📖 Meaning
To broaden one's horizons and refresh one's senses. It describes writing, scenery, or art that is eye-opening and mentally stimulating, leaving a vivid and pleasant impression on the reader or viewer.
📜 Origin Story
This expression comes from 'Renjian Cihua' (人间词话, Poetic Remarks in the Human World), a seminal work of literary criticism by Wang Guowei (1877–1927), a scholar of the late Qing and early Republican era. In section 56, Wang praised the works of great masters, noting that their expression of emotion invariably moves the heart, while their depiction of scenery inevitably refreshes and broadens the senses. The phrase highlights the dual power of masterful literature to both deeply move and vividly enlighten its audience.
💡 Example Usage
登上泰山极顶，俯瞰云海翻腾，真是豁人耳目。
Standing at the summit of Mount Tai and gazing down at the rolling sea of clouds truly refreshes the senses and opens the mind.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 豁人耳目
- Pinyin: huò rén ěr mù
- Literal Translation: open up, person's, ears, eyes
- Category: Clarity
- Characters: 4