一览众山小

一覽眾山小

yīlǎnzhòngshānxiǎo

idiom

Meanings

1 with one sweeping glance, all the other mountains seem small
2 the commanding view from the summit / to rise above all competitors

Characters

to look / survey

Examples

登上山顶，一览众山小，胸怀都开阔了。

Dēng shàng shāndǐng, yī lǎn zhòng shān xiǎo, xiōnghuái dōu kāikuò le.

Reach the summit and with one look all the other mountains seem small — your heart opens up.

公司上市后终于一览众山小，市值超过了所有对手。

Gōngsī shàngshì hòu zhōngyú yī lǎn zhòng shān xiǎo, shìzhí chāoguò le suǒyǒu duìshǒu.

After going public, the company finally towered over everyone — its market cap surpassed every rival.

Tips

history

The closing line of Du Fu's (杜甫) early Tang poem 《望岳》 (Gazing at Mount Tai): 会当凌绝顶，一览众山小 — 'I shall one day climb to the highest peak and in one sweeping glance see all the other mountains small below.' Written when Du Fu was in his twenties; a classic expression of youthful ambition.

usage

Used both literally (of mountaintop views) and figuratively (for dominance in a field — business, sports, academia). Often paired with 会当凌绝顶 for the full allusion.

Stroke Order

一 yī

览 lǎn

众 zhòng

山 shān

小 xiǎo