罄竹难书

罄竹難書
qìngzhúnánshū
idiom #48,460

Meanings

  1. 1 too many crimes to record
  2. 2 innumerable wrongdoings (lit. all the bamboo would not be enough to write them down)

Examples

Tā tānwū fǔbài de zuìxíng qìngzhúnánshū.
His crimes of corruption are too numerous to record.
Qīnlüèzhě fàn xià de bàoxíng qìngzhúnánshū.
The atrocities committed by the invaders are beyond counting.

Tips

history
From 唐书· (Old Book of Tang, Biography of Li Mi): 南山 — 'exhaust the bamboo of the southern mountains, and his crimes still cannot be fully recorded.' Originally a battle proclamation cataloguing Emperor Yang of Sui's misdeeds.
usage
Strictly negative — only for crimes, sins, or wrongdoing. Don't use it for 'too many good deeds to count' (that would be a famous misuse by a Taiwanese politician in 2006).

Stroke Order

qìng
zhú
nán
shū