融会贯通

Pronunciation: róng huì guàn tōng
Literal meaning: Merge and flow through completely

Origin & Usage

Emerging from Buddhist meditation texts of the Tang Dynasty, this idiom describes the moment when scattered knowledge merges (融会) and flows through (贯通) one's understanding completely. The metaphor originates from the practice of metal casting, where separate elements melt and flow together to form a perfect whole. Buddhist monks used this imagery to describe the state of enlightenment when seemingly disparate teachings suddenly connect in perfect clarity. The concept gained broader application during the Song Dynasty as Neo-Confucian scholars adopted it to describe comprehensive understanding of the classics. In modern context, it describes the breakthrough moment in learning when previously disconnected pieces of knowledge suddenly form a coherent whole, particularly valued in fields requiring interdisciplinary mastery.

Examples

English: "After years of study, she finally understood how all the concepts connected"

Chinese: 经过多年学习，她终于理解了所有概念之间的联系

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