犀角烛怪 — “Describes profound”

犀角烛怪 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes profound”. Insightful, or penetrating writing, commentary, or discourse that reveals hidden truths or delves deeply into complex matters, much like a rhinoceros horn illuminating the unseen. Literally, “Rhinoceros horn illuminating monsters”.

Frequency

犀角烛怪 Pronunciation and Pinyin

犀角烛怪 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
犀	xī	12	rhinoceros, sharp, telepathy
角	jiǎo	7	horn, corner, angle, role, dime
烛	zhú	10	Candle; illuminate; perceive clearly
怪	guài	8	strange, wonder, monster, blame

Example Sentence with 犀角烛怪

他的评论犀角烛怪，总能洞察事物本质，令人茅塞顿开。

His commentary is remarkably insightful, always able to penetrate the essence of things and enlighten people.

Origin and Story of 犀角烛怪

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, a scholar named Wen Jiao visited Niuzhuji. The water there was incredibly deep, and legends spoke of numerous water monsters inhabiting its depths.

Wen Jiao lit a rhinoceros horn, using its light to peer into the murky water. To his astonishment, the underwater world became brightly illuminated, revealing an array of bizarre creatures: some rode in carriages, others were clad in red garments.

That night, Wen Jiao dreamt of a person who angrily reproached him for using the rhinoceros horn to disturb their hidden world. The very next day, he suffered a severe toothache. After having a tooth extracted, he was struck by a stroke and passed away less than ten days after returning to his town.