东窗事发 (dōng chuāng shì fā) — (idiom) a secret scheme or crime is exposed; to come to light

Definition

A chengyu for when a hidden crime or plot is finally exposed and the perpetrator faces consequences. Always describes the moment of exposure, not the crime itself.

idiom
a secret scheme or crime is exposedto come to light

Examples

  • 东窗事发。
    Zhè ge cáng zài gōng sī nèi bù de piàn jú zhōng yú dōng chuāng shì fā le.
    This scam hidden inside the company finally came to light.
  • 东窗事发，。
    Tā tān wū shòu huì de shì qing dōng chuāng shì fā, bèi jǐng fāng dài zǒu le.
    His bribery and corruption were exposed, and the police took him away.
  • 东窗事发。
    Tā men cè huà de yīn móu hái méi yǒu xíng dòng jiù dōng chuāng shì fā le.
    The conspiracy they plotted was exposed before they could even act.

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 東; 东 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 東 originally drew a full bag tied at both ends. The simplified 东 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 东 →

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

窗 combines 穴 (hole) with 囱 (window), giving the sense of an opening used as a window.

Open 窗 →

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

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.

Open 事 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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