网开一面 — “Net open one side”
网开一面 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to show leniency or mercy, often by deliberately leaving a way out or giving someone a second chance, rather than enforcing strict rules or consequences; to give a broad margin”. Literally, “net open one side”.
网开一面 Pronunciation and Pinyin
网开一面 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 网开一面
Origin and Story of 网开一面
In the early years of the Shang Dynasty, King Tang went out and saw a man in the wilderness setting up nets on all four sides to catch animals.
The man prayed to heaven, saying, 'May all creatures from the four directions of the world enter my net.'
King Tang smiled and said, 'That's enough.' He then ordered three sides of the net to be removed, saying, 'Those who wish to go left, go left; those who wish to go right, go right; let only those who choose to enter, fall into the net.'
When the feudal lords heard about this, they praised King Tang for his great virtue, noting that he could attract everything naturally, without force.
Idioms Related to 网开一面
Synonyms of 网开一面
Antonyms of 网开一面
More idioms starting with 网
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Open the tool →Questions about 网开一面
What does 网开一面 mean?
网开一面 (wǎng kāi yī miàn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to show leniency or mercy, often by deliberately leaving a way out or giving someone a second chance, rather than enforcing strict rules or consequences; to give a broad margin”.
How do you pronounce 网开一面?
网开一面 is pronounced wǎng kāi yī miàn in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 网开一面 literally mean?
Literally, 网开一面 means “net open one side”. It is used to mean “to show leniency or mercy, often by deliberately leaving a way out or giving someone a second chance, rather than enforcing strict rules or consequences; to give a broad margin”.
Where does 网开一面 come from?
网开一面 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to the modern era. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 网开一面?
把捕禽的网撤去三面，只留一面。比喻采取宽大态度，给人一条出路。