HSK · Level 125
15 words
Chinese word
司空见惯
Pronunciation
Pinyinsī kōng jiàn guàn
Meaning
- idiomcommonplace
Example
在这个城市，交通堵塞已经司空见惯了。zài zhè ge chéng shì jiāo tōng dǔ sè yǐ jīng sī kōng jiàn guàn le
In this city, traffic jams are already commonplace.
More examples
在媒体面前，这类丑闻已成为司空见惯的新闻。zài méi tǐ miàn qián zhè lèi chǒu wén yǐ chéng wéi sī kōng jiàn guàn de xīn wén
To the media, this kind of scandal has become commonplace news.
Core concept
Something seen again and again loses its power to surprise and becomes an ordinary part of the scene.
Common phrases
已经司空见惯了yǐ jīng sī kōng jiàn guàn le
already commonplace
司空见惯的事sī kōng jiàn guàn de shì
a commonplace occurrence
司空见惯的现象sī kōng jiàn guàn de xiàn xiàng
a commonplace phenomenon
Similar words
习以为常xí yǐ wéi cháng: Treating something as normal after experiencing it many times, without surprise or annoyance.
家常便饭jiā cháng biàn fàn: A plain, everyday matter that is not special or unusual.
屡见不鲜lǚ jiàn bù xiān: Seen so often that something no longer seems fresh, unusual, or rare.
见怪不怪jiàn guài bú guài: Remaining untroubled and unsurprised when faced with something unusual.
Definition in Chinese
形容某种现象很常见，见多不怪，常带有无奈或不以为意的语气。xíng róng móu zhǒng xiàn xiàng hěn cháng jiàn jiàn duō bú guài cháng dài yǒu wú nài huò bù yǐ wéi yì de yǔ qì
Word origin
The phrase combines 司空 (sīkōng, "high official"), a title in ancient China, with 见惯 (jiànguàn, "become used to seeing"), presenting repeated experience as something no longer surprising.
Usage tips
- Because the word often points to a problem that has become familiar, it may sound like a complaint even when the sentence states a fact.
Opposites
- 凤毛麟角fèng máo lín jiǎoextremely rareidiom
- 寥若晨星liáo ruò chén xīngextremely rareidiom