乍一看…，（细看）才发现…
at first glance …; only on a closer look …
Structure
乍一看 第一印象 ， （走近／细看／仔细一比） 才发现 真实情况
What it means
Sets a first impression against the truth found on a closer look; the first impression is often the opposite of reality. 乍 means “at first, suddenly”.
How it is built
乍一看 (or 乍看, 乍一听) + first impression，细看／走近一看／仔细一想 + 才发现／其实／原来 + the truth: 乍一看一模一样，仔细一比才发现少了一棵树 (identical at first glance, but one is missing a tree).
When to use it
Works in speech and in writing, for places, people, pictures or ideas that turn out different from how they first seemed.
Watch out
The second half must turn to the truth (才发现, 其实, 原来); without it the sentence feels unfinished. Don't add 一下: ✗乍看一下 ✓乍一看.
Examples
乍一看，这里一点儿也不像清真寺，走进去细看才发现处处是伊斯兰教的印记。
At first glance it looks nothing like a mosque; only when you go in and look closely do you find the marks of Islam everywhere.
这两张照片乍一看一模一样，仔细一比才发现右边那张少了一棵树。
At first glance the two photos are identical; only when you compare them carefully do you see that the one on the right has a tree missing.
他乍一看挺严肃，接触久了才发现是个很幽默的人。
At first sight he seems quite stern; only after you have known him a while do you find he is very funny.
Learn this in Lesson 246 · HSK 9+: 西安的清真大寺 (The Great Mosque of Xi’an)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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