高不可攀 (gāo bù kě pān) — unreachable; unattainable (of goals, status, st…

Definition

A four-character idiom meaning 'too high to reach' — used for goals, status, or standards that seem impossible or intimidating to approach.

idiom

unreachableunattainable (of goals, status, standards)

高不可攀，。
Zhè ge mù biāo duì dà duō shù rén lái shuō gāo bù kě pān, dàn wǒ huì jìn lì cháng shì.
This goal is unattainable for most people, but I will try my best.
高不可攀，。
Tā zǒng jué de nà wèi jiào shòu gāo bù kě pān, suǒ yǐ bù gǎn xiàng tā qǐng jiào.
She always felt that professor was too high-status to approach, so she didn't dare ask him for advice.
高不可攀，。
Nà zuò shān gāo bù kě pān, zhǐ yǒu zuì zhuān yè de dēng shān duì cái néng dēng dǐng.
That mountain is unreachable; only the most professional mountaineering team can summit it.

Characters in this word

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

高 was drawn as a tall building.

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丂

丂kǎo可kě

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

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

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

樊手攀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

樊

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

攀 pairs 手 (hand) with 樊, which gives its sound.