闻一知二 — “To understand a great deal from hearing only a little”
闻一知二 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to understand a great deal from hearing only a little”. To be quick-witted and capable of drawing inferences. Literally, “Hear one, know two”.
闻一知二 Pronunciation and Pinyin
闻一知二 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 闻一知二
Origin and Story of 闻一知二
During the Spring and Autumn period, Zigong, a prominent disciple of Confucius, was known for his eloquence and diplomatic skills. When Tian Chang of Qi planned to attack Lu, Confucius sent Zigong to persuade him. Zigong successfully stirred up conflicts between Qi, Wu, and Jin, thereby saving Lu from war.
Later, Confucius asked Zigong whether he or Yan Hui was superior. Zigong humbly replied that Yan Hui could 'hear one and understand ten' (闻一知十), while he himself could only 'hear one and understand two' (闻一知二).
Idioms Related to 闻一知二
Synonyms of 闻一知二
More idioms starting with 闻
- wén闻míng名bù不rú如jiàn见miàn面seeing is believing
- wén闻míng名sàng丧dǎn胆strike terror into hearts
- wén闻míng名xiá遐ěr迩famous far and near
- wén闻yē噎fèi废shí食give up due to minor fear
- wén闻shēng声xiāng相sī思long for someone based on reputation
- wén闻chǒng宠ruò若jīng惊overwhelmed by an unexpected favor
- wén闻suǒ所bù不wén闻hear something unprecedented
- wén闻suǒ所wèi未wén闻unprecedented and unheard of
- wén闻róng融dūn敦hòu厚gentle, sincere, and tolerant
- wén闻guò过zé则xǐ喜gladly accept criticism
- wén闻léi雷shī失zhù箸feign surprise to hide true feelings
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Open the tool →Questions about 闻一知二
What does 闻一知二 mean?
闻一知二 (wén yī zhī èr) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to understand a great deal from hearing only a little”.
How do you pronounce 闻一知二?
闻一知二 is pronounced wén yī zhī èr in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 闻一知二 literally mean?
Literally, 闻一知二 means “Hear one, know two”. It is used to mean “to understand a great deal from hearing only a little”.
Where does 闻一知二 come from?
闻一知二 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 闻一知二?
听到一点就能理解很多。形容善于类推。