成千上万

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: chéng qiān shàng wàn
• English Translation: Thousands upon thousands / Countless
• Idiom Composition: 「成」（To form or reach a certain amount.）＋「千」（Thousand; used here as a symbol for a large number.）＋「上」（To reach or go up to.）＋「万」（Ten thousand; used here to symbolize an even greater, vast number.）
• Meaning: A phrase used to describe an extremely large number of people or things. It literally means 'forming thousands and reaching tens of thousands,' emphasizing a vast, overwhelming scale rather than a specific mathematical count.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「成千上万」 contains the following nuances:

• Overwhelming Visual Scale: The idiom conveys more than just 'many'; it suggests a scale that fills the field of vision or is difficult to count individually.
• Function as an Approximate Number: It serves as an impressionistic descriptor rather than a precise statistical figure, used to emphasize the magnitude of a situation.

3. Usage

「成千上万」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Crowds and Gatherings: Used to describe a massive number of people at events, demonstrations, or tourist attractions.
  • Example:「成千上万的球迷涌入体育场，为自己的队伍加油助威。」
    （Thousands upon thousands of fans flocked to the stadium to cheer for their team.）
• Biological Swarms or Herds: Ideal for describing natural phenomena involving large numbers of animals or insects.
  • Example:「每到迁徙季节，成千上万的候鸟都会飞过这片湿地。」
    （Every migration season, countless migratory birds fly over this wetland.）
• Abstract Quantities and Data: Can be applied to non-physical things like investment amounts, pieces of information, or opportunities.
  • Example:「这家公司每年投入成千上万的资金用于研发新产品。」
    （This company invests vast sums of money into research and development for new products every year.）

Additional Examples:

1. 地震发生后，成千上万的志愿者赶往灾区提供帮助。
   （After the earthquake, thousands upon thousands of volunteers rushed to the disaster area to provide help.）
2. 在这个互联网时代，每天都有成千上万条新信息产生。
   （In this internet age, countless pieces of new information are generated every day.）
3. 虽然有成千上万个理由放弃，但他还是选择了坚持。
   （Although there were thousands of reasons to give up, he still chose to persevere.）
4. 广场上聚集了成千上万只鸽子，场面非常壮观。
   （Thousands upon thousands of pigeons gathered in the square, making for a spectacular sight.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• The Symbolism of Numbers: In Chinese culture, the numbers 千 (qiān) and 万 (wàn) are frequently paired to represent 'infinity' or 'everything,' rather than their literal mathematical values. This is seen in other idioms like 千言万语 (qiān yán wàn yǔ), meaning 'thousands of words,' or 千山万水 (qiān shān wàn shuǐ), meaning 'a long and arduous journey.'
• Grammatical Usage: The most common way to use this idiom is as a modifier for a noun, following the structure 成千上万 (chéng qiān shàng wàn) + 的 (de) + Noun.
• Versatility: Unlike the idiom 人山人海 (rén shān rén hǎi), which specifically describes a 'sea of people,' 成千上万 (chéng qiān shàng wàn) is more versatile and can describe animals, objects, or even abstract concepts like 'reasons' or 'funds.'

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 不计其数 (bú jì qí shù): Too many to be counted; emphasizes that the number is so vast it is beyond calculation.link
  • 千千万万 (qiān qiān wàn wàn): Millions upon millions; a more colloquial and rhythmic way to emphasize a massive quantity.
  • 人山人海 (rén shān rén hǎi): A vast crowd of people.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 寥寥无几 (liáo liáo wú jǐ): Very few; so few that they are almost non-existent.link
  • 屈指可数 (qū zhǐ kě shǔ): Can be counted on one's fingers; used to describe a very small, limited number.
  • 所剩无几 (suǒ shèng wú jǐ): Very little left.link

6. Summary

The idiom 成千上万 (chéng qiān shàng wàn) is a versatile expression used to convey that something exists in massive quantities. It is most frequently used as an adjective to modify a noun, typically in the pattern '成千上万 (chéng qiān shàng wàn) + 的 (de) + Noun.' It is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, ranging from daily conversation to news reports.