每天成语
background texture
< 一五一十井底之蛙 >

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: 「四」（Four (representing the cardinal directions: North, South, East, and West)）＋「通」（To pass through or connect）＋「八」（Eight (representing all directions, including the four corners)）＋「达」（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.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

sì tōng bā dá
四通八达
Extending in All Directions
xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下，dāng当nǐ你dǎ kāi打开yī zhāng一张dà chéng shì大城市de的dì tiě地铁dì tú地图，huò zhě或者zhàn站zài在yí gè一个jù dà巨大de的shí zì lù kǒu十字路口shí时，yǎn qián眼前shì是shén 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tiáo条xiàn lù线路xiàng向dōng nán xī běi东南西北yán shēn延伸，xiàng像shì是rén tǐ人体de的xuè guǎn血管yī yàng一样，bǎ把chéng shì城市de的měi每yí gè一个jiǎo luò角落dōu都lián连zài在le了yì 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nǐ你xiǎng想qù去nǎ lǐ哪里，xiàng向zuǒ左zǒu走、xiàng向yòu右zǒu走，huò zhě或者huàn chéng换乘yī tiáo一条xiàn线，dōu都néng能shùn chàng顺畅dì地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lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种lù路lù路xiāng tōng相通、jí qí极其biàn lì便利de的zhuàng tài状态，jiào叫“sì 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cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase has a very strong sense of imagery.

“sì四”hé和“bā八”，zài在zhè lǐ这里bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是shù 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.

“tōng通”hé和“dá达”，shuō说de的zé则shì是tóng同yí gè一个yì si意思：méi yǒu没有zǔ ài阻碍，shèn zhì甚至bù不xū yào需要rào绕wān 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，dāng当wǒ men我们shuō说yí gè一个dì fāng地方“sì tōng bā dá四通八达”shí时，bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是zài在kuā zàn夸赞tā它de的lù路xiū修dé得hǎo好。

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shì是zài在miáo shù描述yī zhǒng一种“zhōng xīn中心”de的gǎn jué感觉。

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

zài在zhè ge这个dì fāng地方，nǐ你bú huì不会jué de觉得bèi kùn被困zhù住，yě也bú huì不会jué de觉得gū dān孤单，yīn wèi因为suǒ yǒu所有de的jī huì机会、xìn xī信息hé和rén liú人流，dōu都néng能qīng sōng轻松dì地huì jù汇聚dào到zhè 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yǒu有yí gè一个hěn很yǒu qù有趣de的shì jiǎo视角。

However, there is a very interesting perspective here.

zài在gǔ dài古代，rú guǒ如果yī zuò一座chéng chí城池shì是“sì tōng bā dá四通八达”de的，jūn shì jiā军事家kě néng可能huì会jué de觉得tā它hěn很wēi xiǎn危险，yīn wèi因为dí rén敌人yě也kě yǐ可以cóng从sì miàn bā fāng四面八方gōng dǎ攻打jìn lái进来，hěn很nán难fáng 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.

dàn但zài在xiàn dài现代shè huì社会，zhè ge这个cí词jī hū几乎wán quán完全biàn chéng变成le了bāo yì cí褒义词。

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

yīn wèi因为zài在jīn tiān今天，fēng bì封闭yì wèi zhe意味着luò hòu落后，ér而“sì 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shì是sì tōng bā dá四通八达de的，hù lián wǎng互联网de的shì jiè世界shì是sì tōng bā dá四通八达de的，shèn zhì甚至yí gè一个rén人de的shè jiāo社交quān zi圈子，yě也kě yǐ可以shì是sì tōng bā dá四通八达de的。

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.

tā它miáo huì描绘de的，shì是yī zhǒng一种wán quán完全kāi fàng开放、liú dòng流动de的zhuàng tài状态。

It depicts a state of complete openness and flow.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你jīng guò经过yí gè一个fán máng繁忙de的huǒ 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de的háng xiàn航线tú图shí时，nǐ你kě yǐ可以yòng用zhè ge这个cí词lái来xíng róng形容yǎn qián眼前de的jǐng 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.

tā它tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们：zài在zhè ge这个shí dài时代，lián jiē连接，jiù shì就是zuì最dà大de的lì liàng力量。

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

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

Try creating sentences using '四通八达'!

0/50