开门见山
开门见山 (kāi mén jiàn shān) literally means “open door see mountain” and expresses “get straight to point”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: kai men jian shan, kai men jian shan,开门见山 meaning, 开门见山 in english
Get straight to point
Pronunciation: kāi mén jiàn shān
Literal meaning: Open door see mountain
Origin & Usage
This straightforward idiom reflects the architectural wisdom of traditional Chinese design, where opening (开) a door (门) to see (见) mountains (山) represented ideal feng shui. During the Song Dynasty, it evolved from literal description to literary technique, advocating direct communication without preamble. The phrase gained prominence in Ming Dynasty literary criticism, where it praised writers who could immediately engage readers with their main point. Modern usage celebrates directness in communication, particularly in business and professional contexts, though it retains subtle appreciation for the elegance of immediate clarity rather than bluntness.
Examples
English: "The consultant directly addressed the core problems in her report"
Chinese: 顾问在报告中直接指出了核心问题
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 开门见山 mean in English?
开门见山 (kāi mén jiàn shān) literally translates to “Open door see mountain” and is used to express “Get straight to point”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 开门见山 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving get straight to point.
What is the pinyin for 开门见山?
The pinyin pronunciation for 开门见山 is “kāi mén jiàn shān”.