📖 Meaning
Literally 'within a five-mile fog.' It describes a state of being confused, dazed, or unable to see the truth of a situation. The idiom conveys a sense of being lost in obscurity, much like wandering through thick mist with no clear direction.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the 'Biography of Zhang Kai' in the Book of Later Han (后汉书), compiled by Fan Ye of the Liu Song dynasty during the Southern Dynasties. Zhang Kai, a scholar of the Eastern Han period, was fond of Daoist arts and was said to possess the ability to create a fog extending five li (Chinese miles) around him. The tale of his mystical fog-making came to symbolize a state of bewilderment and obscured understanding, giving rise to the figurative usage of '五里雾中' for being lost in confusion.
💡 Example Usage
听完这番复杂的解释，我反而陷入了五里雾中。
After hearing this convoluted explanation, I found myself even more lost in confusion.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 五里雾中
- Pinyin: wǔ lǐ wù zhōng
- Literal Translation: five, li (mile), fog, within
- Category: Clarity
- Characters: 4