不可开交 bù kě kāi jiāo extremely busy

Explanation

形容事情繁多，难以处理，无法脱身。

Describes a situation where one is overwhelmed by many things and cannot free oneself.

Origin Story

老张是一位勤劳的农民，他家的田地多，一年四季都有农活要做。春天要播种，夏天要除草，秋天要收割，冬天要积肥。此外，他还养着鸡鸭鹅，每天都要喂食，还要打扫鸡圈鸭舍。老张每天从早忙到晚，一刻也不得闲。邻居们看他忙得不可开交，都劝他少种些地，少养些家禽，但他总是摇摇头说：“我闲不住，我得把这些活都干完。”

laozhang shi yi wei qinlao de nongmin,ta jia de tian di duo,yi nian si ji dou you nong huo yao zuo.chuntian yao bozhong,xiatian yao chicao,qiutian yao shoug,dongtian yao jifei.ciwai,ta hai yangzhe ji ya e,meitian dou yao weishi,hai yao dasao jiquan yashe.laozhang meitian cong zao mang dao wan,yike ye bude xian.linjubmen kan ta mang de buke kaigiao,dou quan ta shaozhong xie di,shaoyang xie jiaqin,dan ta zong shi yao yao tou shuo:'wo xian buzhu,wo de ba zhexie huo dou gan wan.'

Old Zhang was a hardworking farmer. His family had a lot of land, and there was always farm work to do throughout the year. In the spring, he had to sow seeds, in the summer, he had to weed, in the autumn, he had to harvest, and in the winter, he had to collect fertilizer. In addition, he also raised chickens, ducks, and geese. Every day, he had to feed them and clean the coops. Old Zhang was busy from morning till night, never having a moment's rest. His neighbors saw how busy he was and advised him to cultivate less land and raise fewer poultry, but he always shook his head and said, “I can't stay idle; I have to finish all this work.”

Usage

用于形容非常忙碌，难以应付各种事情的状态。

yongyu xingrong feichang manglu,nanyi yingfu gezhong shiqing de zhuangtai

Used to describe the state of being extremely busy and unable to cope with various things.

Examples

• 他被工作缠得不可开交，连吃饭的时间都没有。

  ta bei gongzuo chand de buke kaigiao,lian chifan de shijian dou meiyou.

  He was so busy with work that he didn't even have time to eat.

• 事情太多，我忙得不可开交。

  shiqing tai duo,wo mang de buke kaigiao

  I'm so busy that I can barely breathe.

Related Idioms

• 忙碌

• 繁忙

Opposite Idioms

• 轻松

• 悠闲