寸草不生 Not a blade of grass grows
Explanation
形容土地贫瘠，连一点儿草都不长。也形容灾情严重，或者环境恶劣。
Describes barren land where not even a blade of grass grows. It also describes the severity of a disaster or a harsh environment.
Origin Story
很久以前，有一个叫小山的村庄，那里曾经土地肥沃，庄稼茂盛。但是，一场持续多年的旱灾席卷了整个地区，山上的泉水干涸了，河流枯竭了，田地龟裂，寸草不生。村民们四处寻找水源，却毫无结果。他们眼睁睁地看着庄稼枯死，牲畜饿死，家园变成一片荒凉的景象。一些人绝望地离开了家乡，去寻找新的生活，而剩下的村民则团结一心，互相帮助，共同抵御这残酷的自然灾害。他们挖井储水，寻找新的水源，并努力种植抗旱的作物。经过多年的努力，终于战胜了旱灾，村庄又恢复了生机。如今，村庄里绿树成荫，鸟语花香，再也不见寸草不生的景象。
Long ago, there was a village called Xiaoshan, where the land was once fertile and the crops were lush. But a drought that lasted for many years swept across the entire region. The springs on the mountains dried up, the rivers ran dry, and the fields cracked, leaving not a blade of grass. Villagers searched everywhere for water, but to no avail. They watched as their crops withered, their livestock starved to death, and their homes turned into a desolate scene. Some people despairingly left their homes to seek new lives, while the remaining villagers united, helping each other to withstand this cruel natural disaster. They dug wells to store water, sought new water sources, and worked to grow drought-resistant crops. After years of effort, they finally overcame the drought, and the village came back to life. Today, the village is full of trees and flowers, and the sight of barren land is no more.
Usage
常用作谓语、定语、宾语；形容土地贫瘠或灾情严重。
Often used as predicate, attributive, or object; describes barren land or serious disasters.
Examples
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这片土地干旱，寸草不生。
zhè piàn tǔdì gānhàn, cùn cǎo bù shēng
This land is arid, with not a blade of grass growing.
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战乱之后，这里寸草不生，一片荒凉。
zhànluàn zhīhòu, zhè lǐ cùn cǎo bù shēng, yī piàn huāngliáng
After the war, there was nothing left here, it was all deserted.