諺語 · a single proverb
一目了然
What does 一目了然 (yī mù liǎo rán) mean?
一目了然 (yī mù liǎo rán) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "one glance and all is clear." In use it means: Something so obvious that a single look tells you everything. The best designs, the best explanations, the best dashboards work this way: one glance, full understanding. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "one glance and all is clear."
The reading
The good teacher explains until the student's eyes change. Not brighter, exactly. Quieter. The confusion leaves and something settles in its place. That settling is the moment of 'one glance, all clear.' The best version of clarity is not more information. It is less, arranged correctly.
What kind of proverb it is
Source classical literary expression; Ming-Qing era popularization
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 一目了然 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一目了然 (yī mù liǎo rán) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from classical literary expression; Ming-Qing era popularization. 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 一目了然?
In Mandarin it is yī mù liǎo rán. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一目了然 aloud in Mandarin.