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入木三分

rùmùsānfēn
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

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

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