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一目了然 (yī mù liǎo rán) — (idiom) clear at a glance; obvious; apparent

Definition

Idiom: something is so clear you grasp it in one glance — often used of charts, layouts, or reasoning, not just facts. More emphatic and pictorial than 明显 or 显而易见.

idiom
clear at a glanceobviousapparent

Examples

  • 一目了然。
    Zhè ge biǎo gé ràng jié guǒ yī mù liǎo rán.
    This table makes the results clear at a glance.
  • 一目了然，。
    Tā de xiǎng fǎ yī mù liǎo rán, bú yòng duō jiě shì.
    His thoughts are obvious at a glance; no need to explain further.
  • ，一目了然。
    Kàn wán shuō míng hòu, shǐ yòng fāng fǎ yī mù liǎo rán.
    After reading the instructions, the usage method is clear at a glance.

Origin

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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

目 began as a drawing of a human eye, turned sideways.

Open 目 →

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

了 was once drawn to show a baby with no arms; some old comments say it showed crossed or tangled legs.

Open 了 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Idioms & Set PhrasesThinking & Cognition

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