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来龙去脉 (lái lóng qù mài) — (idiom) the whole sequence of events; the full story from start to finish; causes and effects

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'the whole story from start to finish — the causes, development, and consequences of something.' Use it when tracing the background of an event, often after 了解 / 说 / 查.

idiom
the whole sequence of eventsthe full story from start to finishcauses and effects

Examples

  • 来龙去脉。
    Tā huā le yí gè xiǎo shí cái jǐ gè zhōng tóu jiù bǎ zhè jiàn shì de lái lóng qù mài chá qīng chǔ le.
    He spent just a few hours investigating the whole story of this matter.
  • 来龙去脉，。
    Nǐ xiān bǎ shì qing de lái lóng qù mài shuō yí biàn, wǒ men zài tǎo lùn zěn me chǔ lǐ.
    First explain the whole sequence of events, then we'll discuss how to handle it.
  • 来龙去脉，。
    Rú guǒ bù liǎo jiě shì gù de lái lóng qù mài, hěn nán pàn duàn zé rèn fāng.
    Without understanding the full background of the accident, it's hard to determine responsibility.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 龍; 龙 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 龍 originally drew a sacred creature with a large mouth and a snake-like body; the simplified 龙 is the form written here.

Open 龙 →

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

去 pairs 大, a man, with 口, a mouth or object. The evidence reads this as a man leaving a place, a man opening his mouth, or a cover over an object.

Open 去 →

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 脈; 脉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂢
𠂢𠂢脈mài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 脈 pairs ⺼ (flesh) with a sound part, 𠂢; the simplified 脉 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 脉 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set Phrases

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