追根究底 zhuī gēn jiū dǐ get to the bottom of things

Explanation

指追究事情的根源，弄清事情的来龙去脉。

To investigate the root of a matter and clarify the ins and outs.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有一位名叫李白的诗仙，他非常喜爱探索事物的真相，有一天，他在长安城里散步时，看到路边有一位老农正在辛勤地耕种。李白心中一动，决定要和这位老农好好聊聊。他走上前去，向老农问好，并开始询问老农种植的经验，以及这块土地的历史。老农娓娓道来，讲述了这块土地从荒凉到肥沃，从贫瘠到富饶的沧桑变化，以及历代农民的辛勤付出。李白听得津津有味，不断追问，从土壤的成分到气候的变化，从种植的技术到收成的多少，他都刨根问底，弄个明白。老农被李白的求知欲所感动，也更加详细地讲述了自己的经验。李白听得越多，就越感叹农业的艰辛与伟大。他将老农的经验与自己的诗歌创作结合起来，创作了许多关于农村生活的佳作。从此，李白对农民的辛勤劳动有了更深的认识，也更加敬佩农民的朴实与勤劳。

huà shuō Táng cháo shíqī, yǒu yī wèi míng jiào Lǐ Bái de shī xiān, tā fēicháng xǐ'ài tàn suǒ shìwù de zhēnxiàng, yǒu yī tiān, tā zài Cháng'ān chéng lǐ sànbù shí, kàn dào lù biān yǒu yī wèi lǎo nóng zhèng zài xīnqín de gēng zhòng。Lǐ Bái xīnzhōng yī dòng, juédìng yào hé zhè wèi lǎo nóng hǎo hǎo liáo liáo。tā zǒu shàng qián qù, xiàng lǎo nóng wènhǎo, bìng kāishǐ xúnwèn lǎo nóng zhòngzhí de jīngyàn, yǐjí zhè kuài tǔdì de lìshǐ。lǎo nóng wěi wěi dào lái, jiǎngshù le zhè kuài tǔdì cóng huāngliáng dào féiwò, cóng pínjí dào fùráo de cāng sāng biànhuà, yǐjí lìdài nóngmín de xīnqín fùchū。Lǐ Bái tīng de jīnjīnyǒuwèi, bùduàn zhuīwèn, cóng tǔrǎng de chéngfèn dào qìhòu de biànhuà, cóng zhòngzhí de jìshù dào shōuchéng de duōshǎo, tā dōu páo gēn wèndǐ, nòng ge míngbai。lǎo nóng bèi Lǐ Bái de qiúzhīyù suǒ gǎndòng, yě gèng jiā xiángxì de jiǎngshù le zìjǐ de jīngyàn。Lǐ Bái tīng de yuè duō, jiù yuè gǎntàn nóngyè de jiānxīn yǔ wěidà。tā jiāng lǎo nóng de jīngyàn yǔ zìjǐ de shīgē chuàngzuò jiéhé qǐlái, chuàngzuò le xǔduō guānyú nóngcūn shēnghuó de jiāzuò。cóngcǐ, Lǐ Bái duì nóngmín de xīnqín láodòng yǒu le gèng shēn de rènshí, yě gèng jiā jìngpèi nóngmín de pǔshí yǔ qínláo。

It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li Bai, who loved to explore the truth of things very much. One day, while walking in Chang'an City, he saw an old farmer working diligently in the field. Li Bai was moved and decided to have a good chat with the old farmer. He walked up to the old farmer, greeted him, and started to ask about his farming experiences, and the history of the land. The old farmer began to talk about the changes of this piece of land, from barren to fertile, from poor to rich, and about the hard work of the farmers throughout the generations. Li Bai listened with great interest, and kept asking questions, from the components of the soil to changes in the climate, from the techniques of farming to the amount of harvest, he investigated into everything, till he completely understood. The old farmer was touched by Li Bai's thirst for knowledge, and started to describe his experiences even more thoroughly. The more Li Bai listened, the more he admired the hardship and greatness of agriculture. He combined the old farmer's experiences with his own poetry, and created many masterpieces on rural life. From then on, Li Bai had a deeper understanding of the farmers' hard work, and admired their simplicity and diligence even more.

Usage

通常用作谓语、宾语、状语；形容对事情追究到底。

tōngcháng yòng zuò wèiyǔ, bǐnyǔ, zhuàngyǔ; xiángróng duì shìqíng zhuījiù dàodǐ。

Usually used as a predicate, object, or adverbial; describes the thorough investigation of a matter.

Examples

• 记者追根究底地采访当事人，终于查清了事件的真相。

  jìzhě zhuīgēnjiūdǐ de cǎifǎng dāngshìrén, zhōngyú cháqīng le shìjiàn de zhēnxiàng。

  The reporter interviewed the person involved in detail and finally found out the truth of the event.

• 他对这起案件追根究底，最终找到了关键证据。

  tā duì zhè qǐ ànjiàn zhuīgēnjiūdǐ, zuìzhōng zhǎodào le guānjiàn zhèngjù。

  He investigated the case thoroughly and finally found key evidence.

• 历史学家们追根究底地研究古代文明，取得了丰硕的成果。

  lìshǐxuéjiā men zhuīgēnjiūdǐ de yánjiū gǔdài wénmíng, qǔdé le fēngshuò de chéngguǒ。

  Historians have studied ancient civilizations in detail, achieving fruitful results.

Related Idioms

• 追本溯源

• 刨根问底

Opposite Idioms

• 浅尝辄止

• 敷衍塞责