不胜枚举 (bù shèng méi jǔ) — too numerous to mention individually; countless; too many to enumerate (one by one)

Definition

A formal idiom meaning 'too many to count or list one by one.' Sets it apart from the simpler 很多 by signaling an overwhelming quantity in written or rhetorical contexts.

idiom
too numerous to mention individuallycountlesstoo many to enumerate (one by one)

Examples

  • 不胜枚举，。
    Zhōng guó gè dì de míng shèng gǔ jì bù shèng méi jǔ, měi yí gè dōu yǒu dú tè de lì shǐ.
    China has so many famous historical sites that they are too numerous to mention individually; each one has a unique history.
  • 不胜枚举，。
    Guān yú zhè ge kè tí de yán jiū chéng guǒ bù shèng méi jǔ, kě jiàn qí xué shù jià zhí hěn gāo.
    The research results on this topic are so numerous that they can't be listed one by one, which shows its high academic value.
  • 不胜枚举，，。
    Tā fàn de cuò wù bù shèng méi jǔ, dàn zhè cì shí zài tài guò fèn le, dà jiā wú fǎ yuán liàng.
    The mistakes he made are too many to enumerate, but this time it was really too much, and everyone couldn't forgive him.

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng胜shèng
Same sound today

The simplified 胜 changes the traditional 勝 by replacing part of its sound side with 生; the left 肉 relates to meat.

Open 胜 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 木木mùtree; wood
  • 攴攴pūhand holding a stick

枚 is generally seen as 木 (tree; wood) beside 攴 (hand holding a stick).

Open 枚 →

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 舉; 举 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
與
與yǔ舉jǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 舉 pairs 與, which gives the sound, with 手, a hand; the simplified 举 is a later shorthand.

Open 举 →

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