📖 Meaning
This idiom describes something that is plainly visible or a truth that is extremely easy to perceive. It conveys that a fact or situation is so self-evident that no one could reasonably fail to notice or understand it. It is commonly used to state conclusions that require no further proof.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Qing dynasty work 'Xiánqíng Ǒujì' (闲情偶寄, Casual Notes on Leisure) by the playwright and essayist Li Yu (李渔), specifically in the section on structural principles of composition. Li Yu used the expression to describe something so plainly obvious that, surprisingly, no one had ever bothered to articulate or debate it. The idiom has since become a standard expression in both literary and everyday Chinese for describing self-evident truths.
💡 Example Usage
他撒谎的动机是显而易见的，只是为了掩盖自己的错误。
His motive for lying was obvious—he was simply trying to cover up his own mistake.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 显而易见
- Pinyin: xiǎn ér yì jiàn
- Literal Translation: obvious, and, easy, to see
- Category: Clarity
- Characters: 4