海底捞针 finding a needle in the ocean
Explanation
比喻很难找到的人或物，事情很难办成。
It is used to describe a person or thing that is very difficult to find, or a thing that is very difficult to accomplish.
Origin Story
从前，有一个渔夫，他非常勤劳，每天都去打渔。有一天，他捕到了一条很大的鱼，这条鱼的肚子里有一根闪闪发光的金针。渔夫很高兴，他把金针拿回家，想把它做成一件精美的首饰。可是，渔夫找遍了家里所有的东西，也没有找到合适的工具来加工这根金针。渔夫很着急，他想，要是能找到一个能加工金针的师傅就好了。于是，渔夫拿着金针去问其他的渔夫，他们都说没有见过这样的金针，也不知道哪里能找到加工金针的师傅。渔夫走遍了整个村子，也没能找到一个能帮他加工金针的师傅。渔夫很失望，他把金针放进了一个木盒里，准备以后再想办法。许多年过去了，渔夫仍然没有找到加工金针的师傅。有一天，渔夫在整理旧东西的时候，发现了那个装着金针的木盒。他打开木盒，看到那根闪闪发光的金针，回忆起当年寻找师傅的情景，渔夫不禁感慨万千。他明白了，有些事情，即使再怎么努力，也不一定能够成功。
Once upon a time, there was a fisherman who was very diligent and went fishing every day. One day, he caught a very large fish, and inside the fish's belly was a shiny gold needle. The fisherman was very happy and took the gold needle home, wanting to make it into a beautiful piece of jewelry. However, the fisherman searched everywhere in his house for tools to process the gold needle, but he couldn't find anything suitable. The fisherman was very anxious, and he thought, it would be nice if he could find a master who could process the gold needle. So the fisherman took the gold needle to ask other fishermen, but they all said they had never seen such a gold needle and didn't know where to find a master who could process the gold needle. The fisherman went through the whole village, but he couldn't find a master who could help him process the gold needle. The fisherman was very disappointed, and he put the gold needle into a wooden box, preparing to find a way later. Many years passed, and the fisherman still hadn't found a master who could process the gold needle. One day, when the fisherman was cleaning up his old things, he found the wooden box containing the gold needle. He opened the wooden box, saw the shiny gold needle, and recalled the scene when he was looking for a master, and the fisherman couldn't help but feel a lot of emotion. He understood that some things, no matter how hard you try, may not be successful.
Usage
多用于比喻很难找到某人或某物。
Mostly used to describe that it is very difficult to find someone or something.
Examples
-
大海捞针一般难找
da hai lao zhen yi ban nan zhao
As difficult to find as a needle in a haystack
-
想在茫茫人海中找到他，简直是海底捞针
xiang zai mang mang ren hai zhong zhao dao ta,jian zhi shi hai di lao zhen
Finding him in the vast sea of people is like finding a needle in a haystack