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入木三分

rùmù-sānfēn
idiom #59,238

Meanings

  1. 1 to penetrate three-tenths of an inch into the wood
  2. 2 incisive; penetrating (of writing, analysis, or criticism)

Examples

HSK 5
他对社会现象的分析入木三分。
Tā duì shèhuì xiànxiàng de fēnxī rùmù-sānfēn.
His analysis of social phenomena is incisive.
HSK 5
她对人物性格的刻画入木三分。
Tā duì rénwù xìnggé de kèhuà rùmù-sānfēn.
Her depiction of the character's personality cuts right to the bone.
HSK 7-9
这篇评论写得入木三分，让人拍案叫绝。
Zhè piān pínglùn xiě de rùmù-sānfēn, ràng rén pāi'àn-jiàojué.
This review is so piercing you want to slam the table in applause.

Tips

history
From Zhang Huaiguan's Tang-dynasty treatise 《书断·王羲之》: when calligrapher Wang Xizhi wrote a ceremonial tablet, the carvers planing the wood found his ink had soaked three 分 deep (笔入木三分). Originally a note on brush force, later extended to any writing or analysis that 'cuts deep.'

Stroke Order

入 rù
木 mù
三 sān
分 fēn