应接不暇

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: yìng jiē bù xiá
• English Translation: Too busy to attend to all (overwhelmed)
• Idiom Composition: 「应」（To respond to or deal with）＋「接」（To receive or meet）＋「不」（Not）＋「暇」（Leisure or spare time）
• Meaning: Originally used to describe being unable to take in all the beautiful scenery appearing one after another. In modern usage, it refers to being so overwhelmed by a continuous stream of people, tasks, or events that one has no time to deal with them all.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「应接不暇」 contains the following nuances:

• Overwhelming Volume and Speed: The idiom implies more than just being 'busy'; it conveys a sense of urgency where things are coming at you faster than your capacity to handle them.
• Versatility of Subject: The 'objects' being received can be visual (scenery), social (guests), or professional (tasks/orders). Depending on the context, it translates to 'unable to see it all' or 'unable to handle it all.'

3. Usage

「应接不暇」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Business and Service: Frequently used when a business is flooded with orders or customers, leaving the staff struggling to keep up.
  • Example:「新产品发布后订单如雪片般飞来，客服部门忙得应接不暇。」
    （After the new product launch, orders poured in like snowflakes, and the customer service department was overwhelmed.）
• Sightseeing and Visual Experience: Used in its original sense to describe a situation where there are so many beautiful things to see that one cannot take them all in.
  • Example:「故宫里的珍宝琳琅满目，让人看得应接不暇。」
    （The treasures in the Forbidden City (故宫) are so numerous and magnificent that one cannot take them all in.）
• Information Overload: Applicable to modern situations where notifications, news, or messages arrive too quickly to process.
  • Example:「手机上的消息响个不停，各种通知让我应接不暇。」
    （The notifications on my phone kept ringing, and I was unable to keep up with all the messages.）

Additional Examples:

1. 节日期间游客爆满，景区的工作人员应接不暇。
   （During the holidays, the scenic area is packed with tourists, and the staff are kept constantly on their toes.）
2. 面对记者连珠炮似的提问，他显得有些应接不暇。
   （Facing the rapid-fire questions from reporters, he seemed a bit overwhelmed.）
3. 这几天突发事件太多，市长已经应接不暇了。
   （There have been so many emergencies lately that the mayor is struggling to keep up.）
4. 春晚的节目精彩纷呈，令人应接不暇。
   （The performances at the Spring Festival Gala (春晚) were so brilliant and varied that it was hard to take everything in.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Source: This idiom originates from the book A New Account of the Tales of the World (世说新语), specifically the 'Speech' chapter. It records a story about Wang Xianzhi (王献之), also known as Wang Zijing (王子敬), a famous calligrapher of the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
• Historical Context: While walking along a path in Shanyin (山阴), Wang Xianzhi remarked that the mountains and rivers were so beautiful and reflected each other so perfectly that he 'had no leisure to attend to them all' (应接不暇).
• Evolution of Meaning: Although it began as a high compliment for natural beauty, its modern usage has shifted significantly toward the practical context of being extremely busy with work, social obligations, or information processing.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 目不暇接 (mù bù xiá jiē): Too many things for the eyes to take in; specifically limited to visual stimuli.
  • 分身乏术 (fēn shēn fá shù): Lacking the ability to be in two places at once; unable to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • 接二连三 (jiē èr lián sān): One after another, in continuous succession.link
  • 络绎不绝 (luò yì bù jué): To come and go in an endless stream.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 应付自如 (yìng fù zì rú): To handle a situation with ease, poise, and complete control.
  • 游刃有余 (yóu rèn yǒu yú): To do something with great skill and plenty of room to spare; to be more than equal to a task.
  • 无所事事 (wú suǒ shì shì): To have nothing to do or to be idle.link
  • 寥寥无几 (liáo liáo wú jǐ): Very few in number.link

6. Summary

应接不暇 (yìng jiē bù xiá) is a common idiom used to describe a state of being overwhelmed by a rapid succession of things or people. Whether it is a flood of customers, a barrage of questions, or a stunning array of sights, it implies that the input is arriving faster than one can process it. It can be used in both positive contexts (like a 'happy problem' of too many customers) and negative contexts (being burnt out by too many tasks).