Definition
This is a four-character idiom (成语) that literally means 'water cannot leak through' — describing something so densely packed that even water can't pass. In everyday Chinese, it's used figuratively to describe extremely crowded places, like a subway car or a festival venue. You'll often see it after the complement marker 得: 挤得水泄不通.
idiom
extremely crowdedpacked to the point where no space is left
Examples
- 水泄不通。Dìtiě zhàn lǐ jǐ de shuǐ xiè bù tōng.The subway station was packed so tight you couldn't move.
- ，水泄不通。Guǎngchǎng shàng rénshānrénhǎi, jiǎnzhí shuǐ xiè bù tōng.The square was a sea of people, absolutely packed.
- 水泄不通。Guònián shí huǒchēzhàn bèi lǚkè jǐ de shuǐ xiè bù tōng.During the Spring Festival, the train station was crammed with travelers.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.