每天成语
background texture
< 混为一谈人迹罕至 >

不可同日而语

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ
  • English Translation: Cannot be mentioned in the same breath (poles apart)
  • Idiom Composition: 「不」（Not; used here to negate the possibility of comparison.）＋「可」（Can or may; indicates the ability to do something.）＋「同日」（The same day; metaphorically refers to the same time, level, or context.）＋「而」（A conjunction used here to connect the condition to the action of speaking.）＋「语」（To speak, discuss, or mention.）
  • Meaning: A state where two things or people are so vastly different in quality, scale, or level—often due to significant progress or change over time—that they cannot be compared or discussed as equals.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「不可同日而语」 contains the following nuances:

  • Overwhelming Disparity: This idiom implies more than just a simple difference; it suggests a gap in quality, quantity, or level so vast that the two subjects are effectively in different worlds.
  • Emphasis on Temporal Change: As the phrase includes 同日 (tóng rì), it is particularly effective when comparing the 'past' and 'present' to show how much progress has been made.

3. Usage

「不可同日而语」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Evaluating Growth or Development: Frequently used to praise how economic strength, technology, or individual abilities have reached a level far superior to what they once were.
    • Example:「现在的中国经济实力与四十年前相比，早已不可同日而语。」
      （China's current economic strength is not even in the same league as it was forty years ago.)
  • Emphasizing a Difference in Class: Used when comparing two different objects to point out that one is overwhelmingly superior or exists on a completely different level.
    • Example:「虽然都是智能手机，但这两种型号的性能简直不可同日而语。」
      （Although both are smartphones, the performance of these two models is poles apart.)
  • Drastic Change in Circumstances: Can be used objectively to describe how a situation has changed dramatically, whether for better or worse.
    • Example:「遭受灾害后，这座城市的繁荣景象已与往日不可同日而语。」
      （After the disaster, the city's prosperity was no longer comparable to its former glory.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 他经过几年的苦练，现在的棋艺与当初不可同日而语。
    （After years of hard practice, his chess skills are now beyond comparison to when he first started.）
  2. 这家公司的规模已经扩大了十倍，与创业初期不可同日而语。
    （The scale of this company has expanded tenfold and is night and day compared to its early days.）
  3. 业余选手的水平和职业冠军自然是不可同日而语的。
    （The skill level of an amateur player and a professional champion cannot be mentioned in the same breath.）
  4. 随着科技的进步，现代医疗水平与过去不可同日而语。
    （With the advancement of technology, modern medical standards are incomparably better than in the past.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Source: This idiom originates from the Strategies of the Warring States (战国策 - Zhàn guó Cè), specifically in the 'Strategies of Zhao' (赵策). It was originally phrased as a rhetorical question: 'How could one discuss these in the same day?'
  • Evolution of Nuance: In its original historical context, it was used to contrast the power dynamics between winners and losers or rulers and subjects. In modern usage, it has shifted to focus on progress, technological advancement, and general disparity.
  • Usage Frequency: It is a sophisticated and somewhat formal expression often favored in news editorials, business presentations, and academic writing to dramatically illustrate growth or change.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 不可同日而语 (bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ) is used to describe an overwhelming disparity between two subjects, making a direct comparison impossible. It is most frequently used to highlight how much a person's skills have improved or how a situation has drastically changed from the past to the present. It carries a formal tone, similar to the English expressions "night and day" or "not in the same league."

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 1

Idiom Essay

bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ
不可同日而语
Beyond Comparison
wǒ men我们zài在shēng huó生活zhōng中，zǒng shì总是xí guàn习惯qù去bǐ jiào比较。

In life, we are always accustomed to making comparisons.

bǐ rú比如，bǐ jiào比较liǎng jiā两家cān tīng餐厅nǎ jiā哪家gèng更hǎo chī好吃，huò zhě或者bǐ jiào比较liǎng jiàn两件yī fú衣服nǎ jiàn哪件gèng更hé shì合适。

For example, comparing which of two restaurants is more delicious, or which of two pieces of clothing is more suitable.

zhè zhǒng这种bǐ jiào比较，tōng cháng通常shì是yīn wèi因为tā men它们chà bu duō差不多，huò zhě或者gè yǒu qiān qiū各有千秋。

This kind of comparison usually happens because they are similar or each has its own merits.

dàn shì但是，yǒu shí hòu有时候，nǐ你huì会yù dào遇到lìng另yī zhǒng一种qíng kuàng情况。

However, sometimes you encounter a different situation.

dāng当nǐ你bǎ把xiàn zài现在de的zhuàng tài状态，hé和guò qù过去fàng放zài在yì qǐ一起kàn看shí时，nǐ你huì会fā xiàn发现——chā jù差距shí zài实在tài太dà大le了。

When you look at your current state alongside the past, you will find that the gap is simply too large.

zhè zhǒng这种biàn huà变化bú shì不是yì diǎn diǎn一点点，ér shì而是wán quán完全bù不zài在tóng同yí gè一个céng cì层次shàng上，shèn zhì甚至ràng让nǐ你jué de觉得，zhè这gēn běn根本bù不xiàng像shì是zài在tán lùn谈论tóng同yí gè一个shì wù事物。

This change is not just a little bit; they are completely on different levels, even making you feel like you aren't talking about the same thing at all.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常yǒu有lì liàng力量de的chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种jù dà巨大de的、wú fǎ无法lā jìn拉近de的chā jù差距，jiào叫“bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ不可同日而语”。

In Chinese, there is a very powerful idiom specifically used to describe this huge, unbridgeable gap called 不可同日而语.

zì miàn字面shàng上kàn看，tā它de的yì si意思shì是：bù néng不能fàng放zài在tóng yī tiān同一天（tóng rì同日）lǐ里qù去tán lùn谈论（ér yǔ而语）。

Literally, it means: cannot be talked about (而语) on the same day (同日).

wèi shén me为什么bù néng不能fàng放zài在tóng yī tiān同一天tán lùn谈论？

Why can't they be talked about on the same day?

yīn wèi因为tā men它们de的fèn liàng分量、jí bié级别huò zhě或者zhuàng tài状态，yǐ jīng已经wán quán完全bù tóng不同le了。

Because their weight, level, or status has become completely different.

rú guǒ如果qiáng xíng强行bǎ把tā men它们fàng放zài在yì qǐ一起bǐ jiào比较，shì是bù不gōng píng公平de的，yě也shì是bù hé lǐ不合理de的。

If you force them together for comparison, it is unfair and unreasonable.

zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语，zuì最cháng常bèi被yòng lái用来xíng róng形容“biàn huà变化”hé和“jìn bù进步”。

This idiom is most commonly used to describe change and progress.

xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下，nǐ你huí dào回到le了nǐ你céng jīng曾经shēng huó生活guò过de的yí gè一个xiǎo zhèn小镇。

Imagine you return to a small town where you once lived.

shí nián qián十年前，nà lǐ那里kě néng可能zhǐ yǒu只有ní tǔ泥土lù路，méi yǒu没有gāo lóu高楼，shèn zhì甚至lián连lù dēng路灯dōu都hěn很àn暗。

Ten years ago, there might have been only dirt roads, no tall buildings, and even the streetlights were very dim.

kě shì可是jīn tiān今天nǐ你zài再huí qù回去，kàn dào看到le了fán máng繁忙de的dì tiě地铁、míng liàng明亮de的shāng chǎng商场hé和xiàn dài huà现代化de的shēng huó生活。

But when you go back today, you see busy subways, bright shopping malls, and a modern life.

kàn看zhe着yǎn qián眼前de的jǐng xiàng景象，nǐ你hěn很nán难bǎ把tā它hé和jì yì记忆zhōng中nà ge那个pò jiù破旧de的xiǎo zhèn小镇lián xì联系qǐ lái起来。

Looking at the scene before you, it is hard to connect it with that dilapidated small town in your memory.

zhè shí hòu这时候，nǐ你jiù就kě yǐ可以gǎn tàn感叹：zhè lǐ这里de的fā zhǎn发展，hé和shí nián qián十年前xiāng bǐ相比，yǐ jīng已经“bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ不可同日而语”le了。

At this time, you can exclaim: the development here, compared to ten years ago, is already 不可同日而语.

huò zhě或者，huí xiǎng回想yī xià一下nǐ你gāng刚kāi shǐ开始xué xí学习zhōng wén中文de的shí hòu时候。

Or, think back to when you first started learning Chinese.

nà那shí hòu时候，nǐ你kě néng可能lián连tīng dǒng听懂yī jù一句jiǎn dān简单de的wèn hòu问候dōu都hěn很chī lì吃力。

At that time, you might have struggled even to understand a simple greeting.

ér而xiàn zài现在，nǐ你yǐ jīng已经kě yǐ可以tīng dǒng听懂zhè yàng这样yī duàn一段fù zá复杂de的yīn pín音频，shèn zhì甚至kě yǐ可以qù去sī kǎo思考yǔ yán语言bèi hòu背后de的wén huà文化。

But now, you can already understand such a complex audio clip and even think about the culture behind the language.

zhè这liǎng gè两个jiē duàn阶段de的nǐ你，suī rán虽然shì是tóng同yí gè一个rén人，dàn但néng lì能力yǐ jīng已经wán quán完全bù tóng不同le了。

Although you are the same person in these two stages, your abilities are completely different.

suǒ yǐ所以，“bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ不可同日而语”zhè ge这个cí词，qí shí其实dài带zhe着yī zhǒng一种duì对“shí jiān时间”hé和“nǔ lì努力”de的jìng wèi敬畏。

Therefore, the term 不可同日而语 actually carries a sense of awe for time and effort.

tā它bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是zài在shuō说“bù不yī yàng一样”，tā它gèng shì更是zài在qiáng diào强调yī zhǒng一种zhì dì fēi yuè质的飞跃。

It is not just saying things are different; it emphasizes a qualitative leap.

tā它tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们，shì wù事物shì是huì会fā zhǎn发展de的。

It reminds us that things develop.

dāng当jī lěi积累dào到yí dìng一定chéng dù程度，liàng biàn量变huì会yǐn qǐ引起zhì biàn质变。

When accumulation reaches a certain point, quantitative change leads to qualitative change.

céng jīng曾经nà ge那个ruò xiǎo弱小de的、bù qǐ yǎn不起眼de的zhuàng tài状态，zài在jīng lì经历le了shí jiān时间de的xǐ lǐ洗礼hòu后，kě néng可能huì会biàn dé变得ràng让nǐ你zì jǐ自己dōu都gǎn dào感到jīng yà惊讶。

That once weak and inconspicuous state, after experiencing the baptism of time, might become something that surprises even yourself.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你kàn dào看到mǒu zhǒng某种jīng rén惊人de的jìn bù进步，huò zhě或者huí tóu回头kàn看zì jǐ自己zǒu guò走过de的zhǎng长lù路shí时，bù fáng不妨yòng用zhè ge这个cí词lái来zàn měi赞美yī xià一下zhè zhǒng这种biàn huà变化。

Next time, when you see some amazing progress or look back at the long road you have traveled, you might use this word to praise such a change.

yīn wèi因为nà那yì wèi zhe意味着，guò qù过去hé和xiàn zài现在，yǐ jīng已经kuà yuè跨越le了màn cháng漫长de的jù lí距离，zài yě再也bù néng不能jiǎn dān简单dì地huà画shàng上děng hào等号le了。

Because it means that the past and the present have crossed a long distance and can no longer be simply equated.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

Try creating sentences using '不可同日而语'!

0/50