络绎不绝
- Literal
- linked and continuous without breaking off
- Figurative
- Describes an endless, uninterrupted stream of people, vehicles or things coming and going.
Where does 络绎不绝 come from?
It is not born from a narrative tale but from a historical text. The phrase 络绎不绝 itself already appears in the Book of the Later Han (《后汉书·南匈奴传》, the account of the Southern Xiongnu), in the line “窜逃入塞者络绎不绝”, about those who fled across the frontier in a continuous stream. 络绎 means 'linked, one after another' and 不绝 'never cutting off'; from there it became fixed as a description of unbroken traffic.
Source (出处): 《后汉书·南匈奴传》
How is 络绎不绝 used? Two examples
- 春节的时候，来庙里上香的人络绎不绝。
During the Spring Festival, the people coming to the temple to offer incense arrive in an endless stream.
- 这家小店东西好吃又便宜，所以顾客络绎不绝。
At this little shop the food is tasty and cheap, so customers come and go in a constant stream.
In Wanyu, all 400 chengyu have audio on every sentence, and you can save them to your decks and review them with spaced repetition. Free.
