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四通八达

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: sì tōng bā dá
  • English Translation: Extending in all directions (well-connected)
  • Idiom Composition: Four (representing the cardinal directions: North, South, East, and West)To pass through or connectEight (representing all directions, including the four corners)To reach or arrive at a destination
  • Meaning: A phrase describing a place where roads or transportation networks extend in every direction, making it extremely convenient to travel or transport goods. It is primarily used to praise the accessibility and development of a city or region.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

四通八达 contains the following nuances:

  • Transportation Convenience: It emphasizes that a location is a 'transportation hub' where major routes intersect, rather than just having many roads.
  • Openness and Connectivity: It suggests a lack of isolation and a seamless connection with the outside world, implying economic or social vitality.

3. Usage

四通八达 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Urban and Regional Description: Used to explain that a city or region is a transportation hub and is highly developed.
    • Example:这座城市拥有四通八达的地铁网络,出行非常方便。
      This city has a subway network that extends in all directions, making travel very convenient.)
  • Logistics and Business Advantage: Used in business to highlight the advantages of a location's accessibility for logistics.
    • Example:这里交通四通八达,非常适合建立物流中心。
      The transportation here is exceptionally well-connected, making it an ideal location for a logistics center.)
  • Information Networks and Connections: A metaphorical use describing information networks or social circles that are widely spread.
    • Example:互联网让信息的传播变得四通八达
      The internet has allowed the spread of information to become omnipresent and far-reaching.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 新建的高速公路使这个偏远的小镇变得四通八达
    The newly built highway has made this remote town accessible from all sides.
  2. 北京是中国铁路网的中心,线路四通八达
    Beijing is the hub of China's railway network, with lines radiating in every direction.
  3. 要想富,先修路,四通八达的交通是经济发展的基础。
    As the saying goes, 'to get rich, build a road first'; a well-connected transportation network is the foundation of economic development.
  4. 虽然是山路,但修整得很好,可谓四通八达
    Although it is a mountain path, it is so well-maintained that it leads everywhere.
  5. 如今的通信技术四通八达,地球变成了一个村落。
    Modern communication technology is so far-reaching that the world has become a global village.

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The phrase appears in historical texts like the Book of Jin (晋书). Originally, it could describe strategic military locations or open terrain vulnerable to attack, but in modern usage, it is almost exclusively positive.
  • The numbers 'four' (四 - sì) and 'eight' (八 - bā) are frequently paired in Chinese to represent 'all directions' or 'everywhere,' as seen in the related idiom 四面八方 (sì miàn bā fāng).
  • Traditional Chinese urban planning, seen in ancient capitals like Xi'an (西安) and Beijing (北京), often followed a grid system designed to be 四通八达 (sì tōng bā dá) for efficient administration and movement.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

四通八达 (sì tōng bā dá) describes a state where transportation or communication networks are highly developed and interconnected. While it literally refers to roads reaching out in 'four and eight' directions (meaning everywhere), it is often used metaphorically to describe extensive social connections or information networks. It highlights the strategic importance and convenience of a location.

Idiom Essay

sì tōng bā dá
四通八达
Extending in All Directions
xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下dāngdǎ kāi打开yī zhāng一张dà chéng shì大城市dedì tiě地铁dì tú地图huò zhě或者zhànzàiyí gè一个jù dà巨大deshí zì lù kǒu十字路口shíyǎn qián眼前shìshén me什么jǐng xiàng景象

Imagine what you see when you open a subway map of a big city or stand at a massive intersection.

wú shù无数tiáoxiàn lù线路xiàngdōng nán xī běi东南西北yán shēn延伸xiàngshìrén tǐ人体dexuè guǎn血管yī yàng一样chéng shì城市deměiyí gè一个jiǎo luò角落dōuliánzàileyì qǐ一起

Countless lines extend north, south, east, and west, like human blood vessels, connecting every corner of the city together.

wú lùn无论xiǎngnǎ lǐ哪里xiàngzuǒzǒuxiàngyòuzǒuhuò zhě或者huàn chéng换乘yī tiáo一条xiàn线dōunéngshùn chàng顺畅dào dá到达

No matter where you want to go, whether you turn left, turn right, or transfer to another line, you can arrive smoothly.

zhōng wén中文yǒuyí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种xiāng tōng相通jí qí极其biàn lì便利dezhuàng tài状态jiàosì tōng bā dá四通八达

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this state of interconnected roads and extreme convenience called 四通八达.

zhè ge这个dehuà miàn画面gǎnhěnqiáng

This phrase has a very strong sense of imagery.

zàizhè lǐ这里bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shìshù zì数字ér shì而是dài biǎo代表sì miàn bā fāng四面八方

四 and 八 here are not just numbers; they represent all directions.

tōngshuōdeshìtóngyí gè一个yì si意思méi yǒu没有zǔ ài阻碍shèn zhì甚至xū yào需要ràowān lù弯路kě yǐ可以zhí jiē直接dǐ dá抵达

通 and 达 convey the same meaning: having no obstacles and being able to arrive directly without needing to take detours.

suǒ yǐ所以dāngwǒ men我们shuōyí gè一个dì fāng地方sì tōng bā dá四通八达shíbù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shìzàikuā zàn夸赞dexiūhǎo

Therefore, when we say a place is 四通八达, we are not just praising the quality of its roads.

wǒ men我们qí shí其实shìzàimiáo shù描述yī zhǒng一种zhōng xīn中心degǎn jué感觉

We are actually describing a sense of being at the center.

zàizhè ge这个dì fāng地方bú huì不会jué de觉得bèi kùn被困zhùbú huì不会jué de觉得gū dān孤单yīn wèi因为suǒ yǒu所有dejī huì机会xìn xī信息rén liú人流dōunéngqīng sōng轻松huì jù汇聚dàozhè lǐ这里

In such a place, you won't feel trapped or lonely because all opportunities, information, and people can easily converge here.

bù guò不过zhè lǐ这里yǒuyí gè一个hěnyǒu qù有趣deshì jiǎo视角

However, there is a very interesting perspective here.

zàigǔ dài古代rú guǒ如果yī zuò一座chéng chí城池shìsì tōng bā dá四通八达dejūn shì jiā军事家kě néng可能huìjué de觉得hěnwēi xiǎn危险yīn wèi因为dí rén敌人kě yǐ可以cóngsì miàn bā fāng四面八方gōng dǎ攻打jìn lái进来hěnnánfáng shǒu防守

In ancient times, if a city was 四通八达, military strategists might find it dangerous because enemies could also attack from all directions, making it hard to defend.

dànzàixiàn dài现代shè huì社会zhè ge这个jī hū几乎wán quán完全biàn chéng变成lebāo yì cí褒义词

But in modern society, this term has become almost entirely positive.

yīn wèi因为zàijīn tiān今天fēng bì封闭yì wèi zhe意味着luò hòu落后érsì tōng bā dá四通八达yì wèi zhe意味着huó lì活力

Because today, being closed off means falling behind, while 四通八达 means vitality.

yí gè一个jiāo tōng shū niǔ交通枢纽shìsì tōng bā dá四通八达dehù lián wǎng互联网deshì jiè世界shìsì tōng bā dá四通八达deshèn zhì甚至yí gè一个réndeshè jiāo社交quān zi圈子kě yǐ可以shìsì tōng bā dá四通八达de

A transportation hub is 四通八达, the world of the internet is 四通八达, and even a person's social circle can be 四通八达.

miáo huì描绘deshìyī zhǒng一种wán quán完全kāi fàng开放liú dòng流动dezhuàng tài状态

It depicts a state of complete openness and flow.

xià cì下次dāngjīng guò经过yí gè一个fán máng繁忙dehuǒ chē zhàn火车站huò zhě或者kàn dào看到yī zhāng一张mì mì má má密密麻麻deháng xiàn航线shíkě yǐ可以yòngzhè ge这个láixíng róng形容yǎn qián眼前dejǐng xiàng景象

Next time you pass through a busy train station or see a dense map of flight routes, you can use this term to describe the scene before you.

tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们zàizhè ge这个shí dài时代lián jiē连接jiù shì就是zuìdelì liàng力量

It reminds us that in this era, connection is the greatest power.

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