望洋兴叹

望洋興嘆

wàngyáng-xīngtàn

idiom

Meanings

1 to gaze at the ocean and sigh
2 to feel powerless at the scale of a task
3 to lament one's inadequacy

Characters

Examples

HSK 4

这项工程太大，我们只能望洋兴叹。

Zhèxiàng gōngchéng tài dà, wǒmen zhǐnéng wàngyángxīngtàn.

The project is too big - we can only lament our inability to tackle it.

HSK 7-9

面对高昂的房价，他只能望洋兴叹。

Miànduì gāo'áng de fángjià, tā zhǐnéng wàngyángxīngtàn.

Facing the high housing prices, he could only sigh at his powerlessness.

HSK 7-9

看到浩瀚的书海，学生们望洋兴叹。

Kàndào hàohàn de shū hǎi, xuéshēng men wàngyángxīngtàn.

Seeing the vast sea of books, the students felt overwhelmed.

Tips

history

From 《庄子·秋水》: the River Lord Hebo, proud of his waters, reaches the sea and realizes his smallness, 望洋向若而叹 ('he gazed up at Ruo, the sea god, and sighed'). 望洋 originally described the upward gaze, now misread as 'looking at the ocean.'

mistakes

洋 here is not literally 'ocean' but part of the reduplicated 望洋, meaning 'looking up in wonder.' The 'ocean' folk etymology stuck because it feels right, but the classical meaning is about awe at something vast.

Stroke Order

望 wàng

洋 yáng

兴 xīng

叹 tàn