光天化日 (guāng tiān huà rì) — (idiom) in broad daylight; describes an action…

Definition

An idiom meaning 'in broad daylight' — emphasizes that an action (usually a crime or shocking act) happens openly, with no attempt to hide.

idiom

in broad daylightdescribes an action (especially a crime) done openly and boldly

光天化日。
Tā jìng rán zài guāng tiān huà rì zhī xià qiǎng jié.
He actually committed robbery in broad daylight.
光天化日，。
Zhè zhǒng zuì xíng zài guāng tiān huà rì zhī xià fā shēng, lìng rén zhèn jīng.
This kind of crime happening in broad daylight is shocking.
光天化日。
Bú yào yǐ wéi guāng tiān huà rì jiù ān quán.
Don't think it's safe just because it's broad daylight.

Characters in this word

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

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

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

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Appears in