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水落石出 (shuǐ luò shí chū) — (idiom) the truth comes to light; facts become clear after an investigation

Definition

An idiom meaning the truth or facts are finally revealed after investigation or time passes — literally 'when the water recedes, the rocks show'. Used for cases, hidden truths, or matters that gradually become clear.

idiom
the truth comes to lightfacts become clear after an investigation

Examples

  • ，水落石出。
    Zhè ge àn zi diào chá le sān nián, zhōng yú shuǐ luò shí chū le.
    After three years of investigation, the truth finally came to light in this case.
  • ，，水落石出。
    Bié zháo jí, zài gěi tā yì diǎn shí jiān, shì qing zǒng huì shuǐ luò shí chū.
    Don't worry; give him a little more time, and the truth will come out eventually.
  • ，水落石出。
    Lì shǐ xué jiā zuò le dà liàng yán jiū, zuì zhōng ràng zhēn xiàng shuǐ luò shí chū.
    Historians conducted extensive research and ultimately brought the truth to light.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →

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

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →

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.

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

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