千军万马

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: qiān jūn wàn mǎ
• English Translation: Thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of horses; a mighty army; a large number of people or things gathered together
• Idiom Composition: 「千」（Thousand）＋「军」（Army）＋「万」（Ten thousand）＋「马」（Horse）
• Meaning: Literally meaning 'a thousand soldiers and ten thousand horses,' it refers to a very large army or military force. Figuratively, it is also used to describe a large gathering of people or things, a powerful momentum, a grand scene, or a formidable force.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「千军万马」 contains the following nuances:

• Overwhelming scale: Represents an overwhelming scale, countless in number.
• Intense momentum: Evokes a sense of fierce momentum and power, like a massive army advancing.
• Grand spectacle: Creates an image of many people or things gathering, forming a magnificent spectacle.
• Formidable power: Conveys a sense of immense power and influence through overwhelming numbers and momentum.

3. Usage

「千军万马」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Large groups or forces: Used to describe a large gathering of people, organizations, or forces.
  • Example:「抗议的人群如同千军万马，将街道围得水泄不通。」
    （The protesting crowd was like a mighty army, completely surrounding the streets.）
• Grand scenes or situations: Used to describe grand and powerful scenes or situations with strong momentum.
  • Example:「改革开放的浪潮，犹如千军万马，奔腾向前。」
    （The tide of reform and opening up is like a mighty army, surging forward.）
• Figurative expression: Also used figuratively to describe a large gathering of people or things, not necessarily an actual army.
  • Example:「在春运期间，火车站里人山人海，如同千军万马。」
    （During the Spring Festival travel rush, the train station was packed with people, like a vast army.）

Additional Examples:

1. 面对敌人的千军万马，他毫无惧色，带领部队奋勇冲杀。
   （Facing the enemy's mighty army, he showed no fear and led his troops to charge bravely.）
2. 毕业招聘会上，千军万马的求职者涌向各个展位。
   （At the graduation job fair, thousands of job seekers swarmed to various booths.）
3. 这支科研团队，汇聚了各领域的精英，犹如千军万马，攻克了一个又一个技术难关。
   （This research team, gathering elites from various fields, was like a mighty army, overcoming one technical difficulty after another.）
4. 在互联网时代，信息传播的速度如同千军万马，势不可挡。
   （In the internet era, the speed of information dissemination is like an unstoppable force, like thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of horses.）
5. 他凭借着过人的胆识和谋略，指挥着千军万马，最终取得了战争的胜利。
   （With his extraordinary courage and strategy, he commanded a mighty army and ultimately won the war.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Ancient Chinese warfare: '千军万马' evokes the image of large-scale armies in ancient Chinese warfare. In ancient China, the scale of war was considered a symbol of national strength and the authority of leaders.
• Exaggeration: It is often used as an exaggeration rather than a literal count. It's important to note that it doesn't literally mean 'a thousand armies and ten thousand horses'.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 人山人海 (rén shān rén hǎi): A vast crowd of people, a sea of people.
  • 浩浩荡荡 (hào hào dàng dàng): Grand and mighty, vast and extensive.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 寥寥无几 (liáo liáo wú jǐ): Very few in number, sparse.
  • 微不足道 (wēi bù zú dào): Insignificant, negligible.

6. Summary

'千军万马' (qiān jūn wàn mǎ) originates from the large-scale armies in ancient Chinese warfare, and in modern times, it is used to describe a large gathering of people or things, a powerful momentum, a grand scene, or a formidable force. When using this idiom, being aware of its grandeur, power, and its nature as an exaggeration will help convey the intended meaning more effectively.