铁证如山 (tiě zhèng rú shān) — irrefutable evidence; conclusive proof | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'ironclad evidence like a mountain' — a fixed idiom emphasizing proof so solid it cannot be questioned. Used for court cases, scandals, or debates where the evidence is overwhelming.

idiom

irrefutable evidenceconclusive proof

Examples

铁证如山，。
Miàn duì tiě zhèng rú shān, tā zhōng yú chéng rèn le zì jǐ de zuì xíng.
Faced with irrefutable evidence, he finally admitted his crime.
铁证如山，。
Jǐng fāng yǐ jīng zhǎng wò le tiě zhèng rú shān, àn jiàn hěn kuài jiù néng gào pò.
The police have already obtained conclusive evidence, and the case will be solved soon.
铁证如山，？
Zhè xiē zhèng jù tiě zhèng rú shān, nǐ hái yǒu shén me hǎo shuō de?
This evidence is ironclad. What else do you have to say?

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.

铁证iron evidence

铁tiěiron证zhèngevidence

偏正Modifier + head

如山like a mountain

如rúlike山shānmountain

动宾Verb + object

The 铁证 is so firm that it is 如山, like a mountain.

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 鐵; 铁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢧤

𢧤𢧤鐵tiě

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

The traditional form 鐵 pairs 金 (metal) with 𢧤 as a sound part; the simplified 铁 is a later shorthand.

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 證; 证 is its simplified writing.

言登證

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

登

登dēng證zhèng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 證 pairs 言, a words/speech part, with 登 as a sound clue; the simplified 证 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

女口如

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

女

女nǚ如rú

Same sound today

如 is built from 口 (mouth) for its meaning and 女 (woman) for its sound.

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

山 shows three mountain peaks side by side.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.