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REFERENCE

people mountain people sea

idiom
Meaning

crowded or jam-packed with people


Origin

disputed origin

Calque of Chinese 人山人海 (rénshānrénhǎi).

Examples
SIMPLE

The city center is people mountain people sea today.

CONTEXTUAL

We could hardly walk through the festival because it was people mountain people sea.

COMPLEX

Upon arriving at the popular tourist destination, we found the plaza was people mountain people sea, leaving us no choice but to seek a quieter path.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    all things to all people

    Someone or something that entirely satisfies the expectations of everyone, no matter how diverse and conflicting those expectations may be.

  2. 02

    beautiful people

    Fashionable, privileged, glamorous people, especially those belonging to international high society; the beau monde.

  3. 03

    drop in the sea

    A very small or insignificant amount; something of little importance.

  4. 04

    go to sea

    To become a sailor.

  5. 05

    have a mountain to climb

    To face a difficult task or challenge.

  6. 06

    make a mountain out of a molehill

    To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

  7. 07

    man of the people

    A man, usually a celebrity or political leader, who shows understanding of and sympathy for the concerns of ordinary people, and who has a rapport with and acceptance by them.

  8. 08

    other fish in the sea

    Other goals or objectives to pursue.

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