忘乎所以 (wàng hū suǒ yǐ) — to get carried away, to forget oneself (in excitement or euphoria)

Definition

An idiom meaning to get so caught up in excitement or success that you lose all self-control and judgment — a stronger, more literary version of "get carried away."

idiom
to get carried awayto forget oneself (in excitement or euphoria)

Examples

  • 忘乎所以，。
    Tā gāo xìng dé wàng hū suǒ yǐ, wán quán wàng le shí jiān.
    He was so happy that he forgot himself completely and lost track of time.
  • ，忘乎所以。
    Yíng le guàn jūn hòu, duì yuán men jī dòng dé wàng hū suǒ yǐ.
    After winning the championship, the team members were so excited they got carried away.
  • 忘乎所以，。
    Bié wàng hū suǒ yǐ, zhè zhǐ shì yí cì xiǎo shèng lì.
    Don't get carried away; this is just a small victory.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng忘wàng
Same sound today

忘 combines 亡, which gives the sound, with 心 (“heart”), showing the sense is about the heart or mind.

Open 忘 →

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

  • 丂丂kǎobranch

The old 乎 paired an element for wind or air with 丂, a branch used as a sound part, and was the original form of the word for 'to call; to cry'.

Open 乎 →

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
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →

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

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

Open 以 →

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