（Can / Able to）＋「胜」（To exhaust or finish (in this context, to finish the act of counting)）＋「数」（To count）
• Meaning: Describes a quantity so vast that it is impossible to count them all. It is used to emphasize an overwhelming or astronomical number of things, people, or instances.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「不可胜数」 contains the following nuances:

• The Meaning of 胜 (shèng): In this idiom, 胜 (shèng) does not mean 'to win' or 'victory.' Instead, it carries the classical meaning of 'to exhaust' or 'to be able to handle completely.' Therefore, the phrase literally means 'cannot finish counting' or 'cannot endure the act of counting' because the task is too large.
• Overwhelming Scale: This expression is much stronger than simply saying 'many.' It implies that the scale is so large that any attempt to reach a final tally would be futile. It can be used in both positive and negative contexts depending on what is being counted.

3. Usage

「不可胜数」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Natural Phenomena and Landscapes: Used to describe natural elements like stars, sand, or trees that fill the field of vision.
  • Example:「夏夜的星空中，闪烁的星星不可胜数。」
    （In the summer night sky, the twinkling stars are innumerable.）
• Listing Examples or Issues: Used when pointing out that there are endless instances of social problems, historical events, or product defects.
  • Example:「历史上类似的悲剧不可胜数，我们必须吸取教训。」
    （There have been countless similar tragedies in history; we must learn from these lessons.）
• Crowds and Tourists: Describes a situation where a place is overflowing with people, such as at popular attractions or events.
  • Example:「每逢假期，来这里参观的游客不可胜数。」
    （Every holiday, the number of tourists visiting this place is beyond count.）

Additional Examples:

1. 海底的生物种类繁多，不可胜数。
   （The types of creatures on the ocean floor are diverse and innumerable.）
2. 由于缺乏维护，这座古建筑上的裂痕不可胜数。
   （Due to a lack of maintenance, the cracks on this ancient building are too many to count.）
3. 他一生做过的好事不可胜数，深受邻里尊敬。
   （The good deeds he performed throughout his life are beyond numbering, and he is deeply respected by his neighbors.）
4. 网络上的虚假信息不可胜数，大家要小心辨别。
   （False information on the internet is countless, so everyone must be careful to distinguish the truth.）
5. 这片森林里的珍稀植物不可胜数。
   （The rare plants in this forest are innumerable.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• The phrase originates from classical texts such as the Mozi (墨子), which describes how those who died of disease were 'innumerable' (不可胜数), and the Records of the Grand Historian (史记). Historically, it was often used to describe the scale of war casualties or the vastness of the natural world.
• While very similar to 数不胜数 (shǔ bù shèng shǔ), 不可胜数 (bù kě shèng shǔ) is slightly more formal and literary. Another related phrase, 多如牛毛 (duō rú niú máo), literally 'as many as the hairs on an ox,' often carries a slightly negative or dismissive nuance (implying many trivial things), whereas 不可胜数 (bù kě shèng shǔ) remains a more neutral and objective description of scale.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 数不胜数 (shǔ bù shèng shǔ): Cannot be counted even if one tries; nearly identical in meaning but slightly more common in spoken Chinese.
  • 不计其数 (bù jì qí shù): The number is so great it cannot be calculated.link
  • 成千上万 (chéng qiān shàng wàn): Describes a very large number, thousands upon thousands.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 寥寥无几 (liáo liáo wú jǐ): Very few; so few that they are almost non-existent.link
  • 屈指可数 (qū zhǐ kě shǔ): So few that they can be counted on one's fingers.

6. Summary

The idiom 不可胜数 (bù kě shèng shǔ) is a formal expression used to describe an uncountable quantity. Whether referring to physical objects like stars in the sky or abstract concepts like historical events, it conveys that the subject is beyond calculation. While it has a literary tone, it is frequently encountered in modern news and formal writing to highlight scale.