摩肩接踵

mójiān-jiēzhǒng
idiom #71,593

Meanings

  1. 1 shoulders rubbing, heels touching (idiom)
  2. 2 jam-packed with people
  3. 3 a thronging crowd

Examples

HSK 4
Chūnjié qījiān, chēzhàn lǐ mójiān-jiēzhǒng.
During Spring Festival, the station is shoulder to shoulder.
HSK 7-9
Jǐngqū yóukè mójiān-jiēzhǒng, cùnbù-nánxíng.
The scenic area was so thronged with tourists that you couldn't move an inch.

Tips

history
Rooted in 《战国策·齐策一》's description of Linzi: 车毂击人肩摩 - wheels colliding, shoulders rubbing. Later writers paired 摩肩 with 接踵 ('heels touching heels') to form the fixed 摩肩接踵.
usage
Describes dense crowds - stations, malls, scenic spots, rush hour. Typical subjects: 人群, 游客, 行人. Close in meaning to 人山人海 (sea of people), but 摩肩接踵 emphasizes physical contact and tight flow rather than mass alone.

Stroke Order

jiān
jiē
zhǒng