Sighing at the ocean. The original refers to lamenting one’s smallness in front of something great. Now it is often used as a metaphor for feeling helpless when doing something because of incompetence or lack of conditions.
Idiom Pronunciation:
望洋兴叹
wàng yáng xīng tàn
Origin book:
《庄子·秋水》：“顺流而东行，至于北海，东面而视，不见水端。于是焉，河伯始旋其面目，望洋向若而叹。”
Origin Story:
According to legend, a long time ago, there is a river god in the Yellow River, people call him Hebe. Standing on the bank of the Yellow River, he looked at the rolling waves coming from the west and jumping to the east, and said excitedly, “The Yellow River is so big, I am afraid there is no river in the world that can compare with it. I am the biggest water god!”
Someone told him, “Your words are not right, there is a place called Beihai in the east of the Yellow River, that is really big.” He said, “I don’t believe it. If the North Sea is bigger, can it be bigger than the Yellow River?” The man said, “Not to mention a Yellow River, even several Yellow River water into the North Sea, but also can not fill it.” Hebe insisted, “I have never seen the North Sea, I do not believe.” The man had no choice but to tell him: “If you have a chance to see the North Sea, you will understand my words.”
Autumn arrived, days of heavy rainfall so that large and small rivers are injected into the Yellow River, the Yellow River’s river more wide, looking across the river, the other side of the cattle and horses are indistinguishable. This time, the river is more complacent, thinking that the world’s most spectacular scenery are here in their own, he was complacent, remembered someone told him about the North Sea, and decided to go there to see for themselves.
When he came to the mouth of the Yellow River, he suddenly saw the god of the sea, Beihai Ruo, welcoming him with a big smile. If I hadn’t seen the boundless North Sea with my own eyes today, I would have continued to think that the Yellow River is unparalleled! Wouldn’t that be laughed at forever by people with insight?”
Similar Idioms:
- 无能为力
- 无可奈何
