[The legendary deity] Kua Fu races the sun
To overestimate one's abilities. Originally used to highlight one's determination
Neutral
我的父亲对再做夸父追日的想法不怎么感冒，但我向他保证了这次不会再像那样了 | Wǒ de fùqīn duì zài zuò kuāfùzhuīrì de xiǎngfǎ bù zě me gǎnmào, dàn wǒ xiàng tā bǎozhèng le zhè cì bù huì zài xiàng nàyàng le
My father wasn't too keen on the overambitious idea, but I convinced him that this time it would be different
[Source]
想把大海填平？哼！这无疑是夸父逐日 | Xiǎng bǎ dàhǎi tián píng? Hēng! Zhè wúyí shì kuāfùzhúrì
Want to fill in the ocean? Ha! That's beyond anyone's ability
[Source]
None
夸父逐日 (kuā fù zhú rì)
None
《山海经》(Shān Hǎi Jīng), or the Classic of Mountains and Seas in English. The author is unknown, but the work is estimated to come from the Warring States Period (战国时期 | zhàn guó shí qī | 475 - 221 BC). Its contents detail mythology, geography, social customs, and more.
Thousands and thousands of years ago, there lived a man named 夸父 (Kuā Fù). 夸父 was enormous and very strong, able to leap a river in a single bound and fell a tree with a single hand. However, his life was still very difficult: he and his people lived off the land, and when winter came, they all dreaded the hunger and cold that long, dark nights would bring.
One day, 夸父 figured that if he could only get the sun to stay in place for an extra day or two, the land would be warmer, and he and his people wouldn't suffer so much. With that, he resolved to catch the sun, and he ignored those who protested at the impossibility of his goal.
He set out at the first hint of sunlight with a cane in hand. He chased and chased and chased the sun to mountain tops, through ravines, and over rivers. And yet, he did not catch his quarry. Instead, his mouth started to burn with agonizing thirst, and his body grew exhausted. Finally, he could resist no more, and he collapsed to the ground. He forced himself to the side of a lake, and promptly drained it dry. Still thirsty, he found another body of water, and he drank that dry as well. Then, he stood up and resumed his quest for the sun.
It wasn't long before his body began to complain of thirst and exhaustion once more. He cast his cane aside, and he collapsed to the ground once again. This time, he did not get up.
夸父's body later turned into a mountain range, and his cane turned into a lush peach grove.