满载而归
mǎn zài ér guī
to come back fully laden; to return with a rich haul
Character by character
满mǎn
full
full
载zài
loaded
loaded
而ér
and
and
归guī
return
return
Example
她这次去书市逛了一整天，买了二十多本书，满载而归。
She spent the whole day at the book fair this time, bought more than twenty books and came home laden.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
载 is zài here, “to carry”. Literal for ships, lorries and fishing boats, and widely used figuratively of shopping, prizes or a trip that taught you a lot: 运动员们满载而归 (came home with plenty of medals).
Learn this in Lesson 176 · HSK 7–9: 南海一号 (The Nanhai No. 1 shipwreck)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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