CHENGYU
一针见血(yī zhēn jiàn xiě)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- neutral, approving
- Source:
- 毛泽东《反对党八股》
MEANING
- Literal
- to draw blood with one prick of the needle
- Figurative meaning
- to hit the nail on the head; to pinpoint the issue
ORIGIN STORY
The image is medical: a single insertion of the needle finds the vein at once. The phrase took root in modern Chinese prose — most famously Mao Zedong's essays on writing — to praise a remark that strikes straight to the heart of the matter.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“to hit the nail on the head”
EXAMPLES
他一句话就说中了要害，真是一针见血。Tā yí jù huà jiù shuō zhòng le yàohài, zhēn shì yī zhēn jiàn xiě.HSK6
His single sentence struck the vital point — the needle drew blood at once.
这位评论家的分析一针见血。Zhè wèi pínglùnjiā de fēnxī yī zhēn jiàn xiě.HSK6
The critic's analysis hits the nail on the head.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: Note the reading: 血 is xiě here. It is about sharp accuracy, not about being hurtful.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01