Once upon a time, a wealthy man saw a three-story building owned by someone else and envied it greatly. He decided to build a similar one but only ordered the craftsmen to build the third floor, skipping the first and second floors entirely. The craftsmen were baffled and laughed, saying, "How can you build the third floor without the first and second floors? That’s impossible!"

This story gave rise to the idiom 空中楼阁, literally meaning "a building in the air," used to describe unrealistic ideas or things that are built on shaky or imaginary foundations.

Idiom Summary

  • Idiom: 空中楼阁
  • Pinyin: kōng zhōng lóu gé
  • Literal Translation: a building in the air
  • Extended Meaning: Used to describe unrealistic ideas, baseless theories, or things lacking solid foundation — essentially fanciful or impractical concepts.