不可同日而语 (bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ) — cannot be mentioned in the same breath; incomparable; not on the same level

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning two things cannot be compared at all — one is vastly superior. Use when contrasting things that are on entirely different levels.

idiom
cannot be mentioned in the same breathincomparablenot on the same level

Examples

  • ，不可同日而语。
    Xiàn zài de kē jì hé shí nián qián xiāng bǐ, jiǎn zhí bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ.
    Today's technology compared to ten years ago simply cannot be mentioned in the same breath.
  • 不可同日而语，。
    Zhè liǎng jiā gōng sī de shí lì bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ, chā jù tài dà le.
    The strength of these two companies is incomparable — the gap is too big.
  • 不可同日而语。
    Zhuān yè xuǎn shǒu hé yè yú ài hào zhě de shuǐ píng bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ.
    The level of professional athletes and amateur enthusiasts cannot be mentioned in the same breath.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

同 originally drew a pipe. It is the old form of 筒.

Open 同 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Open 日 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →

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