豁然开朗

豁然開朗

huòrán-kāilǎng

idiom #32,813

Meanings

1 to suddenly open up to a wide vista
2 (fig.) to suddenly see the light; to be enlightened all at once

Characters

open wide; to clear

(suffix: -ly, in such a way)

Examples

走出山洞，眼前豁然开朗。

Zǒuchū shāndòng, yǎnqián huòrán-kāilǎng.

Stepping out of the cave, a vast scene opened up before us.

老师一解释，我豁然开朗。

Lǎoshī yì jiěshì, wǒ huòrán-kāilǎng.

The moment the teacher explained it, everything suddenly became clear to me.

读完这段文字，他感到豁然开朗。

Dú wán zhè duàn wénzì, tā gǎndào huòrán-kāilǎng.

Having read that passage, he felt a sudden clarity.

Tips

history

From Tao Yuanming's Jin-dynasty 《桃花源记》 (The Peach Blossom Spring): 初极狭，才通人。复行数十步，豁然开朗 - the fisherman squeezes through a narrow opening and emerges into the utopian village. The idiom preserves both senses: a literal wide panorama and the mental 'opening up' that follows.

usage

Works equally for a physical view opening up and for a sudden intellectual insight. Subject is usually the viewer/understander (人 + 豁然开朗) or the scene (眼前/景色 + 豁然开朗).

Stroke Order

豁 huō

然 rán

开 kāi

朗 lǎng