门庭若市

門庭若市
méntíngruòshì
idiom #98,945

Meanings

  1. 1 the courtyard is like a marketplace
  2. 2 a place thronged with visitors
  3. 3 bustling with callers

Examples

Xīn diàn kāizhāng, méntíngruòshì.
The new shop opened and was thronged with customers.
Zhè wèi míngyī de zhěnsuǒ méntíngruòshì.
The famous doctor's clinic is packed with patients.

Tips

history
From 《·》: advisor Zou Ji convinced King Wei of Qi to invite criticism. When rewards were offered, "门庭若市" — officials came to remonstrate so densely that the palace gate was like a market.
mistakes
Antonym is 门可罗雀 (so empty you could trap sparrows at the door). Don't confuse with 人山人海, which describes crowds generally; 门庭若市 specifically refers to visitors at a door/shop/office.

Stroke Order

mén
tíng
ruò
shì