五花八门 wǔ huā bā mén diverse

Explanation

五花八门，意思是形容事物种类繁多，变化多端。就像古代的五行阵和八门阵，变化无穷，让人应接不暇。

The idiom "Wǔ huā bā mén" means that there are many different kinds of things, which are varied and diverse. It's like the ancient "Five Elements Formation" and "Eight Gates Formation", which have endless variations and are overwhelming.

Origin Story

在古代的战场上，各路将军为了取得胜利，会精心布置各种战术阵型。其中，最为著名的两种便是五行阵和八门阵。五行阵根据金木水火土五行的相生相克关系，变换阵型，灵活应变；八门阵则借用八卦的原理，设置八个不同的门，每个门都对应不同的兵力配置，可以根据敌人的情况进行变化。五行阵和八门阵的变化无穷，让敌人难以捉摸，常常起到出其不意、攻其不备的效果。后人就用“五花八门”来形容各种事物变化多端，种类繁多。

zài gǔ dài de zhàn chǎng shàng, gè lù jiāng jūn wèi le qǔ dé shèng lì, huì jīng xīn bù zhì gè zhǒng zhàn shù zhèn xíng. qí zhōng, zuì wéi zhù míng de liǎng zhǒng biàn shì wǔ xíng zhèn hé bā mén zhèn. wǔ xíng zhèn gēn jù jīn mù shuǐ huǒ tǔ wǔ xíng de xiāng shēng xiāng kè guān xì, biàn huàn zhèn xíng, líng huó yìng biàn; bā mén zhèn zé jiè yòng bā guà de yuán lǐ, shè zhì bā gè bù tóng de mén, měi gè mén dōu duì yìng bù tóng de bīng lì pèi zhì, kě yǐ gēn jù dí rén de qíng kuàng jìn xíng biàn huà. wǔ xíng zhèn hé bā mén zhèn de biàn huà wú qióng, ràng dí rén nán yǐ zhuō mó, cháng cháng qǐ dào chū qí bù yì, gōng qí bù bèi de xiào guǒ. hòu rén jiù yòng "wǔ huā bā mén" lái xíng róng gè zhǒng shì wù biàn huà duō duān, zhǒng lèi fán duō.

On the battlefields of ancient China, generals from all walks of life deployed various tactical formations in order to achieve victory. Among them, the two most famous were the Five Elements Formation and the Eight Gates Formation. The Five Elements Formation was based on the principles of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth and their relationship of mutual complementarity and mutual suppression. The formations were changed in order to adapt flexibly to the situations. The Eight Gates Formation, on the other hand, utilized the principles of the Bagua to create eight different gates, each with a different troop configuration. These formations could be changed depending on the situation of the enemy. The Five Elements Formation and the Eight Gates Formation offered endless variations and were difficult for the enemy to decipher. This allowed them to surprise the enemy and be on the offensive. Later, the expression “Wǔ huā bā mén” was used to describe the diversity and variability of things.

Usage

“五花八门”常用来形容事物种类繁多，变化多端，多用于表达一种丰富多彩的感觉。

wǔ huā bā mén cháng yòng lái xíng róng shì wù zhǒng lèi fán duō, biàn huà duō duān, duō yòng yú biǎo dá yī zhǒng fēng fù duō cǎi de gǎn jué.

The idiom "Wǔ huā bā mén" is often used to describe the diversity and variability of things. It is often used to express a feeling of colorfulness and variety.

Examples

• 现在的商品琳琅满目，五花八门，让人应接不暇。

  xiàn zài de shāng pǐn lín láng mǎn mù, wǔ huā bā mén, ràng rén yìng jiē bù xiá.

  There are so many products now, all sorts of different things, you can’t keep up with them.

• 这个展览汇集了各种艺术作品，五花八门，令人叹为观止。

  zhè ge zhǎn lǎn huì jí le gè zhǒng yì shù zuò pǐn, wǔ huā bā mén, lìng rén tàn wéi guān zhǐ.

  This exhibition brings together a wide variety of works of art, its diversity is truly breathtaking.

• 他喜欢尝试各种不同的食物，五花八门，什么都敢吃。

  tā xǐ huan shì shì gè zhǒng bù tóng de shí wù, wǔ huā bā mén, shén me dōu gǎn chī.

  He loves trying all sorts of different foods, all sorts of different things, he's willing to eat anything.

Related Idioms

• 形形色色

• 五光十色

Opposite Idioms

• 一成不变