千家万户

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: qiān jiā wàn hù
• English Translation: Thousands of households, countless families, every household
• Idiom Composition: 「千」（Thousand）＋「家」（House, family）＋「万」（Ten thousand）＋「户」（Household, door）
• Meaning: Refers to a very large number of families or households. It is an inclusive expression for countless homes and people from all places.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「千家万户」 contains the following nuances:

• Large number: Emphasizes not just a large number, but a countless, innumerable quantity.
• Wide range: Suggests including people from all places and social strata, not limited to a specific region or group.
• Universality: Used to describe matters that concern many people or situations common to many households.

3. Usage

「千家万户」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Magnitude of impact: Used to emphasize that a policy or event affects a very large number of people.
  • Example:「这项新政策关系到千家万户的切身利益。」
    （This new policy concerns the vital interests of every household.）
• State of society as a whole: Used to describe the overall situation of society or phenomena observed in many households.
  • Example:「春节期间，千家万户都洋溢着欢乐的气氛。」
    （During the Spring Festival, every household is filled with a joyful atmosphere.）
• People's lives: Used to comprehensively describe people's lives and livelihoods.
  • Example:「改革开放以来，千家万户的生活水平得到了显著提高。」
    （Since the reform and opening up, the living standards of countless families have significantly improved.）

Additional Examples:

1. 随着互联网的普及，信息技术已经走进千家万户。
   （With the popularization of the internet, information technology has entered every household.）
2. 这次自然灾害给当地千家万户造成了巨大的损失。
   （This natural disaster caused huge losses to thousands of households in the area.）
3. 政府致力于改善民生，让发展的成果惠及千家万户。
   （The government is committed to improving people's livelihoods, ensuring that the fruits of development benefit every household.）
4. 每到夜晚，城市里千家万户灯火通明，构成一幅美丽的夜景。
   （Every night, the lights of countless households in the city are brightly lit, forming a beautiful night view.）
5. 这个传统节日已经深深扎根于千家万户，成为中华文化的重要组成部分。
   （This traditional festival has taken deep root in every household and has become an important part of Chinese culture.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Importance of 'home': In Chinese culture, 'home' (家) is a fundamental unit of society and holds great significance. '千家万户' reflects this cultural background that emphasizes the importance of 'home'.
• 'Thousand' and 'Ten Thousand': In Chinese, '千' (thousand) and '万' (ten thousand) are not just large numbers but are also used to emphasize 'a very large quantity'. '千家万户' helps in understanding this usage of numbers.
• Hyperbole: '千家万户' does not literally mean 'a thousand homes and ten thousand households', but is a hyperbole representing 'a very large number of households'.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 家家户户 (jiā jiā hù hù): Every household, all families.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 寥寥无几 (liáo liáo wú jǐ): Very few, hardly any.

6. Summary

'千家万户' is one of the important idioms for understanding Chinese society and culture. This term not only means 'many households' but also reflects the importance of 'home' in Chinese culture and the way of expressing large quantities. By using '千家万户', you can effectively convey that something has a significant impact on society as a whole or concerns the lives of many people.