成群结队

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: chéng qún jié duì
• English Translation: To form groups and act collectively; in large numbers
• Idiom Composition: 「成」（to form）＋「群」（group, crowd）＋「结」（to join, to form）＋「队」（team, group）
• Meaning: Describes the state of people or animals forming groups and acting collectively. It refers to situations where many individuals gather, often implying organization and a sense of unity.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「成群结队」 contains the following nuances:

• Group behavior: Suggests not just a large number, but acting with a certain degree of cohesion.
• Large scale: Usually refers to fairly large groups and is not commonly used for small groups.
• Visual impression: Effective for visually depicting many people or animals gathered together.
• Order and unity: Sometimes implies that the group acts with a certain order and a sense of unity.

3. Usage

「成群结队」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Groups of people or animals: Used to describe scenes where many people or animals gather.
  • Example:「放学后，孩子们成群结队地走出校门。」
    （After school, the children walked out in groups from the school gate.）
• Movement of groups: Can also describe the movement of groups.
  • Example:「迁徙季节，天空中成群结队的大雁飞过。」
    （During migration season, large flocks of wild geese fly across the sky in groups.）
• Figurative expression: Can be used figuratively to describe many things gathering together, not just physical groups.
  • Example:「每到节假日，商场里就成群结队地挤满了购物的人。」
    （During holidays, the mall is crowded with shoppers in groups.）

Additional Examples:

1. 春天到了，公园里成群结队的游客在赏花。
   （Spring has arrived, and the park is filled with large groups of visitors enjoying the flowers.）
2. 周末的公园里，成群结队的孩子们在玩耍。
   （On weekends, many children play together in groups at the park.）
3. 蚂蚁们成群结队地搬运食物。
   （Ants work together in groups to carry food.）
4. 广场上，成群结队的鸽子在悠闲地散步。
   （In the square, flocks of pigeons stroll leisurely in groups.）
5. 演唱会结束后，观众们成群结队地离开了会场。
   （After the concert, the audience left the venue in groups.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Collectivism: Traditional Chinese culture emphasizes collectivism, valuing group behavior and cooperation. '成群结队' reflects this cultural background.
• Positive nuance: '成群结队' does not necessarily carry a negative meaning. It is often used positively to express liveliness and bustling activity.
• Difference from '人山人海': '人山人海' describes a much larger scale and dense crowd, while '成群结队' focuses more on groups acting with some cohesion rather than mere density.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 人山人海 (rén shān rén hǎi): Describes a very large crowd of people.
  • 熙熙攘攘 (xī xī rǎng rǎng): Describes a bustling scene with people coming and going.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 形单影只 (xíng dān yǐng zhī): Describes being lonely and without companions.
  • 孤家寡人 (gū jiā guǎ rén): Describes being lonely and having no one to rely on.

6. Summary

'成群结队' is an idiom that vividly describes people or animals acting in groups. It implies not just large numbers but also a certain cohesion and unity in their actions. Understanding the collectivist cultural background of China will help you use this idiom appropriately in different contexts.