望洋兴叹 Wàng Yáng Xīng Tàn Sighing at the vast ocean

Explanation

望洋兴叹，意思是仰望大海而感叹，比喻面对伟大事物而自感渺小，也指因力量不足而感到无可奈何。

Wàng Yáng Xīng Tàn means to look up at the ocean and sigh. It describes the feeling of feeling small and insignificant in the face of great things, or feeling helpless in the face of insurmountable difficulties.

Origin Story

传说古代有个黄河河神，名叫河伯。他自以为黄河浩大，天下第一，便兴致勃勃地去北海看看。到了北海，他才发现北海之广阔，远非黄河可比。河伯顿时感到自己的渺小，不禁望洋兴叹。这个故事告诉我们，要谦虚谨慎，不要自以为是，要勇于学习，不断进步。

chuán shuō gǔ dài yǒu gè huáng hé hé shén, míng jiào hé bó. tā zì yǐ wéi huáng hé hào dà, tiān xià dì yī, biàn xīng zhì bó bó de qù běi hǎi kàn kàn. dào le běi hǎi, tā cái fā xiàn běi hǎi zhī guǎng kuò, yuǎn fēi huáng hé kě bǐ. hé bó dēng shí gǎn dào zì jǐ de miǎo xiǎo, bù jīn wàng yáng xīng tàn. zhège gù shi gào sù wǒ men, yào qiān xū jǐn shèn, bù yào zì yǐ wéi shì, yào yǒng yú xué xí, bù duàn jìn bù

Legend has it that in ancient times there was a Yellow River god named He Bo. He believed that the Yellow River was vast and the greatest in the world, so he went to the North Sea to have a look. When he arrived at the North Sea, he realized that the vastness of the North Sea was far beyond comparison with the Yellow River. He Bo suddenly felt his own insignificance and could not help but sigh in despair.

Usage

常用作谓语、宾语、定语；形容做事因力不胜任或没有条件而感到无可奈何。

cháng yòng zuò wèi yǔ, bīn yǔ, dìng yǔ；xiáorong zuò shì yīn lì bù shèng rèn huò méi yǒu tiáo jiàn ér gǎn dào wú kě nài hé

Often used as a predicate, object, or attributive; describes the feeling of helplessness when one cannot accomplish something or does not have the prerequisites.

Examples

  • 面对如此巨大的挑战，我们只能望洋兴叹。

    miàn duì rú cǐ jù dà de tiǎo zhàn, wǒ men zhǐ néng wàng yáng xīng tàn

    Faced with such a huge challenge, we can only sigh in despair.

  • 他自知能力有限，面对这个难题，只能望洋兴叹。

    tā zì zhī néng lì yǒu xiàn, miàn duì zhè ge nán tí, zhǐ néng wàng yáng xīng tàn

    He knows his abilities are limited, and before this problem, can only sigh in despair.

  • 面对如此庞大的工程，我们不得不望洋兴叹

    miàn duì rú cǐ páng dà de gōng chéng, wǒ men bù dé bù wàng yáng xīng tàn

    Faced with such a huge project, we have to sigh in despair

Related Idioms

  • 叹为观止

  • 无可奈何

  • 望而却步

Opposite Idioms

  • 妄自尊大

  • 自以为是