鞭辟入里
鞭辟入里 (biān pì rù lǐ) literally means “whip strikes into core” and expresses “penetrating deeply to the essence”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: bian pi ru li, bian pi ru li,鞭辟入里 meaning, 鞭辟入里 in english
Penetrating deeply to the essence
Pronunciation: biān pì rù lǐ Literal meaning: Whip strikes into core
Origin & Usage
This descends from Cheng Hao of the Song, whose 鞭辟近里 urges driving study inward toward what is essential rather than accumulating surfaces. The image is of a whip (鞭) driving (辟) something in (入) to the interior (里), and the violence in it is deliberate: getting to the centre of a matter takes force, not just attention. It praises analysis that reaches the heart of a subject, and it is high praise — reserved for the reading that finds the thing everyone else walked past.
Examples
English: "The critic's analysis penetrated to the very heart of the artwork's meaning"
Chinese: 评论家的分析深入到艺术作品含义的核心
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
察言观色
chá yán guān sè
Read between lines
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斩钉截铁
zhǎn dīng jié tiě
Decisively and firmly without hesitation
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快马加鞭
kuài mǎ jiā biān
Accelerate progress
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见微知著
jiàn wēi zhī zhù
Foresee big from small signs
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披沙拣金
pī shā jiǎn jīn
Find value among worthless
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深谋远虑
shēn móu yuǎn lǜ
Plan far ahead
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曲高和寡
qǔ gāo hè guǎ
Sophisticated work appreciated by few
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另辟蹊径
lìng pì xī jìng
Find an alternative approach; think outside the box
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 鞭辟入里 mean in English?
鞭辟入里 (biān pì rù lǐ) literally translates to “Whip strikes into core” and is used to express “Penetrating deeply to the essence”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 鞭辟入里 used?
Situation: The critic's analysis penetrated to the very heart of the artwork's meaning
What is the pinyin for 鞭辟入里?
The pinyin pronunciation for 鞭辟入里 is “biān pì rù lǐ”.
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