应接不暇

應接不暇

yìngjiēbùxiá

idiom #39,365

Meanings

1 too much to take in all at once
2 overwhelmed by abundance
3 more than one can attend to

Characters

to receive; to meet

leisure; spare time

Examples

商店里的新款商品让顾客应接不暇。

Shāngdiàn lǐ de xīnkuǎn shāngpǐn ràng gùkè yìngjiēbùxiá.

The new products in the store were more than customers could take in.

沿途风景优美，让人应接不暇。

Yántú fēngjǐng yōuměi, ràng rén yìngjiēbùxiá.

The scenery along the way was so beautiful the eyes could hardly keep up.

春节期间，他家客人应接不暇。

Chūnjié qījiān, tā jiā kèrén yìngjiēbùxiá.

During Spring Festival, guests poured into his home faster than he could receive them.

Tips

history

From 《世说新语·言语》 (Liu Yiqing, Southern Dynasties): 从山阴道上行，山川自相应发，使人应接不暇 — 'walking along the Shanyin road, the mountains and streams come at you in such variety that one cannot keep up.' Originally about overwhelming beauty.

usage

Can describe positive (beautiful scenery, delicious dishes, guests) or slightly burdensome (work, messages) overload. 暇 means 'leisure/free time' — literally 'no time to respond'.

Stroke Order

应 yīng

接 jiē

不 bù

暇 xiá