<p>There are idioms that express shock and dismay, but none are specifically referring to facing too heavy a task, let alone describing a specific task that is to learn a large number of words.</p>
<p>My suggestion is:</p>
<p>看到 HSK6 词汇表上这堆积如山的词汇，登時目瞪口呆</p>
<p>you can replace 堆积如山  with any idiom or idiomatic phrase that describes a huge quantity, e.g. 为数惊​​人，数以百计，密密麻麻，重重叠叠，多不胜数，既多且难... etc.</p>
<p>you can replace 目瞪口呆 with any idiom or idiomatic phrase that expresses your dismay, e.g. 叫苦连天，欲哭无泪，气为之馁，大吃一惊，望而生畏... etc.</p>
<p>you can replace 登时 with 顿时，不禁... etc.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T18:45:39.140Z
I personally would say 吓尿了, but I don't think your teacher would like it.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T19:14:16.593Z
I think the correct spelling is 堆积如山 （or 堆積如山 in traditional). 禾字旁
blackgreen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T22:44:19.570Z
Perhaps it's also 目瞪口呆 (not 目定口呆).
Becky 李蓓
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T22:46:58.223Z
Cantonese say 目定口呆. I thought Mandarin speaker would understand
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T18:08:56.587Z
2020-06-20T22:46:00.840Z
2020-06-20T22:46:00.840Z
Tang Ho
<p>无从说起：
指事情太繁杂，要说的话很多，但不知道该从哪里说起。</p>
<p>Things are too complicated and there are many things to say, but don’t know where to start.</p>
<p>一言难尽：形容事情曲折复杂，不是一句话能说清楚的。</p>
<p>Describe things tortuous and complex, a sentence cannot make it clear.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T11:17:49.970Z
2020-06-20T11:17:49.970Z
T-Pioneer
<p>I like 不知所措 for 'overwhelmed'. (Wonder what 'underwhelmed' might be? 知所措？？）</p>
<p>生词量大得让我不知所措。<br />
I am overwhelmed by the sheer number of new words.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T22:57:23.850Z
2020-06-20T22:57:23.850Z
Pedroski
<p>I don't think there is one expressing this very situation,  but you can just phrasing one like ancient scholars do:</p>
<p>学习HSK6，正如孤舟济辞海——没于洪涛！</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T12:12:43.747Z
2020-06-21T12:12:43.747Z
Toosky Hierot
<p>How about something like this:</p>
<p>心灰意懒</p>
<blockquote>
<p>那么多的词，看着就让我觉得<strong>心灰意懒</strong>！</p>
</blockquote>
<p>精疲力尽</p>
<blockquote>
<p>那么多词，还没学就已经<strong>精疲力尽</strong>了。</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-08T07:28:04.790Z
2020-07-08T10:46:33.657Z
2020-07-08T10:46:33.657Z
Xuehong Zhang
<p>The other day, I wanted to describe my shock regarding the overwhelming HSK6 vocabulary list (~2500 additional words) to my teacher, so I came up with a self-made idiom 词山词海: taking 人山人海 and replacing 人 with 词.  I thought it was apt and quite proud of my creation, by my teacher disagreed.</p>
<p>I can't think of an idiomatic way to express this sense of being overwhelmed by vocabulary when learning a language in Chinese.  Sure, I could say 词汇太多了, but it doesn't have the sense of being overwhelmed.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: Is there an idiomatic way to express being overwhelmed by vocabulary?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T03:48:58.270Z
How about 万词淹没, (Wàn cí yān mò) ( a flood of words or drowned in words)?
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T02:30:35.257Z
词山词海 is fine though it's a bit odd.  People could see you were trying to do a bit wordplay on the idiom 人山人海. It's easy to understand what you mean by that. It could have a potential to become a meme in my opinion. Language needs creativity.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-08T07:34:29.917Z
@WayneCheah Nah, it sounds even a bit weirder than 词山词海.
Stan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-03T23:13:31.357Z
I feel a bit vindicated after seeing a shop with the name [鱼山鱼海](https://i.sstatic.net/8PDHv.jpg).
Becky 李蓓
<idioms>
Is there an idiomatic way to express being overwhelmed by vocabulary?
# Is there an idiomatic way to express being overwhelmed by vocabulary?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-20)

The other day, I wanted to describe my shock regarding the overwhelming HSK6 vocabulary list (~2500 additional words) to my teacher, so I came up with a self-made idiom 词山词海: taking 人山人海 and replacing 人 with 词. I thought it was apt and quite proud of my creation, by my teacher disagreed.

I can't think of an idiomatic way to express this sense of being overwhelmed by vocabulary when learning a language in Chinese. Sure, I could say 词汇太多了, but it doesn't have the sense of being overwhelmed.

**Question**: Is there an idiomatic way to express being overwhelmed by vocabulary?

**Tags:** idioms

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: How about 万词淹没, (Wàn cí yān mò) ( a flood of words or drowned in words)?  
> **username_2**: 词山词海 is fine though it's a bit odd.  People could see you were trying to do a bit wordplay on the idiom 人山人海. It's easy to understand what you mean by that. It could have a potential to become a meme in my opinion. Language needs creativity.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 Nah, it sounds even a bit weirder than 词山词海.  
> **username_0**: I feel a bit vindicated after seeing a shop with the name [鱼山鱼海](https://i.sstatic.net/8PDHv.jpg).  

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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-06-20. Score: 3

There are idioms that express shock and dismay, but none are specifically referring to facing too heavy a task, let alone describing a specific task that is to learn a large number of words.

My suggestion is:

看到 HSK6 词汇表上这堆积如山的词汇，登時目瞪口呆

you can replace 堆积如山 with any idiom or idiomatic phrase that describes a huge quantity, e.g. 为数惊​​人，数以百计，密密麻麻，重重叠叠，多不胜数，既多且难... etc.

you can replace 目瞪口呆 with any idiom or idiomatic phrase that expresses your dismay, e.g. 叫苦连天，欲哭无泪，气为之馁，大吃一惊，望而生畏... etc.

you can replace 登时 with 顿时，不禁... etc.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: I personally would say 吓尿了, but I don't think your teacher would like it.  
> **username_5**: I think the correct spelling is 堆积如山 （or 堆積如山 in traditional). 禾字旁  
> **username_0**: Perhaps it's also 目瞪口呆 (not 目定口呆).  
> **username_4**: Cantonese say 目定口呆. I thought Mandarin speaker would understand  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2020-06-20. Score: 3

无从说起：
指事情太繁杂，要说的话很多，但不知道该从哪里说起。

Things are too complicated and there are many things to say, but don’t know where to start.

一言难尽：形容事情曲折复杂，不是一句话能说清楚的。

Describe things tortuous and complex, a sentence cannot make it clear.


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### Answer by username_7 on 2020-06-20. Score: 1

I like 不知所措 for 'overwhelmed'. (Wonder what 'underwhelmed' might be? 知所措？？）

生词量大得让我不知所措。  
I am overwhelmed by the sheer number of new words.


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### Answer by username_8 on 2020-06-21. Score: 0

I don't think there is one expressing this very situation, but you can just phrasing one like ancient scholars do:

学习HSK6，正如孤舟济辞海——没于洪涛！


---

### Answer by username_9 on 2020-07-08. Score: 0

How about something like this:

心灰意懒

> 那么多的词，看着就让我觉得**心灰意懒**！

精疲力尽

> 那么多词，还没学就已经**精疲力尽**了。


---

