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The formation of "成千上万" is a conceptual stacking of scale, where the idea begins with the attainment of a single grand unit ("成千", meaning to form or amount to thousands) and then immediately multiplies it by ascending to the next higher order of magnitude ("上万", meaning reaching or mounting to tens of thousands). It visually and notionally creates a cascading effect, as if one climbs from the plateau of "thousands" up to the peak of "tens of thousands", thereby combining and amplifying both quantities into a single, powerful expression for an immense, uncountable number.

Example Sentences Hide

运动会上有成千上万的观众。

Yùndònghuì shàng yǒu chéngqiānshàngwàn de guānzhòng.

There were thousands upon thousands of spectators at the sports meet.

成千上万的游客来到了这座古城参观。

Chéngqiānshàngwàn de yóukè lái dàole zhè zuò gǔchéng cānguān.

Thousands upon thousands of tourists came to visit this ancient city.

成千上万的候鸟每年都会飞过这片湖泊。

Chéngqiānshàngwàn de hòuniǎo měinián dōu huì fēi guò zhè piàn húpō.

Thousands upon thousands of migratory birds fly over this lake every year.

这项新技术有潜力去改善成千上万人的生活。

Zhè xiàng xīn jìshù yǒu qiánlì qù gǎishàn chéngqiānshàngwàn rén de shēnghuó.

This new technology has the potential to improve the lives of thousands upon thousands of people.

战争导致了成千上万的平民流离失所,酿成了人道主义危机。

Zhànzhēng dǎozhìle chéngqiānshàngwàn de píngmín líulíshīsuǒ, niàngchéngle réndàozhǔyì wēijī.

The war caused thousands upon thousands of civilians to be displaced, creating a humanitarian crisis.

Word Definition - 成千上万

chéng qiān shàng wàn lit. by the thousands and tens of thousands (idiom); fig. untold numbers; innumerable; countless