数以万计 (shù yǐ wàn jì) — (idiom) tens of thousands of; countless; numero…

Definition

Idiom for 'tens of thousands' or 'countless' — emphasizes very large quantity, stronger than 多 (just 'many'). Often used in written or formal contexts.

idiom

tens of thousands ofcountlessnumerous

Examples

数以万计。
shù yǐ wàn jì De rén cān jiā le zhè cì kàng yì huó dòng.
Tens of thousands of people participated in this protest.
数以万计。
Zhè jiā gōng chǎng měi nián shēng chǎn shù yǐ wàn jì jiàn chǎn pǐn.
This factory produces tens of thousands of products every year.
数以万计。
shù yǐ wàn jì Cè tú shū bèi juān zèng gěi le piān yuǎn dì qū de xué xiào.
Tens of thousands of books were donated to schools in remote areas.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

婁

婁lóu數shù(r)

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 萬; 万 is its simplified writing.

For 万, the form 萬 was originally a picture of a scorpion, later borrowed for its sound to write 'ten thousand'; the scorpion picture is unrelated to that number.

Open 万 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

言十計