举世瞩目

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: jǔ shì zhǔ mù
• English Translation: Attracting worldwide attention (the focus of world attention)
• Idiom Composition: 「举」（All or whole (used here in the sense of 'the entire')）＋「世」（The world or generation）＋「瞩」（To gaze at or look intently）＋「目」（Eyes or vision）
• Meaning: A state where people all over the world are watching a situation or result with great interest. It describes events, achievements, or developments of immense global significance that command the attention of the international community.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「举世瞩目」 contains the following nuances:

• Grand Scale: As indicated by 举世 (jǔ shì), meaning 'the whole world,' this idiom is reserved for events with international impact rather than local news.
• Concentrated Focus: The term 瞩目 (zhǔ mù) means more than just 'looking'; it describes many eyes being fixed intently on a single point.
• Current Significance: It is often used for ongoing developments or upcoming major events that are currently the subject of global conversation.

3. Usage

「举世瞩目」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• National Projects & Great Achievements: Used in formal contexts to praise national-scale achievements like space exploration, massive infrastructure, or economic development.
  • Example:「这项举世瞩目的工程终于竣工了。」
    （This project, which has attracted worldwide attention, has finally been completed.）
• International Events: Describes events covered by global media, such as the Olympics, World Expos, or major international summits.
  • Example:「奥运会是一场举世瞩目的体育盛会。」
    （The Olympic Games is a sporting event that the whole world watches with interest.）
• Significant Breakthroughs: Applied to historical milestones, such as scientific discoveries or reforms that change social structures.
  • Example:「该公司发布了一款举世瞩目的新产品。」
    （The company released a new product that is the focus of world attention.）

Additional Examples:

1. 中国经济的高速发展取得了举世瞩目的成就。
   （China's rapid economic development has achieved results that attract worldwide attention.）
2. 这次发射任务举世瞩目，不容有失。
   （This launch mission is being watched by the whole world, and failure is not an option.）
3. 他在医学领域的突破是举世瞩目的。
   （His breakthrough in the field of medicine is attracting worldwide attention.）
4. 这是一场举世瞩目的世纪婚礼。
   （This is a century wedding that the whole world is watching.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Register: This is a high-register, formal expression frequently found in news broadcasts, political speeches, and official documents. Using it for trivial personal matters would sound overly dramatic.
• Structure: The idiom follows the structure of 举世 (jǔ shì - 'the whole world') + 瞩目 (zhǔ mù - 'to gaze'). The character 举 (jǔ) here does not mean 'to lift,' but 'all' or 'entire,' similar to its use in 举国 (jǔ guó - 'the whole country').
• Connotation: While it can technically be used for negative news of global scale, in modern Chinese it is overwhelmingly associated with positive contexts like 'great achievements' or 'brilliant development.'

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 万众瞩目 (wàn zhòng zhǔ mù): The focus of the masses; being watched by a vast number of people.
  • 引人注目 (yǐn rén zhǔ mù): Eye-catching or conspicuous; a general term for attracting attention regardless of scale.link
  • 举世闻名 (jǔ shì wén míng): Known to the whole world.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 默默无闻 (mò mò wú wén): To be obscure and unknown to the public; lacking fame.link
  • 无人问津 (wú rén wèn jīn): To be of no interest to anyone; completely neglected.link
  • 不为人知 (bù wéi rén zhī): Not known by others.link

6. Summary

The idiom 举世瞩目 (jǔ shì zhǔ mù) literally means 'the whole world is gazing.' It is a formal expression used for large-scale topics such as international events, national projects, or historical milestones. It implies not just being 'famous,' but being of such importance that the eyes of the world are fixed upon it.