📖 Meaning
Literally 'to obtain the gaps while reading.' It describes finding the knack or hidden insights between the lines when studying, achieving a deep and intuitive understanding of the text. The term praises a reader who grasps the essence beyond the surface words.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Chapter 54 of the Qing dynasty novel 'The Bureaucrats' (官场现形记) by Li Baojia. In the scene, an elder official praises another character, saying, 'You truly can be said to have found the knack in reading! What you said is absolutely right.' The expression uses 间 (gap) metaphorically to mean the subtle spaces or hidden meanings between the written words. Over time it became a compliment for scholars who read deeply and extract true insight from texts.
💡 Example Usage
他读书得间，常能从字里行间领悟作者深意。
Having found the knack of reading, he often grasps the author's deeper meaning between the lines.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 读书得间
- Pinyin: dú shū dé jiàn
- Literal Translation: read, book, obtain, gap
- Category: Learning
- Characters: 4