司空见惯

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: sī kōng jiàn guàn
• English Translation: commonplace, everyday occurrence, familiar sight
• Idiom Composition: 「司空」（Ancient Chinese official title responsible for public works and construction.）＋「见」（to see, to witness）＋「惯」（to get used to, to become accustomed）
• Meaning: Originally meaning 'familiar to someone in the position of 司空', this idiom has evolved to describe something that is commonplace and not surprising, something one has become accustomed to seeing.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「司空见惯」 contains the following nuances:

• Everyday nature: Refers to something that is not special but occurs frequently in daily life, representing a commonplace sight.
• Indifference: Indicates a state where something no longer attracts attention or interest because one has become accustomed to it.
• Wealth of experience: Can also describe someone who has extensive experience in a particular field or situation and remains unperturbed by most things.

3. Usage

「司空见惯」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Describing situations: Used to objectively describe that a phenomenon or matter is not unusual.
  • Example:「这种天气变化，对于当地人来说早已司空见惯，不足为奇。」
    （This weather change is commonplace for locals and not worth being surprised about.）
• Describing reactions: Describes how someone shows no surprise or interest in response to something.
  • Example:「对于这种小儿科的把戏，他早已司空见惯，丝毫不为所动。」
    （He was already accustomed to such childish tricks and was completely unmoved.）
• Expressing wealth of experience: Indicates that someone has extensive experience in a field and is not surprised by most things.
  • Example:「面对股市的波动，有经验的投资者早已司空见惯，能够保持冷静。」
    （Experienced investors are already accustomed to stock market fluctuations and can maintain their composure.）

Additional Examples:

1. 这种类型的诈骗手法，警察已经司空见惯，很容易识破。
   （This type of fraud scheme is commonplace for police and can be easily detected.）
2. 他在国外生活多年，对于各种文化差异早已司空见惯。
   （Having lived abroad for many years, he is already accustomed to various cultural differences.）
3. 在这个行业，加班是司空见惯的事情。
   （In this industry, overtime work is commonplace.）
4. 对于经常旅行的人来说，时差反应已经是司空见惯了。
   （For frequent travelers, jet lag is already familiar.）
5. 在大城市里，堵车已经是司空见惯的现象。
   （In big cities, traffic jams are already a familiar phenomenon.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• 'Sikong' was an official position in ancient China responsible for public works. This chengyu originates from a poem by the Tang dynasty poet Liu Yuxi. The poem describes how, after depicting the luxurious and beautiful scene of a banquet, the Sikong who was invited as a guest showed no reaction, as if it were nothing special. This is considered the origin of the chengyu.
• The idiom reflects the Chinese cultural perspective on experience and familiarity, where extensive exposure to certain situations leads to emotional detachment and practical wisdom.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 习以为常 (xí yǐ wéi cháng): Something that has become routine due to habituation.
  • 见怪不怪 (jiàn guài bú guài): Not finding strange things unusual due to being accustomed to them.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 大惊小怪 (dà jīng xiǎo guài): Making a big fuss over trivial matters.
  • 少见多怪 (shǎo jiàn duō guài): Being impressed by ordinary things due to limited experience.

6. Summary

'司空见惯' is a commonly used idiom in modern Chinese that expresses that something is not unusual. When using this idiom, it is important to judge from the context whether the matter is truly 'commonplace' or 'unusual'. Additionally, understanding the cultural values related to 'familiarity' that underpin this idiom is essential.