📖 Meaning
This idiom describes a region with a large territory but a very sparse population. It is a variant of the more common form '地广人稀' (dì guǎng rén xī), sharing the identical meaning and pronunciation. It typically characterizes frontier or wilderness areas that are underdeveloped and thinly settled.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the 'Records of the Grand Historian' (史记), specifically the 'Biographies of Money-Makers' (货殖列传) written by Sima Qian during the Western Han dynasty. In the text, Sima Qian describes the lands of Chu and Yue, noting that they were vast in territory but sparsely populated. The observation reflects the geographical reality of southern China at the time, where fertile land remained largely unsettled compared to the densely populated Central Plains.
💡 Example Usage
这片草原地广人希，骑马跑半天也见不到一户人家。
This grassland is so vast and sparsely populated that one can ride a horse for half a day without seeing a single household.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 地广人希
- Pinyin: dì guǎng rén xī
- Literal Translation: land, vast, people, sparse
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4