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刮目相看 (guā mù-xiāng kàn) — to see someone in a new light; to have a whole new level of respect for someone (after noticeable improvement)

Definition

A set phrase meaning to look at someone again with new respect after their clear improvement. Unlike 耳目一新 (which describes a refreshingly new thing), this focuses on a PERSON's upgraded image.

phrase
to see someone in a new lightto have a whole new level of respect for someone (after noticeable improvement)

Examples

  • ，刮目相看。
    Tā tōng guò nǔ lì xué xí, ràng lǎo shī hé tóng xué dōu duì tā guā mù-xiāng kàn.
    Through hard study, he made both teachers and classmates see him in a new light.
  • ，。
    Zì cóng gōng sī gǎi gé hòu, kè hù duì wǒ men guā mù xiāng kàn.
    Since the company's reform, clients have had a whole new level of respect for us.
  • 。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng biǎo xiàn lìng rén guā mù xiāng kàn.
    The performance of his speech made people see him in a new light.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑刮guā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刮 combines 刀, a knife, with 𠯑, which gives the sound.

Open 刮 →

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 →

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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

The shape 看 puts 手 (hand) over 目 (eye), showing a hand placed above the eyes to gaze into the distance.

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

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