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大海捞针 (dà hǎi lāo zhēn) — (idiom) like finding a needle in a haystack; extremely difficult or nearly impossible

Definition

Idiom for an almost impossible search — 'looking for a needle in a haystack.' Use it as a predicate or with 一样/简直 to stress how hopeless the task feels.

idiom
like finding a needle in a haystackextremely difficult or nearly impossible

Examples

  • ，大海捞针。
    Zài zhè me duō shū lǐ zhǎo nà yì běn, jiù xiàng dà hǎi lāo zhēn yí yàng.
    Looking for that one book among so many is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
  • ，大海捞针。
    Yào zài zhè me duō rén lǐ zhǎo dào tā, zhēn shì dà hǎi lāo zhēn.
    Trying to find him among so many people is truly like looking for a needle in a haystack.
  • ，大海捞针。
    Nà ge diū shī de jiè zhi, zhǎo qǐ lái jiǎn zhí shì dà hǎi lāo zhēn.
    Looking for that lost ring is simply like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi海hǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Open 海 →

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 撈; 捞 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
勞
勞láo撈lāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 撈 has 扌, a hand, and 勞 for sound; the simplified 捞 is a later shorthand.

Open 捞 →

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 針; 针 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
釒Written in full as金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
十
十shí針zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 針 puts 釒, the metal side, beside 十, which gives the sound; 针 is a simplified shorthand.

Open 针 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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