上天入地 shàng tiān rù dì ascend to heaven and descend to earth

Explanation

形容神通广大，无所不能，或比喻为了实现某事而四处奔走。

Describes someone with great power, who can do anything and nothing is impossible, or describes the search for something by going everywhere.

Origin Story

传说，在遥远的古代，天庭之上住着一位法力无边的神仙，名叫“玉皇大帝”。玉皇大帝掌管着天庭，同时也掌控着世间万物。 有一天，玉皇大帝发现了一个名叫孙悟空的猴子，不仅胆大妄为，而且法力高强。玉皇大帝担心孙悟空会危害天庭，便派天兵天将捉拿孙悟空，但孙悟空却凭借着自己的神通，上天入地，躲避着天兵天将的追捕。 玉皇大帝见孙悟空难以捉拿，便决定收服他。于是，玉皇大帝找到孙悟空，对他说道：“你虽然法力高强，但始终只是一个猴子。如果你愿意来天庭做官，我会给你封官加爵。” 孙悟空听了玉皇大帝的话，觉得很心动，便答应了玉皇大帝的邀请，来到天庭做官。但是，孙悟空的性格比较放纵，他经常违反天条，惹得玉皇大帝十分生气。 玉皇大帝为了惩罚孙悟空，便将他压在了五行山下。孙悟空被压在五行山下，日复一日，年复一年，他始终没有放弃希望，最终在唐僧的帮助下，重获自由。 孙悟空上天入地，无所不能，他的故事成为了中国神话故事的经典。

chuán shuō, zài yáo yuǎn de gǔ dài, tiān tíng zhī shàng zhù zhe yī wèi fǎ lì wú biān de shén xiān, míng jiào “yù huáng dà dì”. yù huáng dà dì zhǎng guǎn zhe tiān tíng, tóng shí yě zhǎng kòng zhe shì jiān wàn wù. yī tiān, yù huáng dà dì fā xiàn le yī ge míng jiào sūn wù kōng de hóu zi, bù jǐn dǎn dà wàng wéi, ér qiě fǎ lì gāo qiáng. yù huáng dà dì dān xīn sūn wù kōng huì wēi hài tiān tíng, biàn pài tiān bīng tiān jiàng zhuō ná sūn wù kōng, dàn sūn wù kōng què píng jié zhe zì jǐ de shén tōng, shàng tiān rù dì, dǒu bì zhe tiān bīng tiān jiàng de zhuī bǔ. yù huáng dà dì jiàn sūn wù kōng nán yǐ zhuō ná, biàn jué dìng shōu fú tā. yú shì, yù huáng dà dì zhǎo dào sūn wù kōng, duì tā shuō dào: “nǐ suī rán fǎ lì gāo qiáng, dàn shǐ zhōng zhǐ shì yī ge hóu zi. rú guǒ nǐ yuàn yì lái tiān tíng zuò guān, wǒ huì gěi nǐ fēng guān jiā jué.” sūn wù kōng tīng le yù huáng dà dì de huà, jué de hěn xīn dòng, biàn yīng yì le yù huáng dà dì de yāo qǐng, lái dào tiān tíng zuò guān. dàn shì, sūn wù kōng de xìng gé bǐ jiào fàng zòng, tā jīng cháng wéi fǎn tiān tiáo, rě de yù huáng dà dì shí fēn shēng qì. yù huáng dà dì wèi le chéng fá sūn wù kōng, biàn jiāng tā yā zài wǔ xíng shān xià. sūn wù kōng bèi yā zài wǔ xíng shān xià, rì fù yī rì, nián fù yī nián, tā shǐ zhōng méi yǒu fàng qì xī wàng, zuì zhōng zài táng sēng de bāng zhù xià, chóng huò zì yóu. sūn wù kōng shàng tiān rù dì, wú suǒ bù néng, tā de gù shì chéng wéi le zhōng guó shén huà gù shì de jīng diǎn.

Legend has it that in ancient times, there lived a powerful god in the heavens, named "Jade Emperor". The Jade Emperor ruled the heavens and also controlled all things in the world. One day, the Jade Emperor discovered a monkey named Sun Wukong, who was not only reckless but also possessed great magical powers. The Jade Emperor feared that Sun Wukong would harm the heavens and sent celestial soldiers to capture him, but Sun Wukong, using his supernatural powers, ascended to heaven and descended to earth, evading the celestial soldiers' pursuit. Seeing that Sun Wukong was difficult to capture, the Jade Emperor decided to subdue him. So, the Jade Emperor found Sun Wukong and said to him: “Although you have great magical powers, you are still just a monkey. If you are willing to come to the heavens to be an official, I will give you a title and honor.” Sun Wukong was moved by the Jade Emperor's words and agreed to the Jade Emperor's invitation to come to the heavens to be an official. However, Sun Wukong's personality was rather indulgent, and he often violated the celestial laws, making the Jade Emperor very angry. To punish Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor pressed him under the Five Elements Mountain. Sun Wukong was pressed under the Five Elements Mountain, day after day, year after year, he never gave up hope, and finally, with the help of Tang Sanzang, he regained his freedom. Sun Wukong can ascend to heaven and descend to earth, and he can do anything. His story has become a classic of Chinese mythology.

Usage

形容神通广大，无所不能，或比喻为了实现某事而四处奔走。

xíng róng shén tōng guǎng dà, wú suǒ bù néng, huò bǐ yù wèi le shí xiàn mǒu shì ér sì chù bēn zǒu.

This idiom describes someone with great power who can do anything, or it compares the search for something to the effort of going everywhere.

Examples

• 孙悟空上天入地，无所不能。

  sūn wù kōng shàng tiān rù dì, wú suǒ bù néng.

  Sun Wukong can do anything, he can ascend to heaven and descend to earth.

• 为了完成这个项目，他们上天入地，到处寻找合适的人选。

  wèi le wán chéng zhè ge xiàng mù, tā men shàng tiān rù dì, dào chù xún zhǎo shì hé de rén xuǎn.

  To complete this project, they have searched for suitable candidates all over the world, going up to heaven and down to earth.

• 他上天入地地寻找真相，最终揭开了真相。

  tā shàng tiān rù dì de xún zhǎo zhēn xiàng, zuì zhōng jiē kāi le zhēn xiàng

  He searched for the truth all over the world, and finally revealed the truth.

Related Idioms

• 神通广大

• 无所不能

Opposite Idioms

• 束手无策

• 无能为力