How do you pronounce 洞若观火?

洞若观火 is pronounced as "dòng ruò guān huǒ" in Mandarin Chinese.

洞若观火

Q: What does 洞若观火 mean?

洞若观火 (dòng ruò guān huǒ) literally means "Clear as watching fire" and metaphorically means "Understand with absolute clarity". It belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category of Chinese idioms.

Q: When is 洞若观火 used?

洞若观火 is used when The detective's analysis made the complex case suddenly comprehensible.

洞若观火 (dòng ruò guān huǒ) literally means “clear as watching fire” and expresses “understand with absolute clarity”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.

Also searched as: dong ruo guan huo, dong ruo guan huo,洞若观火 meaning, 洞若观火 in english

Understand with absolute clarity

Pronunciation: dòng ruò guān huǒ Literal meaning: Clear as watching fire

Origin & Usage

This descends from the Book of Documents, where Pan Geng tells his people that he sees their intentions as one sees a fire — 予若观火. To perceive (洞) something as clearly as (若) watching (观) a flame (火) is to see it without ambiguity, because a fire conceals nothing about what it is doing. Seeing through a situation completely is the sense, usually where the other party believed it was hidden.

Examples

English: "The detective's analysis made the complex case suddenly comprehensible"

Chinese: 侦探的分析使复杂的案件突然变得清晰明了

Related Chinese Idioms

Similar idioms about wisdom & learning

隔岸观火

gé àn guān huǒ

Observe troubles from safe distance

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抱薪救火

bào xīn jiù huǒ

Make situation worse

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引火烧身

yǐn huǒ shāo shēn

Bring trouble upon oneself

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城门失火

chéng mén shī huǒ

Innocent bystanders suffer from others' problems

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若有所思

ruò yǒu suǒ sī

Lost in thought with a contemplative expression

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飞蛾扑火

fēi é pū huǒ

Be irresistibly drawn toward self-destruction

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火冒三丈

huǒ mào sān zhàng

Explode in extreme anger or rage

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炉火纯青

lú huǒ chún qīng

Highest level of mastery; consummate skill

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does 洞若观火 mean in English?

洞若观火 (dòng ruò guān huǒ) literally translates to “Clear as watching fire” and is used to express “Understand with absolute clarity”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.