📖 Meaning
To greatly broaden one's horizons and increase one's knowledge. It describes the experience of seeing something new, rare, or impressive that expands one's perspective. Commonly used after encountering novel sights or ideas.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces back to the Tang dynasty text Songchuang Zalu (松窗杂录) by Li Shu (李瀎), specifically in the entry about Chu Ji. In the story, Guangye wrote a reply on horseback with a brush, saying '大开眼界莫言冤' — 'having greatly broadened one's horizons, do not speak of injustice.' Over time, the expression evolved into a common idiom for describing the widening of one's experience and understanding.
💡 Example Usage
这次参观博物馆让我大开眼界，学到了很多新知识。
Visiting the museum this time really broadened my horizons; I learned a lot of new things.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 大开眼界
- Pinyin: dà kāi yǎn jiè
- Literal Translation: greatly, open, eye, boundary
- Category: Knowledge
- Characters: 4