长途跋涉

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: cháng tú bá shè
• English Translation: A long and arduous journey (trekking over a long distance)
• Idiom Composition: 「长」（Long (referring to distance)）＋「途」（Path, road, or the journey itself）＋「跋」（To trek across mountains or walk through thick grass）＋「涉」（To wade through water or cross a river）
• Meaning: To travel a long distance while enduring hardships, such as climbing mountains and wading through water. It emphasizes the physical exhaustion and the difficulty of the journey rather than just the distance covered.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「长途跋涉」 contains the following nuances:

• Difficult Terrain: The characters 跋 (bá) and 涉 (shè) originally referred to traveling through pathless wilds. In modern usage, even if the travel is via paved roads or airplanes, the idiom is applicable if the trip is time-consuming and physically draining.
• Sense of Purpose: Unlike a casual sightseeing trip, this idiom often implies a journey taken with a specific purpose, such as a mission, seeking refuge, returning home, or an exploration.

3. Usage

「长途跋涉」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Welcoming a guest: Used as a polite greeting to acknowledge and appreciate the effort someone made to travel from a far distance.
  • Example:「辛苦你了，长途跋涉来到这里，先休息一下吧。」
    （It's been hard on you. You've traveled a long and arduous way to get here; please take a rest first.）
• Animal migration or expeditions: Used to describe the physically grueling nature of long-distance movement in nature or exploration.
  • Example:「候鸟每年都要长途跋涉，飞往南方过冬。」
    （Every year, migratory birds must trek over long distances to fly south for the winter.）
• Metaphorical journeys: Can be used figuratively to describe a long, difficult process or a mental/creative struggle toward a goal.
  • Example:「为了完成这部作品，作者在精神上经历了一番长途跋涉。」
    （To complete this work, the author went through a long and difficult mental journey.）

Additional Examples:

1. 经过几天的长途跋涉，救援队终于到达了灾区。
   （After several days of arduous travel, the rescue team finally reached the disaster area.）
2. 他不怕长途跋涉，只为了见老朋友一面。
   （He doesn't mind trekking a long distance just to see his old friend.）
3. 这支商队长途跋涉穿越了整个沙漠。
   （The caravan made a long and difficult journey across the entire desert.）
4. 虽然长途跋涉很累，但看到美丽的风景，一切都值得了。
   （Although the long journey was exhausting, seeing the beautiful scenery made it all worth it.）
5. 这种鱼需要长途跋涉回到出生地产卵。
   （This fish needs to travel a long distance back to its birthplace to spawn.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Source: This phrase appears in the Qing Dynasty novel General Yue Fei (说岳全传 - Shuō Yuè Quán Zhuàn). In one scene, Yue Fei's wife expresses concern about letting someone endure the 'hardship of a long journey,' showing it was used to acknowledge the toil of others.
• Modern Context: In modern China, this term is frequently associated with the Spring Festival (春节 - Chūnjié) travel rush, known as Chunyun (春运). For many, the journey back to their hometown involves dozens of hours of travel, embodying the spirit of 长途跋涉 (cháng tú bá shè).
• Etymology: The character 跋 (bá) means to trample through grass or climb, while 涉 (shè) means to cross water. Together, they represent the obstacles one faces on a roadless journey.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 跋山涉水 (bá shān shè shuǐ): To climb mountains and wade through water; a vivid description of the specific hardships of a journey.
  • 舟车劳顿 (zhōu chē láo dùn): Fatigue from traveling by boat and cart; focuses specifically on the exhaustion caused by the mode of transport.
  • 风尘仆仆 (fēng chén pú pú): To be travel-stained and weary from a long journey.link
  • 千里迢迢 (qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo): Traveling a long distance.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 近在咫尺 (jìn zài zhǐ chǐ): Right before one's eyes; extremely close in distance.
  • 一步之遥 (yī bù zhī yáo): Only a step away; a very short distance.

6. Summary

The idiom 长途跋涉 (cháng tú bá shè) is used to describe a journey that is both long and physically demanding. While it literally depicts climbing mountains and crossing rivers, in modern contexts, it can refer to any exhausting trip, such as a long flight or a difficult commute. It is often used to express appreciation for a guest who has traveled far or to describe the grueling nature of an expedition or animal migration.