idiom (chengyu) HSK 6
Traditional 大相徑庭
xiāng jìng tíng
vastly different · poles apart · as different as night and day

Meaning

This chengyu describes two things that are completely different or contrary to each other, with no common ground. It emphasizes the vast gap between two concepts, opinions, situations, or things, highlighting their incompatibility or opposition.

Usage

Typically used in formal or written contexts to emphasize stark differences between two things being compared. Common in academic writing, news articles, and formal discussions. Usually follows the pattern 'A与B大相径庭' (A and B are vastly different) or 'A和B大相径庭'.

Examples

  1. 01
    他们对这个问题的看法大相径庭
    Tāmen duì zhège wèntí de kànfǎ xiāng jìng tíng.
    Their views on this issue are vastly different.
  2. 02
    理论与实践往往大相径庭
    Lǐlùn shíjiàn wǎngwǎng xiāng jìng tíng.
    Theory and practice are often poles apart.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 与...大相径庭
    ... xiāng jìng tíng
    vastly different from...
  • 和...大相径庭
    ... xiāng jìng tíng
    poles apart from...
  • 结果大相径庭
    jié guǒ xiāng jìng tíng
    the results are vastly different

Antonyms

Origin

Literally 'greatly different paths and courtyards.' The phrase originates from ancient texts suggesting that when paths (径) and courtyards (庭) differ greatly, people are heading in completely opposite directions with no intersection.

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