浩如烟海

浩如煙海

hàorú-yānhǎi

idiom

Meanings

1 as vast as a misty sea
2 (esp. of literature or documents) enormous in quantity

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

中国古籍浩如烟海。

Zhōngguó gǔjí hàorú-yānhǎi.

China's ancient books are as vast as a misty sea.

HSK 7-9

相关文献浩如烟海，一个人很难读完。

Xiāngguān wénxiàn hàorú-yānhǎi, yí ge rén hěn nán dú wán.

The relevant literature is vast beyond measure; no one person could hope to read all of it.

HSK 7-9

网络上的信息浩如烟海，辨别真假尤为重要。

Wǎngluò shàng de xìnxī hàorú-yānhǎi, biànbié zhēnjiǎ yóuwéi zhòngyào.

Information on the internet is oceanic; telling real from fake matters all the more.

Tips

history

Attested in the Sui-dynasty monk Shi Zhenguan's 《梦赋》: 浩如沧海，郁如邓林, 'vast as the azure sea, lush as Deng's grove.' The variant 浩如烟海 cements the 'misty sea of writings' image.

usage

Canonical partner is 文献 / 古籍 / 史料 / 资料, written material in overwhelming quantity. Don't use it for physical objects or crowds.

Stroke Order

浩 hào

如 rú

烟 yān

海 hǎi