入木三分 Rù mù sān fēn penetrate three points into the wood

Explanation

形容书法笔力深厚，也比喻对事物的分析透彻深刻。

Describes the profound skill of calligraphy, and is also used to describe the thorough and insightful analysis of things.

Origin Story

东晋著名书法家王羲之，从小酷爱书法，勤学苦练。一次，他挥毫泼墨，在木板上写字，笔力遒劲，字迹深透木板三分。木匠在雕刻时发现，大为赞叹。后来，人们便用"入木三分"来形容书法笔力深厚，也比喻对事物的分析透彻深刻。

dōng jìn zhùmíng shūfājiā wáng xī zhī, cóng xiǎo kù ài shūfǎ, qín xué kǔ liàn. yī cì, tā huī háo pō mò, zài mù bǎn shang xiě zì, bǐ lì qiú jìng, zì jī shēn tòu mù bǎn sān fēn. mù jiàng zài diāokè shí fā xiàn, dà wèi zàntàn. hòu lái, rénmen biàn yòng "rù mù sān fēn" lái xiángróng shūfǎ bǐ lì shēn hòu, yě bǐ yù duì shìwù de fēnxī tòuchè shēnkè.

Wang Xizhi, a famous calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, loved calligraphy since childhood and practiced diligently.Once, he wrote on a wooden board with powerful brushstrokes, the characters penetrating the wood three points deep. The carpenter found this when carving, and greatly admired it.Later, people used "rù mù sān fēn" to describe calligraphy with powerful brushstrokes, but also to describe the thorough and insightful analysis of things.

Usage

用于形容对事物的分析深刻透彻，也用于形容书法笔力雄健。

yòng yú xiángróng duì shìwù de fēnxī shēnkè tòuchè, yě yòng yú xiángróng shūfǎ bǐ lì xióngjiàn.

Used to describe the insightful and thorough analysis of things, but also to describe the powerful brushwork in calligraphy.

Examples

• 他的文章写得入木三分，令人赞叹不已。

  tā de wénzhāng xiě de rù mù sān fēn, lìng rén zàntàn bù yǐ.

  His article is insightful and impressive.

• 这篇评论入木三分，指出了问题的实质。

  zhè piān pínglùn rù mù sān fēn, zhǐ chū le wèntí de shízhì

  This comment is insightful and points to the core of the problem.

Related Idioms

• 力透纸背

• 笔走龙蛇

Opposite Idioms

• 粗枝大叶

• 浮光掠影