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兴师动众 (xīng shī dòng zhòng) — (chengyu) to mobilize a large number of people, often unnecessarily; to make a big fuss

Definition

A chengyu meaning to mobilize a large group of people, often unnecessarily, for a trivial task — it carries a negative tone of 'making a big fuss'. The 动 'stir up' and 众 'crowd' together flag the excess, not just the scale.

idiom
(chengyu) to mobilize a large number of people, often unnecessarilyto make a big fuss

Examples

  • ，兴师动众？
    Tā bān jiā zhǐ bú guò jǐ jiàn xíng li, hé bì xīng shī dòng zhòng dì jiào lái shí jǐ gè rén?
    He's only moving a few pieces of luggage — why did he have to mobilize a crowd and call over a dozen people?
  • ，兴师动众。
    Zhè jiàn xiǎo shì wǒ men liǎng gè rén jiù néng jiě jué, bú yòng xīng shī dòng zhòng.
    This small matter can be handled by the two of us; there's no need to make a big fuss.
  • 兴师动众，。
    Gōng sī wèi le yí gè jiǎn dān de huó dòng jiù xīng shī dòng zhòng, jié guǒ làng fèi le hěn duō zī yuán.
    The company mobilized too many people for a simple event, and as a result wasted a lot of resources.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

兴师raise an army
兴xīngraise师shīarmy
动宾Verb + object
动众move the crowd
动dòngmove众zhòngcrowd
动宾Verb + object

兴师 and 动众 both picture calling up people, giving the sense of mobilizing many.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 興; 兴 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 興 shows four hands lifting an object; the simplified 兴 is not the form described.

Open 兴 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 師; 师 is its simplified writing.

  • 𠂤𠂤𠂤
  • 帀帀zā

The traditional form 師 combines 𠂤 and 帀; the simplified 师 is not the form explained here.

Open 师 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 眾; 众 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 眾 shows three people under a sun-like shape, meaning a crowd gathered under the sun; the simplified 众 is a later shorthand.

Open 众 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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