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.)
- Example:「这座城市拥有四通八达的地铁网络,出行非常方便。」
- 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.)
- Example:「这里交通四通八达,非常适合建立物流中心。」
- 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.)
- Example:「互联网让信息的传播变得四通八达。」
Additional Examples:
- 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.) - 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.) - 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.) - 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.) - 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
- Similar Idioms:
- 畅通无阻 (chàng tōng wú zǔ): To proceed smoothly without any obstacles or blockages.
- 四面八方 (sì miàn bā fāng): In all directions; from all quarters.link
- 纵横交错 (zòng héng jiāo cuò): Crisscrossing in all directions.link
- Opposite Idioms:
- 水泄不通 (shuǐ xiè bù tōng): So crowded or tightly packed that not even a drop of water could leak through.
- 穷途末路 (qióng tú mò lù): To be at a dead end; the end of the road with no way out.
- 立锥之地 (lì zhuī zhī dì): A place to stand an awl, meaning an extremely small space.link
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.
