📖 Meaning
Roads lead in all directions, describing extremely convenient transportation. It can also describe something that connects to every side or all parties. The idiom emphasizes thorough accessibility from every quarter.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from Zihua Zi (《子华子》), a text traditionally attributed to Cheng Ben (程本), a philosopher of the Warring States period (战国时期), though some scholars date the work later. In the chapter 'Yan Zi Wen Dang' (《晏子问党》), it says that the roads of a certain place 'lead in four directions and reach in eight,' making it a gathering point for wandering scholars (游士). This image of pathways radiating everywhere later came to describe highly convenient transportation or wide-ranging connections. The idiom also appears in the example recorded from the Book of Jin (《晋书·慕容德载记}).
💡 Example Usage
这座城市交通四通八达，出行十分便利。
This city's transportation connects in all directions, making travel very convenient.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 四通八达
- Pinyin: sì tōng bā dá
- Literal Translation: four, connect, eight, reach
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4