漂洋过海
piāo yáng guò hǎi
to sail across the sea; to make the long voyage overseas
Character by character
漂piāo
float
float
洋yáng
ocean
ocean
过guò
cross
cross
海hǎi
sea
sea
Example
这批茶叶漂洋过海，三个月后才运到伦敦。
This consignment of tea sailed across the sea and only reached London three months later.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Said of people who emigrate, study or work abroad and of goods shipped overseas: 漂洋过海来到美国, 漂洋过海的中国瓷器. Write 漂 (on water), not 飘 (in the air). It pictures the voyage itself, the ship riding the waves; 远渡重洋 (lesson 8-13) and the more formal 远涉重洋 (lesson 4-23) stress how far away the destination lies.
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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