諺語 · a single proverb
一目瞭然
Simplified: 一目了然
What does 一目瞭然 (yī mù liǎo rán) mean?
一目瞭然 (yī mù liǎo rán) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "one glance, completely clear." In use it means: Understand at a single glance; immediately and perfectly clear. 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 Snake.
Literally: "one glance, completely clear."
The reading
Some things do not require explanation because they are organized the way truth is organized: so clearly that the eye and the mind arrive at the same conclusion in the same instant. Clarity is not simplicity but honesty of structure. What can be understood in one look was built with care.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese idiom (common in classical and modern contexts)
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 Snake, Year of the Frog, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 一目瞭然 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一目瞭然 (yī mù liǎo rán) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese idiom (common in classical and modern contexts). 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 一目瞭然?
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 一目瞭然 aloud in Mandarin.