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想入非非 (xiǎng rù fēi fēi) — to indulge in fantasy; to have one's head in the clouds

Definition

A vivid idiom for drifting into wild, unrealistic daydreams — 'having one's head in the clouds'. Usually carries a gentle reproach, suggesting the person should come back to reality.

idiom
to indulge in fantasyto have one's head in the clouds

Examples

  • 想入非非，。
    Tā zhěng tiān xiǎng rù fēi fēi, bú tā shi gōng zuò.
    He indulges in fantasy all day and doesn't work steadily.
  • 想入非非，。
    Bié xiǎng rù fēi fēi le, xiàn shí yì diǎn ba.
    Stop daydreaming — be a bit more realistic.
  • 想入非非，。
    Tā zǒng shì xiǎng rù fēi fēi, huàn xiǎng zì jǐ chéng wéi míng xīng.
    She's always lost in fantasy, imagining herself becoming a star.

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
心心xīnheart, mind
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng想xiǎng
Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

Open 想 →

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

入 is drawn as an arrowhead, indicating 'to enter'.

Open 入 →

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

The shape of 非 is drawn from two wings facing opposite directions. It later came to be used for going against or not being.

Open 非 →

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

The shape of 非 is drawn from two wings facing opposite directions. It later came to be used for going against or not being.

Open 非 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesThinking & Cognition

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