海市蜃楼 (hǎi shì shèn lóu) — mirage (literal optical phenomenon); figurative illusion, pipe dream, unreal vision

Definition

Literally 'market on the sea, mansion in the mist' — a chengyu meaning 'mirage' in both the literal optical phenomenon and the figurative sense of an illusory, unattainable vision or pipe dream.

idiom
mirage (literal optical phenomenon)figurative illusionpipe dreamunreal vision

Examples

  • ，海市蜃楼，。
    Zài shā mò lǐ, tā yǐ wéi zì jǐ kàn dào le hǎi shì shèn lóu, qí shí zhǐ shì huàn jué.
    In the desert, he thought he saw a mirage, but it was just an illusion.
  • 海市蜃楼，。
    Nà ge hóng wěi de jì huà bú guò shì hǎi shì shèn lóu, gēn běn bù kě néng shí xiàn.
    That grand plan is nothing but a pipe dream; it's completely impossible to realize.
  • ，海市蜃楼。
    Chuán shuō zhōng de péng lái xiān dǎo, duì gǔ rén lái shuō jiù xiàng hǎi shì shèn lóu yí yàng shén mì.
    The legendary fairy island of Penglai was as mysterious as a mirage to the ancients.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

海市sea market
海hǎisea市shìmarket
偏正Modifier + head
蜃楼clam tower
蜃shènclam楼lóutower
偏正Modifier + head

海市, sea market, and 蜃楼, clam tower, together name a mirage.

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
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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
兮兮xībustling
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī市shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form 市 pairs 兮, meaning bustling, with 之, the sound part.

Open 市 →

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
虫虫chónginsect
Sound part声符shēngfú
辰
辰chén蜃shèn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蜃 puts 虫, an insect, together with 辰 for the sound.

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 樓; 楼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu樓lóu
Same sound today

The traditional form 樓 pairs 木 (tree) with 婁 as its sound part; the simplified 楼 is a later shorthand.

Open 楼 →

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