大处着眼 (dà chù zhuó yǎn) — to see the big picture; to keep an overall assessment; to focus on the main issues

Definition

Idiom meaning 'to keep the big picture in view' when planning or judging. Often paired with 小处着手 ('handle the details') in the classic pair 大处着眼，小处着手.

idiom
to see the big pictureto keep an overall assessmentto focus on the main issues

Examples

  • ，大处着眼，。
    Zuò jué dìng de shí hou, wǒ men yào dà chù zhuó yǎn, bù néng zhī kàn yǎn qián de xiǎo wèn tí.
    When making decisions, we need to see the big picture and not just focus on the immediate small problems.
  • ，大处着眼，。
    Zuò wéi lǐng dǎo zhě, bì xū xué huì dà chù zhuó yǎn, bǎ wò quán jú.
    As a leader, you must learn to see the big picture and grasp the overall situation.
  • 大处着眼，。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù xū yào cóng dà chù zhuó yǎn, kǎo lǜ cháng yuǎn lì yì.
    This project needs to approach from the big picture, considering long-term benefits.

Origin

Characters in this word

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 →

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →

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 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
目目mùeye
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn眼yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

Open 眼 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.