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大开眼界 (dà kāi yǎn jiè) — to greatly broaden one's horizons; to open one's eyes (to new experiences)

Definition

A set phrase (chengyu) meaning to greatly broaden one's horizons through seeing or experiencing something new. Used for a striking, eye-opening encounter — not for casual learning.

verb
to greatly broaden one's horizonsto open one's eyes (to new experiences)

Examples

  • 大开眼界。
    Zhè cì chū guó lǚ xíng ràng wǒ dà kāi yǎn jiè.
    This trip abroad really broadened my horizons.
  • ，。
    Kàn le zhè ge zhǎn lǎn, wǒ dà kāi le yǎn jiè.
    After seeing this exhibition, my eyes were really opened.
  • 。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng ràng wǒ men dà kāi le bù shǎo yǎn jiè.
    His speech broadened our horizons quite a bit.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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 →

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
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
介
介jiè界jiè
Same sound today

界 is built from 田 (field) and 介. 田 carries the meaning, while 介 gives the sound.

Open 界 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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