extremely difficult to find; like searching for a needle in the ocean
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to search for a needle in a haystack; extremely difficult to find
Used to describe searching for something rare or hidden in a vast area. Also expressed as 大海捞针.
Zài在
zhè这
r儿
zhǎo找
nà那
méi枚
jiè戒
zhi指
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
hǎi海
dǐ底
lāo捞
zhēn针
。
Searching for that ring here is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Yào要
zài在
zhè这
me么
dà大
de的
chéng城
shì市
lǐ里
zhǎo找
dào到
tā他
，
wú无
yì异
yú于
hǎi海
dǐ底
lāo捞
zhēn针
。
Trying to find him in such a big city is no different from searching for a needle in the ocean.
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Zī资
liào料
dōu都
sàn散
shī失
le了
，
xiàn现
zài在
xiǎng想
kǎo考
zhèng证
qīng清
chǔ楚
，
zhēn真
shì是
hǎi海
dǐ底
lāo捞
zhēn针
。
The materials have all been lost; trying to verify things now is truly like searching for a needle in a haystack.