望尘莫及

望塵莫及

wàngchén-mòjí

idiom #37,758

Meanings

1 to only see the dust ahead and never catch up
2 to be far outmatched
3 to lag hopelessly behind

Characters

to reach; to catch up

Examples

HSK 3

对手的速度让我们望尘莫及。

Duìshǒu de sùdù ràng wǒmen wàngchénmòjí.

Our opponents' speed left us eating dust.

HSK 6

这家公司的技术领先行业，同行望尘莫及。

Zhè jiā gōngsī de jìshù lǐngxiān hángyè, tóngháng wàngchénmòjí.

The company's technology leads the industry; rivals can't come close.

HSK 7-9

他的才华我望尘莫及。

Tā de cáihuá wǒ wàngchénmòjí.

His talent is so far beyond mine I can't hope to catch up.

Tips

history

From 《庄子·田子方》 (Yan Hui on Confucius): "夫子奔逸绝尘，而回瞠若乎后矣" - the master races ahead beyond the dust, and I stare after him. 《后汉书·赵咨传》 records a magistrate who escorted Zhao Zi but was left 望尘不及 - watching the dust, unable to catch up. The modern form is 望尘莫及.

usage

Used to admire someone's superior ability (often self-deprecatingly: "我望尘莫及"), or to describe competitors being left far behind. 莫 = cannot; 及 = catch up. Antonym: 不相上下 (on equal terms).

Stroke Order

望 wàng

尘 chén

莫 mò

及 jí