CHENGYU
海市蜃楼(hǎi shì shèn lóu)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- literary
- Source:
- 《史记·天官书》
MEANING
- Literal
- the mirage market of the sea
- Figurative meaning
- a beautiful illusion that will not last
ORIGIN STORY
Ancient records described fantastic cities and towers appearing over the sea — believed to be palaces breathed out by the great clam shen. The ancients took mirages for wonders; the phrase came to mean any lovely illusion.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“a mirage”
EXAMPLES
他说的美好未来不过是海市蜃楼。Tā shuō de měihǎo wèilái bùguò shì hǎi shì shèn lóu.HSK6
The bright future he describes is nothing but a mirage over the sea.
股市的暴涨有时只是海市蜃楼。Gǔshì de bàozhǎng yǒushí zhǐ shì hǎi shì shèn lóu.HSK6
A stock market surge is sometimes only a mirage.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: Note the reading: 蜃 is shèn. It stresses illusion and impermanence.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01