不计其数

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: bù jì qí shù
• English Translation: Countless / Innumerable
• Idiom Composition: 「不」（Not / Cannot (negation).）＋「计」（To calculate or count.）＋「其」（Its or their (referring to the subject).）＋「数」（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

• Similar Idioms:
  • 数不胜数 (shǔ bù shèng shǔ): Too many to count; emphasizes the act of counting being impossible.
  • 成千上万 (chéng qiān shàng wàn): Thousands upon thousands; describes a very large number.link
  • 不可胜数 (bù kě shèng shǔ): Too many to count.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): Can be counted on one's fingers; very few in number.
  • 所剩无几 (suǒ shèng wú jǐ): Very little left.link

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.