📖 Meaning
To be overjoyed, delighted beyond expectation. It describes the feeling of being pleasantly surprised by something far better than one had hoped for.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces back to Song dynasty literature. It appears in works such as Su Shi's writings and later Song vernacular fiction, where 望外 referred to outcomes beyond one's expectations. The phrase was widely popularized in Ming-Qing vernacular novels like Journey to the West and Dream of the Red Chamber to describe characters' unexpected joy. Its classical root lies in the concept that true happiness arises when reality surpasses anticipation.
💡 Example Usage
听到自己被录取的消息，他喜出望外，激动得说不出话来。
Overjoyed at hearing the news of his admission, he was so excited he couldn't speak.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 喜出望外
- Pinyin: xǐ chū wàng wài
- Literal Translation: joy, go beyond, expectation, outside
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4