和盘托出 (hé pán tuō chū) — to reveal everything; to hold nothing back; to make a clean breast of

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

和 pairs 禾, which gives the sound, with 口 (mouth), the meaning part; the reference connects this shape to harmony.

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 盤; 盘 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 盤 pairs 般, which gives the sound, with 皿, a vessel. This note is about 盤, not the simplified 盘.

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

托 is built from 手 (hand) and 乇, which gives the sound tuō.

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

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.