冰山

• Pinyin: bīng shān
• Hanzi breakdown: 冰 = 冫(ice radical) + 水 (water); 山 = pictograph of three peaks representing a mountain

Meaning

Iceberg; a large mass of ice floating in the ocean. Often used metaphorically to describe something where only a small part is visible.

Beyond the literal meaning, 冰山一角 (tip of the iceberg) is a common expression meaning only a small portion of something is apparent while the larger reality remains hidden. Used in discussions of scandals, problems, or complex phenomena.

Examples

1. 这艘科考船正在南极海域研究冰山的移动规律。 This research vessel is studying the movement patterns of icebergs in Antarctic waters.
2. 这次曝光的问题只是冰山一角，背后的腐败网络更加庞大。 The problems exposed this time are just the tip of the iceberg — the corruption network behind it is much larger.
3. 全球变暖导致大量冰山融化，海平面逐年上升。 Global warming has caused massive iceberg melting, with sea levels rising year after year.

Usage Guide

Context: science, environment, metaphorical

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们所了解的只是冰山一角。(What we know is just the tip of the iceberg.)
• 北极的冰山正在以惊人的速度消融。(Arctic icebergs are melting at an alarming rate.)

Don't Say

• 这个冰淇淋像冰山一样大。(Don't use 冰山 casually to describe size — it specifically refers to actual icebergs or has metaphorical weight)

Origin & History

冰 (ice) + 山 (mountain). A descriptive compound for a mountain of ice floating in water.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal