近在眼前 (jìn zài yǎn qián) — right under one's nose / in plain sight
Definition
An idiomatic phrase meaning something is physically or figuratively right in front of you — so close and obvious that it's easy to overlook. Used when someone missed what was plainly visible.
verb
right under one's nose / in plain sight
Examples
- ,?Nǐ yào zhǎo de yào shi jiù jìn zài yǎn qián, zěn me méi kàn jiàn?The keys you're looking for are right under your nose — how did you not see them?
- 近在眼前。Tā zhǎo le hǎo jiǔ de shǒu jī qí shí jiù zài shēn biān jìn zài yǎn qián.The phone she'd been looking for for ages was actually right beside her, under her nose.
- 近在眼前,。Wèn tí dá àn qí shí jìn zài yǎn qián, zhǐ shì dà jiā dōu méi zhù yì dào.The answer to the problem is right in front of us, but no one noticed.
Appears in
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