见分晓 (jiàn fēn xiǎo) — to see the outcome, to become clear (after uncertainty)

Definition

An idiomatic phrase meaning a result or answer finally becomes clear after a period of uncertainty. Often used with 就 or 才会 to emphasize that an outcome will (eventually) be revealed.

verb
to see the outcometo become clear (after uncertainty)

Examples

  • 见分晓。
    Bǐ sài jié guǒ míng tiān jiù néng jiàn fēn xiǎo.
    The competition results will become clear tomorrow.
  • 。
    Zhè jiàn shì zhí dào zuì hòu cái jiàn le fēn xiǎo.
    This matter only became clear at the very end.
  • ，见分晓。
    Shuí duì shuí cuò, hěn kuài jiù jiàn fēn xiǎo.
    Who is right and who is wrong will soon become clear.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

见jiànsee
分晓outcome
分fēndistinguish晓xiǎoknow
联合Side by side

见 (see) and 分晓 (from 分 distinguish and 晓 know) mean to see how things turn out.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →

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 曉; 晓 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
堯
堯yáo曉xiǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 曉 puts 日, a sun, beside 堯, which gives the sound; the simplified 晓 is a shorthand and its right side is not that sound part.

Open 晓 →

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