久闻大名 (jiǔ wén dà míng) — (set phrase) I've long heard of your great name; it's an honor to meet you

Definition

A formal set phrase used when meeting someone famous: 'I've long heard of your great name' — a compliment expressing that you know their reputation. It's flattering, not a literal claim about having heard their actual name.

idiom
(set phrase) I've long heard of your great nameit's an honor to meet you

Examples

  • 久闻大名，。
    jiǔ wén dà míng, Jīn rì yí jiàn guǒ rán míng bù xū chuán.
    I've long heard of your great name — meeting you today, you truly live up to your reputation.
  • 久闻大名，！
    jiǔ wén dà míng, Xìng huì xìng huì!
    I've long heard of your great name — delighted to meet you!
  • 久闻大名，。
    jiǔ wén dà míng, Zǎo jiù xiǎng dāng miàn qǐng jiào le.
    I've long heard of your great name — I've been wanting to seek your advice in person for a long time.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

久 likely came from a simple drawing of an arrow tip.

Open 久 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聞; 闻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén聞wén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 聞, 門 supplies the sound and 耳 is an ear; this explanation is about 聞, not the simplified 闻.

Open 闻 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

名 puts 夕 (crescent moon) above 口 (mouth), showing a name spoken in the dark.

Open 名 →

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