We are committed to providing free Chinese study materials. This series focuses on idioms and proverbs, rich in meaning and widely applicable. Today’s idiom is 「海市蜃樓」, with its explanation below.
The idiom 「海市蜃樓」 and its usage are explored below. Learn its meaning and applications here.
Clam: large clam. Originally it refers to the appearance of illusory towers and castles in the air or on the ground due to the reflection and refraction of light at the seaside or in the desert. It is now often used to describe something vague and illusory.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
hǎi shì shèn lóu
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
hoi2 si5 san4 lau4
Chinese idioms are vast in number, each carrying unique meanings and usages. With such variety, there’s a lot to learn and appreciate. Hopefully, these resources will aid you on your journey to mastering Chinese.
