一斑

yìbān
noun #56,788

Meanings

  1. 1 one spot (on a leopard)
  2. 2 a small part that reveals the whole

Examples

HSK 5
Tā gōngzuò yǒu duō rènzhēn, cóng zhè jiàn xiǎoshì shàng jiù kějiàn yìbān.
How conscientious he is at work shows in this one small matter.
HSK 7-9
Zhèxiē lǎo zhàopiàn ràng wǒmen déyǐ kuījiàn nàge niándài de yìbān.
These old photos give us a glimpse of what that era was like.

Tips

history
From 《世说新语》: when the young 王献之 commented on a game, the retainers watching brushed him off with 管中窥豹,时见一斑 'he looks at a leopard through a tube and now and then sees one spot'.
usage
Almost always in 可见一斑 or 略见一斑: 'this alone gives a glimpse of the whole'.

Stroke Order

一 yī
斑 bān