千帆竞发
qiān fān jìng fā
a thousand sails setting out together: a scene of bustling activity and vigorous competition
Character by character
千qiān
thousand
thousand
帆fān
sails
sails
竞jìng
compete
compete
发fā
set off
set off
Example
每年开海那天，港口千帆竞发，场面十分壮观。
Every year on the day the fishing season opens, the harbour is full of boats racing out to sea, and the sight is spectacular.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
A busy harbour seen as a picture of energy; in news it describes a sector full of competitors, often paired as 千帆竞发、百舸争流. It echoes 刘禹锡’s line 沉舟侧畔千帆过 (see the sayings).
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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