恍然大悟

huǎng rán dà wù

HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

Definitions

1. to suddenly realize
2. to suddenly see the light

Word relationships

Antonyms

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• 迷惑不解 mí huò bù jiě 迷惑不解 mí huò bù jiě to feel puzzled 形容完全不明白: to feel puzzled

Related words

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• 觉醒 jué xǐng 觉醒 jué xǐng to awaken 从迷惑中醒悟，强调意识变化: to awaken

Synonyms

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• 茅塞顿开 máo sè dùn kāi 茅塞顿开 máo sè dùn kāi murky darkness suddenly opens (idiom); a sudden flash of insight and all is clear 比喻忽然明白，多用于积极语境: murky darkness suddenly opens (idiom); a sudden flash of insight and all is clear

Usage notes

Collocations

Often used with 才: 我才恍然大悟 (only then did I suddenly realize).

Common mistakes

The subject must be animate (e.g., a person), not an abstract noun or event.

Example Sentences

1 shown

听完他的解释，我才 恍然大悟 。

After listening to his explanation, I suddenly understood.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 恍然大悟

• 大 大 dà: big; large; great
• 大 大 dài: see 大夫[dài fu]
• 大悟 大悟 dà wù: Dawu county in Xiaogan 孝感[xiào gǎn], Hubei
• 恍 恍 huǎng: disappointed
• 恍然 恍然 huǎng rán: suddenly (understand sth)
• 悟 悟 wù: to comprehend
• 然 然 rán: correct