明若觀火

Chinese

	clear; bright; to understand clear; bright; to understand; next; the Ming dynasty	to seem; like; as to seem; like; as; if	to look at; to watch; to observe to look at; to watch; to observe; to behold; Taoist monastery	fire; angry; fierce fire; angry; fierce; fiery; thriving
trad. (明若觀火)	明	若	觀	火
simp. (明若观火)	明	若	观	火
Literally: “bright as seeing a fire”.

Etymology

From the Book of Documents, mid-first millennium BCE, quoting King Pan Geng (reigned c. 1290–1263 BCE), in a speech reproaching his vassals for opposing his efforts to relocate the capital:

今汝聒聒，起信險膚，予弗知乃所訟。非予自荒茲德，惟汝含德，不惕予一人。予若觀火，予亦拙謀作乃逸。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

今汝聒聒，起信险肤，予弗知乃所讼。非予自荒兹德，惟汝含德，不惕予一人。予若观火，予亦拙谋作乃逸。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Documents, circa 7^th – 4^th centuries BCE

Jīn rǔ guōguō, qǐ xìn xiǎn fū, yǔ fú zhī nǎi suǒ sòng. Fēi yǔ zì huāng zī dé, wéi rǔ hán dé, bù tì yǔ yīrén. Yǔ ruò guānhuǒ, yǔ yì zhuōmóu zuò nǎi yì. [Pinyin]

Now, [however], you keep clamouring, and get the confidence [of the people] by alarming and shallow speeches; I do not know what you are wrangling about. [In this movement of the capital] I am not myself abandoning my proper virtue, but you conceal the goodness of my intentions, and do not stand in awe of me, the One man. I see you as clearly as one sees a fire; but I, likewise, by my undecided plans, have produced your error.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): míngruòguānhuǒ
(Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄍㄨㄢㄏㄨㄛˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): ming⁴ joek⁶ gun¹ fo²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: míngruòguānhuǒ
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄍㄨㄢㄏㄨㄛˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: míngruòguanhuǒ
  - Wade–Giles: ming²-jo⁴-kuan¹-huo³
  - Yale: míng-rwò-gwān-hwǒ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mingruohguanhuoo
  - Palladius: минжогуаньхо (minžoguanʹxo)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /miŋ³⁵ ʐwɔ⁵¹ kwän⁵⁵ xwɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: ming⁴ joek⁶ gun¹ fo²
  - Yale: mìhng yeuhk gūn fó
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ming⁴ joek⁹ gun¹ fo²
  - Guangdong Romanization: ming⁴ yêg⁶ gun¹ fo²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɪŋ²¹ jœːk̚² kuːn⁵⁵ fɔː³⁵/

Idiom

明若觀火

to be clearly evident; to be as clear as day
Synonym: 洞若觀火／洞若观火 (dòngruòguānhuǒ)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (明若觀火):

→ Korean: 명약관화(明若觀火) (myeong'yakgwanhwa)

Others:

→ Japanese: (calque) 火(ひ)を見(み)るよりも明(あき)らかだ (hi o miru yori mo akiraka da)
→ Korean: 불 보듯 뻔하다 (bul bodeut ppeonhada), 불 보듯 훤하다 (bul bodeut hwonhada) (calque) (calque)

Korean

Hanja in this term
明	若	觀	火

Noun

明若觀火 • (myeong'yakgwanhwa) (hangeul 명약관화)

Hanja form^? of 명약관화 (“being clearly evident”).