比比皆是 (Bǐ bǐ jiē shì)

Basic Info

Chinese Idiom: 比比皆是 (Bǐ bǐ jiē shì)
Pinyin: bǐ bǐ jiē shì
Literal meaning: “One after another, all are present.”
(比比 = one after another / everywhere; 皆 = all; 是 = are / present)

Note: In classical Chinese, “比比” means “arranged closely together, one after another” – and by extension, “everywhere.” So the idiom literally means “everywhere you look, there they are.”

Figurative Definition

It describes something that is extremely common – found everywhere, in great abundance, impossible to miss. It can be used for people, things, phenomena, or situations that are so widespread they seem to be everywhere at once.

It is used to emphasize:

Abundance – “这种人才比比皆是。” (“Talent like this is everywhere.”)
Commonness – “类似的错误比比皆是。” (“Similar mistakes are found everywhere.”)
Widespread presence – “这种现象比比皆是。” (“This phenomenon is everywhere.”)

A useful distinction from “触目皆是” (chù mù jiē shì – “everywhere the eye looks”):

比比皆是 can be used for people, things, and abstract phenomena.
触目皆是 is used mainly for visible, concrete things – what the eye can see.

In short: everywhere you look – extremely common and widespread.

Cultural & Historical Origin

This idiom appears in Song Dynasty and Qing Dynasty literature.

Song Dynasty – Zhu Bian, Quwei Jiuwen (朱弁《曲洧旧闻》), Volume 7:

“秉笔之士所用故实，有淹贯所不究者，有蹈前人旧辙而不讨论所从来者，譬如侏儒观戏，人笑亦笑，谓众人决不误我者，比比皆是也。”
(“Among writers, there are those who use historical precedents without fully investigating them, and those who follow the old ruts of their predecessors without discussing where they came from. Like a dwarf watching a play, laughing when others laugh, assuming the crowd cannot be wrong – such people are everywhere.”)

Qing Dynasty – Cao Xueqin and Gao E, Dream of the Red Chamber (《红楼梦》), Chapter 2:

“今当运隆祚永之朝，太平无为之世，清明灵秀之气所秉者，上自朝廷，下及草野，比比皆是。”
(“Now, in an age of lasting prosperity and a era of peaceful non-action, those endowed with clear and refined spirit – from the court above to the countryside below – are found everywhere.”)

The idiom thus carries a descriptive, observational tone: it is used to note that something is so common it can be seen on every side.

Key Lesson

Abundance is not the same as value – and commonness is not the same as worthlessness. The idiom is usually neutral or slightly critical: it points out that something is everywhere, which may imply it is ordinary, unremarkable, or even a problem (e.g., “mistakes are everywhere”). But it can also be used positively – “good people are everywhere.” The wise person distinguishes between what is common and what is precious – and does not mistake frequency for quality.

Cultural Note

In modern Chinese, “比比皆是” is a common, formal, and descriptive idiom. It appears in:

Social commentary – “这种现象在当今社会比比皆是。” (“This phenomenon is everywhere in today’s society.”)
Literary description – noting the abundance of something.
Everyday speech – “现在大学生比比皆是。” (“College students are everywhere these days.”)
Critical observation – “类似的错误比比皆是。” (“Similar mistakes are found everywhere.”)

Its near-synonyms are “俯拾皆是” (fǔ shí jiē shì – “you can pick it up everywhere you bend down”) and “触目皆是” (visible everywhere the eye looks). Its opposites are “寥寥无几” (liáo liáo wú jǐ – “very few indeed”), “屈指可数” (qū zhǐ kě shǔ – “can be counted on one’s fingers”), and “寥若晨星” (liáo ruò chén xīng – “as sparse as the morning stars”).

Similar English Expressions

Everywhere you look – The most direct and natural equivalent.
A dime a dozen – So common as to be nearly worthless – often critical.
Ten a penny – British: very common and cheap.
Thick on the ground – Found in great numbers.
As common as dirt – Extremely common (informal, often derogatory).
Found in abundance – Formal and neutral.
Two a penny – British variant of “ten a penny.” |
Like grains of sand – So numerous they cannot be counted.

The closest and most natural equivalents are “everywhere you look,” “a dime a dozen,” and “thick on the ground.”

In short, “比比皆是” means one after another, all are present – a common Chinese idiom for something found everywhere in great abundance, and a gentle reminder that what is everywhere is not always what is precious – and what is rare is not always what is valuable.