一望无垠 (yí wàng wú yín) — stretching as far as the eye can see; boundless and vast

Definition

An idiom describing a landscape that stretches as far as the eye can see, with no visible end. Often used in writing for prairies, deserts, or oceans to emphasize vastness.

idiom
stretching as far as the eye can seeboundless and vast

Examples

  • 一望无垠，。
    Zhè yí piàn cǎo yuán yí wàng wú yín, ràng rén xīn kuàng shén yí.
    This grassland stretches to the horizon, refreshing the mind and spirit.
  • 一望无垠，。
    Shā mò yí wàng wú yín, kàn bú dào rèn hé shēng mìng de jì xiàng.
    The desert is boundless, showing no signs of life.
  • ，一望无垠。
    Tā zhàn zài jiǎ bǎn shàng, wàng zhe yí wàng wú yín de dà hǎi chū shén.
    He stood on the deck, staring blankly at the endless ocean.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

一望one look
一yīonce望wànglook
偏正Modifier + head
无垠no boundary
无wúwithout垠yínboundary
动宾Verb + object

One 望 reaches where there is no 垠.

Characters in this word

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

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →

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.

Open 无 →

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
土土tǔsoil
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn垠yín
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

垠 combines 土 (soil) with 艮. The 土 part relates to the meaning, and 艮 gives the pronunciation.

Open 垠 →

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