摩肩接踵
mó jiān jiē zhǒng
packed shoulder to shoulder; teeming with people
Character by character
摩mó
rub
rub
肩jiān
shoulders
shoulders
接jiē
follow
follow
踵zhǒng
heels
heels
Example
一到周末，这条老街上游客摩肩接踵，走都走不动。
At weekends this old street is so packed with visitors that you can hardly move.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Shoulders rubbing, each person treading on the heels of the next. More written and vivid than 人山人海; a news favourite for stations, markets and scenic spots: 游人摩肩接踵.
Learn this in Lesson 19 · HSK 5: 放假与调休 (Public holidays and swapped weekends)
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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