言归正传
言归正传 (yán guī zhèng zhuàn) literally means “return to the main topic” and expresses “focus on main point”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: yan gui zheng zhuan, yan gui zheng zhuan,言归正传 meaning, 言归正传 in english
Focus on main point
Pronunciation: yán guī zhèng zhuàn Literal meaning: Return to the main topic
Origin & Usage
The last character is read zhuàn and means a narrative or a formal account, not 'to transmit'. That is because the phrase is a storyteller's formula: professional tellers used it to close a digression and pick up the thread, and vernacular fiction preserved the convention in print. Bringing the words (言) back (归) to the proper (正) narrative (传) has kept exactly that job. It is what a Chinese speaker says to end their own tangent, and it is mildly self-deprecating.
Examples
English: "After a long digression, he finally returned to the main topic of the discussion."
Chinese: 经过长时间的偏离，他终于言归正传，回到了讨论的主题。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
言传身教
yán chuán shēn jiào
Teach by word and deed
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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眉目传情
méi mù chuán qíng
Non-verbal affection
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风华正茂
fēng huá zhèng mào
At peak of youth's ability
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不务正业
bù wù zhèng yè
Idle and irresponsible
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落叶归根
luò yè guī gēn
Return to one's roots; go back home
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返璞归真
fǎn pú guī zhēn
Embrace authenticity
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守正不阿
shǒu zhèng bù ē
Keep integrity without compromise
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 言归正传 mean in English?
言归正传 (yán guī zhèng zhuàn) literally translates to “Return to the main topic” and is used to express “Focus on main point”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 言归正传 used?
Situation: After a long digression, he finally returned to the main topic of the discussion.
What is the pinyin for 言归正传?
The pinyin pronunciation for 言归正传 is “yán guī zhèng zhuàn”.