不可胜数 bù kě shèng shǔ innumerable

Explanation

形容数量极多，数也数不清。

It describes a very large number that cannot be counted.

Origin Story

西汉时期，淮南王刘安野心勃勃，图谋造反。他多次秘密会见谋士伍被，商讨起兵事宜。伍被分析了当时的形势，认为汉高祖刘邦之所以能够夺取天下，是因为秦朝暴政，民不聊生，修筑长城时更是死伤无数，百姓怨声载道，民心尽失。而如今，汉朝经过休养生息，国力强盛，百姓安居乐业，即使刘安能够起兵，也难以得到民心支持，最终必将失败。伍被劝诫刘安放弃这个不切实际的想法。然而，刘安执迷不悟，仍然坚持己见，最终他的谋反阴谋被揭露，以失败告终，这如同那漫天星辰，不可胜数的失败案例一样，警示着后人要审时度势，切勿盲目蛮干。

xī hàn shí qī, huái nán wáng liú ān yě xīn bó bó, tú móu zào fǎn. tā duō cì mì mì huì jiàn móu shì wǔ bèi, shāng tǎo qǐ bīng shì yí. wǔ bèi fēn xī le dāng shí de xíng shì, rèn wéi hàn gāo zǔ liú bāng zhī suǒ yǐ néng gòu duó qǔ tiān xià, shì yīn wèi qín cháo bào zhèng, mín bù liáo shēng, xiū zhù cháng chéng shí gèng shì sǐ shāng wú shù, bǎi xìng yuàn shēng zài dào, mín xīn jìn shī. ér rú jīn, hàn cháo jīng guò xiū yǎng shēng xī, guó lì qiáng shèng, bǎi xìng ān jū lè yè, jí shǐ liú ān néng gòu qǐ bīng, yě nán yǐ dé dào mín xīn zhī chí, zuì zhōng bì jiāng shī bài. wǔ bèi quàn jiè liú ān fàng qì zhège bù qiè shí jì de xiǎng fǎ. rán ér, liú ān zhí mí bù wù, réng rán jiān chí jǐ jiàn, zuì zhōng tā de móu fǎn yīn móu bèi jiēlù, yǐ shī bài gào zhōng, zhè rú tóng nà màn tiān xīng chén, bù kě shèng shù de shī bài àn lì yī yàng, jǐng shì zhe hòu rén yào shěn shí dù shì, qiē wù máng mù mán gàn

During the Western Han Dynasty, King Liu An of Huainan harbored great ambition and plotted a rebellion. He secretly met with his strategist Wu Bei many times to discuss raising troops. Wu Bei analyzed the situation and argued that Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang’s success stemmed from the Qin Dynasty's tyrannical rule, widespread suffering, countless deaths during the construction of the Great Wall, and widespread resentment among the people, which led to the loss of popular support. Now, however, the Han Dynasty had recovered, its national strength had grown, and the people lived in peace and prosperity. Even if Liu An were to rebel, he would not gain the support of the people, and his cause would inevitably fail. Wu Bei advised Liu An to abandon his unrealistic plan. However, Liu An remained stubborn and clung to his idea. In the end, his conspiracy was exposed and ended in failure, similar to the countless failed attempts that serve as a warning to future generations to consider the circumstances and avoid reckless actions.

Usage

用于形容数量极多，多得无法计数。

yòng yú xíngróng shùliàng jí duō, duō de wúfǎ jìshù

Used to describe a very large number that is too numerous to count.

Examples

• 天上的星星多得不可胜数。

  tiānshàng de xīngxīng duō de bù kě shèng shǔ

  The stars in the sky are countless.

• 参加这次会议的人数不可胜数。

  cānjiā zhè cì huìyì de rénshù bù kě shèng shǔ

  The number of participants in this meeting is innumerable.

Related Idioms

• 不胜枚举

• 多如牛毛

• 不计其数

Opposite Idioms

• 寥寥无几

• 屈指可数