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网开一面 (wǎng kāi yī miàn) — to give a wrongdoer a way out; to be lenient and not punish severely

Definition

A formal idiom for showing leniency toward a wrongdoer — literally 'leave one side of the net open' (an image from hunting). Always used for leniency in punishment, never for everyday kindness.

idiom
to give a wrongdoer a way outto be lenient and not punish severely

Examples

  • ，网开一面，。
    Zhè cì tā suī rán fàn le cuò, dàn lǐng dǎo hái shì wǎng kāi yī miàn, zhī gěi le tā yí gè jǐng gào.
    Although he made a mistake this time, the boss still showed leniency and only gave him a warning.
  • ，网开一面，。
    Fǎ guān kǎo lǜ dào tā shì chū fàn, jué dìng wǎng kāi yī miàn, cóng qīng chǔ fá.
    The judge considered he was a first-time offender and decided to be lenient, giving a lighter punishment.
  • 网开一面，。
    Gōng sī duì zhǔ dòng rèn cuò de yuán gōng wǎng wǎng wǎng kāi yī miàn, jǐ yǔ gǎi guò zì xīn de jī huì.
    The company often shows leniency toward employees who admit their mistakes, giving them a chance to reform.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 網; 网 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
罔
罔wǎng網wǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 網 pairs 糸 (rope) with 罔 to give the sound; the simplified 网 is a later shorthand.

Open 网 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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.

面 originally drew a man’s face, with one eye exaggerated; the horizontal stroke was added later.

Open 面 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesLaw & Justice

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