諺語 · a single proverb
東窗事發
Simplified: 东窗事发
What does 東窗事發 (dōng chuāng shì fā) mean?
東窗事發 (dōng chuāng shì fā) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "the east window affair is exposed." In use it means: A secret plot is finally discovered. What was hidden under the window comes to light. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "the east window affair is exposed."
The reading
Qin Hui plotted under the east window to kill Yue Fei. The plan worked. The exposure came later. Every hidden scheme has a timestamp on its secrecy. Eventually the window opens and the light gets in. The question is never whether. It is when.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Legend of Qin Hui 秦檜; recorded in Song/Yuan texts
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 東窗事發 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 東窗事發 (dōng chuāng shì fā) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Legend of Qin Hui 秦檜; recorded in Song/Yuan texts. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 東窗事發?
In Mandarin it is dōng chuāng shì fā. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 東窗事發 aloud in Mandarin.