Chinese idiom · 成语
目不暇接
Meaning
Eyes too busy to catch all; overwhelming sights.
Character by character
Origin and story
Literary usageThe phrase describes eyes unable to keep up with everything before them. A related expression appears in Zhou Mi's Old Affairs of Wulin, describing Lantern Festival celebrations in the Southern Song capital. A long procession of dancers, splendid clothing, and music leaves both ears and eyes overwhelmed. That passage uses er mu bu xia ji, not the exact four characters of the modern idiom.
The exact form is documented in Xu Xiake's Ming travel diary at Mount Song, where numerous inscribed stone monuments attract his attention. These attestations connect the expression with abundant sights, rather than with one special legend or a physical eye disorder.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
展厅里的手工艺品各有特色，看得我目不暇接。
Each handicraft in the exhibition had something distinctive; there was more to see than I could take in.
Usually describes an abundance of interesting or beautiful sights.