📖 Meaning
It means to reach or spread to every single household, leaving no home untouched. The idiom describes a thorough, door-to-door coverage or dissemination of something across an entire community.
📜 Origin Story
The precise literary origin of this idiom is not recorded in classical texts. It is formed from the parallel structure '家至' (arriving at homes) and '户到' (reaching doors), a common rhetorical pattern in classical Chinese where synonymous pairs reinforce the idea of completeness. The idiom likely emerged from vernacular usage describing exhaustive community outreach or inspection efforts. Despite its simple construction, it conveys a powerful image of thoroughness and universality.
💡 Example Usage
社区工作人员家至户到地宣传防火知识。
The community workers went door to door to promote fire safety knowledge.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 家至户到
- Pinyin: jiā zhì hù dào
- Literal Translation: home, arrive, household, reach
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4