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成百上千 (chéng bǎi shàng qiān) — hundreds and thousands of; numerous

Definition

Idiom meaning 'hundreds and thousands of' — used as an attributive before nouns (成百上千的人) to emphasize a very large number. The example shows it functions like a modifier, not a standalone subject.

idiom
hundreds and thousands ofnumerous

Examples

  • 成百上千。
    chéng bǎi shàng qiān De rén cóng quán guó gè dì lái dào zhè lǐ.
    Hundreds of thousands of people came here from all over the country.
  • 成百上千。
    Nà ge chéng shì yǒu chéng bǎi shàng qiān de gōng chǎng.
    That city has hundreds and thousands of factories.
  • 成百上千。
    Tā huā le chéng bǎi shàng qiān de jīng lì cái wán chéng zhè ge xiàng mù.
    He spent tremendous amounts of energy to finish this project.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

成百become hundreds
成chéngbecome百bǎihundred
动宾Verb + object
上千reach thousands
上shàngreach千qiānthousand
动宾Verb + object

The 成百 'becoming hundreds' and 上千 'reaching thousands' senses stand side by side to mean very many.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

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
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

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
一一yīone, signifying a number
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén千qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

千 pairs 人, whose sound was similar, with 一, a number stroke; the extra line was explained as extension, and a thousand is a number reached by extending counting.

Open 千 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesNumbers & CountingQuantity & Amount

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