茅塞顿开 (máo sè dùn kāi) — suddenly see the light; to have a sudden insight; an 'aha moment'

Definition

A chengyu for a sudden flash of understanding after being confused or stuck — an 'aha moment'. Often used to thank a teacher or speaker whose explanation clarified something.

idiom
suddenly see the lightto have a sudden insightan 'aha moment'

Examples

  • ，茅塞顿开，。
    Lǎo shī jiě shì zhī hòu, wǒ máo sè dùn kāi, yí xià zi quán míng bai le.
    After the teacher explained, I suddenly saw the light and understood everything.
  • ，，茅塞顿开。
    Zhè ge wèn tí wǒ xiǎng le hǎo jiǔ, zhí dào péng you tí le yí gè jiàn yì, wǒ cái máo sè dùn kāi.
    I had been thinking about this problem for a long time, and I didn't get it until a friend suggested something.
  • ，茅塞顿开，。
    Dú le tā de wén zhāng, wǒ dùn shí máo sè dùn kāi, míng bai le tā de guān diǎn.
    After reading his article, I suddenly had an insight and understood his point of view.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

茅塞grass blocked
茅máograss塞sāiblocked
主谓Subject + predicate
顿开suddenly opened
顿dùnsuddenly开kāiopen
偏正Modifier + head

When 茅 塞 suddenly 顿 开, understanding clears at once.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎoplant
Sound part声符shēngfú
矛
矛máo茅máo
Same sound today

茅 pairs 艹 (plant) with 矛 as a sound component; the plant part appears in full as 艸.

Open 茅 →

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 工工gōngtwo items
  • 廾廾gǒngtwo hands

塞 combines 宀 (house), 工 (two items), and 廾 (two hands), showing hands stuffing items into a house.

Open 塞 →

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 頓; 顿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
屯
屯tún頓dùn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頓 combines 屯, drawn as a kneeling person's head, with 頁, and expresses a bow or kowtow. The simplified 顿 replaces 頁 with 页.

Open 顿 →

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 →

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