多如牛毛

duōrú-niúmáo
idiom #42,692

Meanings

  1. 1 as numerous as the hairs on an ox
  2. 2 innumerable; countless
  3. 3 too many to count

Examples

HSK 3
Zhège chéngshì de kāfēidiàn duōrú-niúmáo.
Coffee shops in this city are everywhere you look.
HSK 4
Shìchǎng shàng lèisì de chǎnpǐn duōrú-niúmáo.
Similar products on the market are too many to count.
HSK 4
Wǎngshàng de jiǎnféi fāngfǎ duōrú-niúmáo, dàn yǒuxiào de méi jǐ ge.
There are countless weight-loss methods online, but very few that actually work.

Tips

history
From the 《北史·文苑列传序》 (Tang-era history of the Northern Dynasties): 'students are as many as the hairs of an ox, those who succeed are as rare as a unicorn's horn'. The idiom usually carries a quiet hint of that contrast.
usage
Often slightly dismissive - 'a dime a dozen', 'lots but unremarkable'. Use it for things you want to call common to the point of being unimpressive.

Stroke Order

duō
niú
máo