空中楼阁 kōng zhōng lóu gé castle in the air

Explanation

空中楼阁，指的是悬在半空中的阁楼，比喻不切实际的幻想或计划。就像一座建在空中的阁楼，看起来很美，却无法实现，因为没有地基。

A castle in the air, refers to a castle that hangs in the air, a metaphor for unrealistic fantasies or plans. Like a castle built in the air, it looks beautiful, but it can't be realized because it has no foundation.

Origin Story

从前，有一个非常富有的傻财主，他生性愚钝，尽做傻事。一天，他到邻村的一位财主家做客，见他家有一栋三层楼十分漂亮，回家后便找工匠也要盖一座一模一样的楼。工匠开始打地基，傻财主却指挥说：“你们不要盖一二层，只盖第三层就行。”工匠们都感到很奇怪，问道：“财主，您要盖三层楼，不盖一二层，那第三层怎么盖上去呢？”傻财主说：“我只要盖第三层楼，盖好了就有人给我搬上去啊！”工匠们听了都摇头苦笑，这真是空中楼阁，根本不可能实现。

cóng qián, yǒu yī ge fēi cháng fù yǒu de shǎ cái zhǔ, tā shēng xìng yú dùn, jìn zuò shǎ shì. yī tiān, tā dào lín cūn de yī wèi cái zhǔ jiā zuò kè, jiàn tā jiā yǒu yī dòng sān céng lóu shí fēn piào liang, huí jiā hòu biàn zhǎo gōng jiàng yě yào gài yī zuò yī mó yī yàng de lóu. gōng jiàng kāi shǐ dǎ dì jī, shǎ cái zhǔ què zhǐ huī shuō: “nǐ men bù yào gài yī èr céng, zhǐ gài dì sān céng jiù xíng.” gōng jiàng men dōu gǎn dào hěn qí guài, wèn dào: “cái zhǔ, nín yào gài sān céng lóu, bù gài yī èr céng, nà dì sān céng zěn me gài shàng qù ne?” shǎ cái zhǔ shuō: “wǒ zhǐ yào gài dì sān céng lóu, gài hǎo le jiù yǒu rén gěi wǒ bān shàng qù a!” gōng jiàng men tīng le dōu yáo tóu kǔ xiào, zhè zhēn shì kōng zhōng lóu gé, gēn běn bù kě néng shí xiàn.

Once upon a time, there was a very rich but foolish landlord who was naturally stupid and only did foolish things. One day, he visited a landlord in the neighboring village and saw that he had a beautiful three-story house. When he got home, he wanted to build a house that looked exactly the same. The workers began to lay the foundation, but the foolish landlord ordered: “Don't build the first and second floors, only build the third floor.” The workers were confused and asked: “Sir Landlord, if you build the third floor, but no first and second floors, how is the third floor supposed to be built?” The foolish landlord said: “I only want to build the third floor. When it's finished, someone will bring it up for me.” The workers shook their heads and smiled, it was a real castle in the air, which was impossible to realize.

Usage

这个成语用来比喻不切实际的幻想或计划，常常用来形容那些不切实际、脱离实际的人或事。

zhè ge chéng yǔ yòng lái bǐ yù bù qiè shí jì de huàn xiǎng huò jì huà, cháng cháng yòng lái xíng róng nà xiē bù qiè shí jì, tuō liē shí jì de rén huò shì.

This idiom is used to refer to unrealistic fantasies or plans, often used to describe those who are unrealistic, out of touch with reality.

Examples

  • 他总是喜欢空想，总以为能一蹴而就，结果什么也没做成，真是空中楼阁！

    tā zǒng shì xǐ huan kōng xiǎng, zǒng yǐ wéi néng yī cù ér jiù, jié guǒ shén me yě méi zuò chéng, zhēn shì kōng zhōng lóu gé!

    He always likes to daydream, always thinks he can achieve everything in one go, but in the end he has done nothing, it is a real castle in the air!

  • 这个计划完全没有可行性，简直就是空中楼阁，无法实现。

    zhè ge jì huà wán quán méi yǒu kě xíng xìng, jiǎn zhí jiù shì kōng zhōng lóu gé, wú fǎ shí xiàn.

    This plan is completely unrealistic, it is simply a castle in the air, impossible to achieve.

Related Idioms

  • 海市蜃楼

  • 虚无缥缈

  • 不切实际

Opposite Idioms

  • 脚踏实地

  • 务实

  • 实际