无以复加 (wú yǐ fù jiā) — in the extreme; to the utmost; cannot be topped

Definition

A formal idiom meaning a negative quality has reached the absolute peak — 'cannot be pushed any further'. Pairs with bad states (傲慢, 浪费); not used for positive extremes.

idiom
in the extremeto the utmostcannot be topped

Examples

  • 无以复加。
    Tā de tài dù ào màn dào wú yǐ fù jiā de dì bù.
    His attitude was arrogant to an extreme degree.
  • 无以复加。
    Zhè zhǒng làng fèi jiǎn zhí wú yǐ fù jiā.
    This kind of waste is simply extreme.
  • 无以复加。
    Wǒ duì tā de gǎn jī zhī qíng wú yǐ fù jiā.
    My gratitude toward him cannot be overstated.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

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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.

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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 復; 复 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 复 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (复习, 恢复) it is 復; in others (复印, 复杂) (答复, 反复) it is 複 or 覆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù復fù
Same sound today

The traditional form 復 combines 彳, a walking part, with 复, a sound part, to show walking back and forth.

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

加 pairs 力 and 口. In one explanation 力 is strength and 口 is the mouth, meaning exaggeration; in another 力 is plowing effort and 口 is breath or exclamation, meaning extra effort.

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