每天成语
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无人问津

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: wú rén wèn jīn
  • English Translation: No one asks for the ferry crossing (to be completely ignored or unpopular)
  • Idiom Composition: 「无」（No; none; lack of）＋「人」（Person; people）＋「问」（To ask; to inquire）＋「津」（Ferry crossing; ford (a place to cross a river)）
  • Meaning: Literally meaning that no one asks for the location of the ferry crossing, this idiom describes a state where something or someone receives no interest, attention, or visitors. It is often used in a negative or lonely context to describe unsold goods, ignored proposals, or deserted places.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「无人问津」 contains the following nuances:

  • The Metaphor of the Ferry Crossing: In ancient times, finding a ferry crossing (津 - jīn) was essential for continuing a journey. Asking for the crossing implied interest in moving forward or reaching a destination. Today, 'asking for the crossing' is a metaphor for showing interest, wanting to participate, or intending to buy.
  • A State of Neglect: The idiom emphasizes a sense of 'cold treatment.' It doesn't just mean a place is empty; it suggests that something which might have value is being left to gather dust because no one cares to look at it.

3. Usage

「无人问津」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Business and Products: Used to describe products that are not selling at all or services that have no users.
    • Example:「这款旧型号的手机虽然降价了，但依然无人问津。」
      （This old model smartphone has been discounted, but it is still getting no interest from buyers.)
  • Creative Works and Proposals: Describes a situation where blogs, papers, or plans are not read or appreciated by anyone.
    • Example:「他写的文章内容深刻，可惜发在冷门论坛上，结果无人问津。」
      （The article he wrote has deep content, but unfortunately, it was posted on a deserted forum and went completely unnoticed.)
  • Places and Facilities: Describes a place that was once busy or is in a remote area and now has no visitors.
    • Example:「这座荒废的古庙位于深山之中，常年无人问津。」
      （This abandoned ancient temple is located deep in the mountains and is rarely visited by anyone year-round.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 那个曾经红极一时的歌手，现在已经无人问津了。
    （That singer who was once a sensation is now completely ignored by the public.）
  2. 招聘会上，这个冷门专业的摊位前无人问津。
    （At the job fair, the booth for this niche major was completely overlooked.）
  3. 如果不做广告宣传，再好的产品也可能无人问津。
    （Without advertising, even the best product might go unnoticed.）
  4. 这些陈旧的档案堆在角落里，几十年都无人问津。
    （These old archives have been piled in the corner, neglected by everyone for decades.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Source: This idiom comes from The Peach Blossom Spring (桃花源记) by the famous poet Tao Yuanming (陶渊明). In the story, a fisherman finds a hidden utopia but can never find his way back. The story ends with the line 'afterward, no one asked for the ferry crossing,' meaning no one else tried to find the path to that paradise.
  • Evolution of Meaning: Originally, the phrase had a mystical and slightly sad tone, indicating that the path to utopia was lost forever. In modern Chinese, it has shifted to a more secular and practical meaning, often used to describe commercial failure or social obscurity.
  • Usage Note: While it can be used for people, it is most frequently applied to objects, places, or abstract ideas (like a theory or a proposal) that fail to gain traction.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 无人问津 (wú rén wèn jīn) originates from the classic text The Peach Blossom Spring (桃花源记) by Tao Yuanming (陶渊明). While it originally referred to the inability to find the path back to a hidden utopia, in modern usage, it describes anything that is 'unpopular' or 'neglected.' It is a powerful way to express that something is being overlooked by the public.

Idiom Essay

wú rén wèn jīn
无人问津
Left Unnoticed
zài在zhè ge这个shì jiè世界shàng上，yǒu xiē有些dōng xī东西zǒng shì总是hěn很rè nào热闹，dà jiā大家dōu都qiǎng抢zhe着yào要；dàn但yě也yǒu有yī xiē一些jiǎo luò角落，zǒng shì总是jìng qiāo qiāo静悄悄de的。

In this world, some things are always bustling and everyone scrambles for them; but there are also corners that are always quiet.

xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下，shū diàn书店zuì最lǐ miàn里面luò mǎn落满huī chén灰尘de的yī pái一排shū书，huò zhě或者shāng diàn商店jiǎo luò角落lǐ里yī jiàn一件guò shí过时de的yī fú衣服。

Imagine a row of dusty books at the very back of a bookstore, or an outdated piece of clothing in the corner of a shop.

suī rán虽然tā men它们jiù就zài在nà lǐ那里，rén lái rén wǎng人来人往，què却hǎo xiàng好像shuí谁yě也méi yǒu没有kàn jiàn看见，shuí谁yě也bù不gǎn xìng qù感兴趣。

Even though they are right there and people come and go, it seems as if no one sees them and no one is interested.

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shòu dào受到lěng luò冷落、méi没rén人guò wèn过问de的zhuàng tài状态，jiào叫“wú rén wèn jīn无人问津”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this state of being neglected and ignored: 无人问津.

zhè ge这个cí词tīng qǐ lái听起来yǒu diǎn有点gǔ lǎo古老，yīn wèi因为tā它què shí确实cáng zhe藏着yí gè一个gǔ lǎo古老de的gù shì故事。

This term sounds a bit ancient because it indeed hides an ancient story.

“jīn津”，zài在gǔ hàn yǔ古汉语lǐ里shì是“dù kǒu渡口”de的yì si意思，yě也jiù shì就是guò hé过河de的dì fāng地方。

津, in ancient Chinese, means a ferry crossing, which is a place to cross a river.

chuán shuō传说gǔ dài古代yǒu有yí gè一个shén mì神秘měi hǎo美好de的dì fāng地方，jiào叫“táo huā yuán桃花源”。

Legend has it that in ancient times there was a mysterious and beautiful place called the Peach Blossom Spring.

hòu lái后来，yīn wèi因为tài太nán难xún zhǎo寻找，rén men人们màn màn慢慢shī qù失去le了xìng qù兴趣，zài yě再也méi yǒu没有rén人qù去dǎ tīng打听tōng wǎng通往nà lǐ那里de的dù kǒu渡口zài在nǎ lǐ哪里le了。

Later, because it was too difficult to find, people gradually lost interest, and no one went to ask where the ferry crossing to that place was anymore.

zhè这jiù shì就是“wú rén wèn jīn无人问津”zuì chū最初de的yì si意思——méi yǒu没有rén人zài再lái来wèn lù问路le了。

This is the original meaning of 无人问津—no one comes to ask for the way anymore.

xiàn zài现在，wǒ men我们dāng rán当然hěn很shǎo少qù去wèn问dù kǒu渡口zài在nǎ lǐ哪里。

Nowadays, of course, we rarely ask where a ferry crossing is.

dàn但zhè ge这个cí词liú留le了xià lái下来，yòng lái用来xíng róng形容nà xiē那些“bèi被yí wàng遗忘”de的shì wù事物。

But the term has remained to describe those things that are forgotten.

tā它de的shǐ yòng使用fàn wéi范围hěn很guǎng广。

Its scope of use is very wide.

yě xǔ也许shì是yí gè一个hěn很yǒu有cái huá才华de的rén人，xiě写le了yī běn一本hǎo好shū书，dàn但yīn wèi因为bù不zuò做xuān chuán宣传，jié guǒ结果“wú rén wèn jīn无人问津”。

Perhaps a very talented person writes a good book, but because it isn't promoted, it ends up being 无人问津.

yě xǔ也许shì是yí gè一个céng jīng曾经hěn很liú xíng流行de的shāng pǐn商品，xiàn zài现在guò qì过气le了，bǎi摆zài在huò jià货架shàng上“wú rén wèn jīn无人问津”。

Perhaps a product that was once very popular is now out of style and sits on the shelf 无人问津.

shèn zhì甚至kě néng可能shì是yí gè一个hěn很hǎo好de的jiàn yì建议，dà jiā大家dōu都zài在máng zhe忙着chǎo jià吵架，jié guǒ结果nà ge那个zuì最lǐ xìng理性de的shēng yīn声音，fǎn ér反而“wú rén wèn jīn无人问津”。

It could even be a very good suggestion; while everyone is busy arguing, that most rational voice instead becomes 无人问津.

zhí de值得zhù yì注意de的shì是，“wú rén wèn jīn无人问津”bìng并bù不yí dìng一定dài biǎo代表dōng xī东西bù hǎo不好。

It is worth noting that 无人问津 does not necessarily mean the thing is bad.

tā它gèng更duō多miáo shù描述de的shì是yī zhǒng一种“méi yǒu没有guān zhù dù关注度”de的gān gà尴尬zhuàng tài状态。

It describes more of an awkward state of having no attention.

tā它dài带zhe着yì diǎn diǎn一点点jì mò寂寞，yě也dài带zhe着yì diǎn diǎn一点点kě xī可惜。

It carries a bit of loneliness and a bit of pity.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你kàn dào看到mǒu某gè个jiǎo luò角落lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个hěn很bù cuò不错de的dōng xī东西què却bèi被dà jiā大家hū shì忽视shí时，nǐ你jiù就kě yǐ可以yòng用zhè ge这个cí词。

Next time, when you see something quite good in a corner being ignored by everyone, you can use this term.

nǐ你huì会fā xiàn发现，zhè ge这个cí词lǐ里cáng藏zhe着yī zhǒng一种shēn shēn深深de的ān jìng安静：nà那shì是děng dài等待bèi被fā xiàn发现，què却shǐ zhōng始终méi yǒu没有děng等lái来guò kè过客de的ān jìng安静。

You will find that this term hides a deep silence: the silence of waiting to be discovered but never seeing a visitor arrive.

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