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接踵而至 (jiē zhǒng ér zhì) — (idiom) to follow one after another in rapid succession; to come in quick succession

Definition

A vivid literary idiom meaning 'to arrive one after another in quick succession' — like heels (踵) treading on each other. Used for problems, visitors, or opportunities piling up.

idiom
to follow one after another in rapid successionto come in quick succession

Examples

  • ，接踵而至。
    Xīn nián qī jiān, qīn péng hǎo yǒu jiē zhǒng ér zhì lái bài nián.
    During the New Year, relatives and friends came one after another to pay New Year's visits.
  • 接踵而至，。
    Wèn tí jiē zhǒng ér zhì, ràng tā jiāo tóu làn é.
    Problems kept coming one after another, leaving him overwhelmed.
  • 接踵而至，。
    Jī yù jiē zhǒng ér zhì, wǒ men yào zhuā zhù měi yí gè.
    Opportunities are coming one after another — we need to seize every one.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
妾
妾qiè接jiē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 扌 shows a hand, matching the sense of receiving something in the hand, while 妾 gives the character its sound.

Open 接 →

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng踵zhǒng
Same sound today

The left part 足 shows it is about a foot, and the right part 重 gives the sound.

Open 踵 →

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 →

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

至 is drawn as an arrow stuck into the ground.

Open 至 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesOrder & Arrangement

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