比比皆是 (bǐ bǐ jiē shì) — can be found everywhere; ubiquitous

Definition

A written set phrase meaning something is everywhere / ubiquitous, used especially in formal prose. Stronger and more literary than 随处可见.

phrase

can be found everywhereubiquitous

Examples

比比皆是，。
Xiàn zài zhè zhǒng gāo kē jì chǎn pǐn bǐ bǐ jiē shì, jià gé yě pián yi le hěn duō.
Nowadays this kind of high-tech product can be found everywhere, and the prices have become much cheaper.
比比皆是，。
Shè jiāo méi tǐ shàng de guǎng gào bǐ bǐ jiē shì, ràng rén kàn dé yǎn huā liáo luàn.
Advertisements on social media are everywhere, making people dazzled.
比比皆是，。
Zhè yàng de jī huì bìng bù bǐ bǐ jiē shì, nǐ yí dìng yào hǎo hǎo bǎ wò.
Opportunities like this are not everywhere; you must seize them well.

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.

匕匕bǐ
匕匕bǐ

比 is two 匕 placed side by side. Chu Wan-li treats both as sound parts, while an old reading takes the side-by-side arrangement as putting things next to each other.

Open 比 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

匕匕bǐ
匕匕bǐ

比 is two 匕 placed side by side. Chu Wan-li treats both as sound parts, while an old reading takes the side-by-side arrangement as putting things next to each other.

Open 比 →

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

虍虍hū

口口kǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

几

几jǐ皆jiē

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

The early form 皆 used 虍 and 口 to show meaning and 几 to show sound.

Open 皆 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.