现身说法

現身說法

xiànshēnshuōfǎ

idiom #33,306

Meanings

1 to use one's own experience as an example
2 to testify from personal experience

Characters

to appear; manifest

dharma; law; method

Examples

戒毒成功者现身说法，警示青少年。

Jièdú chénggōng zhě xiànshēnshuōfǎ, jǐngshì qīngshàonián.

Former addicts testify from personal experience to warn teenagers.

她现身说法讲述了创业的艰辛。

Tā xiànshēnshuōfǎ jiǎngshù le chuàngyè de jiānxīn.

She drew on her own experience to describe the hardships of starting a business.

老师请校友现身说法。

Lǎoshī qǐng xiàoyǒu xiànshēnshuōfǎ.

The teacher invited alumni to share from personal experience.

Tips

history

Originally Buddhist — from the 《楞严经》, where bodhisattvas appear in different forms (现身) to preach the Dharma (说法). Now secularized to mean 'teaching by personal example'.

Stroke Order

现 xiàn

身 shēn

说 shuō

法 fǎ