八字没见一撇 bā zì méi jiàn yī piě Not even a glimmer of hope

Explanation

比喻事情毫无眉目，没有一点线索。

Figurative speech, indicating that something is completely without progress, development, or trace.

Origin Story

话说很久以前，在一个偏僻的小山村里，住着一位名叫阿牛的年轻小伙子。阿牛为人勤劳善良，但命运弄人，他一直没有找到心仪的姑娘，也始终没有找到合适的工作。一天，村里来了一个算命先生，他自称能算出人的未来。许多村民都来排队算命，阿牛也很好奇，于是也去尝试了一番。算命先生看了看阿牛的生辰八字，摇了摇头说："你这八字没见一撇，未来一片迷茫，找工作，找对象，都困难重重啊！"阿牛听了心里很失落，但他并没有放弃希望，他依然勤劳地工作，热心地帮助他人。渐渐地，他凭借着自己的努力，找到了一份不错的工作，也认识了一位温柔善良的姑娘。最终，阿牛有情人终成眷属，过上了幸福美满的生活，他的人生，也从‘八字没见一撇’变成了‘心想事成’。

huì shuō hěn jiǔ yǐ qián, zài yī gè piān pì de xiǎo shān cūn lǐ, zhù zhe yī wèi míng jiào ā niú de nián qīng xiǎo huǒ zi. ā niú wéi rén qín láo shàn liáng, dàn mìng yùn nòng rén, tā yī zhí méi yǒu zhǎo dào xīn yí de gū niang, yě shǐ zhōng méi yǒu zhǎo dào héshì de gōng zuò. yī tiān, cūn lǐ lái le yī gè suàn mìng xiān shēng, tā zì chēng néng suàn chū rén de wèi lái. xǔ duō cūn mín dōu lái pái duì suàn mìng, ā niú yě hěn hào qí, yú shì yě qù cháng shì le yī fān. suàn mìng xiān shēng kàn le kàn ā niú de shēng chén bā zì, yáo le yáo tóu shuō: 'nǐ zhè bā zì méi jiàn yī piě, wèi lái yī piàn mí máng, zhǎo gōng zuò, zhǎo duì xiàng, dōu kùn nán chóng chóng a!' ā niú tīng le xīn lǐ hěn shī luò, dàn tā bìng méi yǒu fàng qì xī wàng, tā yī rán qín láo de gōng zuò, rè xīn de bāng zhù tā rén. jiàn jiàn de, tā píng jì zhe zì jǐ de nǔ lì, zhǎo dào le yī fèn bù cuò de gōng zuò, yě rèn shi le yī wèi wēn róu shàn liáng de gū niang. zuì zhōng, ā niú yǒu qíng rén zhōng chéng juàn shǔ, guò le shàng xìng fú měi mǎn de shēng huó, tā de rén shēng, yě cóng ‘bā zì méi jiàn yī piě’ biàn chéng le ‘xīn xiǎng shì chéng’

Once upon a time, in a remote village, lived a young man named An Niu. An Niu was diligent and kind-hearted, but fate was unkind to him. He couldn't find a suitable job or a girlfriend. One day, a fortune teller came to the village and claimed he could predict people’s futures. Many villagers queued to get their fortunes read, and An Niu, curious, joined in. The fortune teller examined An Niu's birth chart and shook his head, saying, "Your destiny is uncertain; finding a job and a partner will be tough." An Niu was disheartened, but didn't lose hope; he kept working hard and helping others. Gradually, through effort, he found a good job and met a kind woman. In the end, An Niu married his beloved, and they lived happily ever after. His life had shifted from one with 'no clear direction' to one filled with happiness and success.

Usage

常用来形容事情没有眉目，没有进展。

cháng yòng lái xíng róng shì qing méi yǒu méi mù, méi yǒu jìn zhǎn

Used to describe a situation with no progress or clue.

Examples

• 这事情八字还没一撇呢，别高兴得太早了。

  zhè shì qing bā zì hái méi yī piě ne, bié gāoxìng de tài zǎo le.

  It's too early to celebrate; things are far from settled.

• 他的计划还八字没见一撇，现在谈成功还为时尚早。

  tā de jìhuà hái bā zì méi jiàn yī piě, xiànzài tán chénggōng hái wèi shí shàng zǎo

  His plans are still in their infancy; it's too early to talk about success.

Related Idioms

• 一筹莫展

• 毫无进展

Opposite Idioms

• 初见端倪

• 已有眉目