呼之欲出
hū zhī yù chū
so lifelike it seems ready to step out when called; (of an answer or the truth) about to come out
Character by character
呼hū
call
call
之zhī
it
it
欲yù
about to
about to
出chū
come out
come out
Example
证据一条条摆出来，谁是真正的凶手已经呼之欲出。
As the evidence was laid out point by point, it was all but plain who the real killer was.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Two uses. Of art and writing, praise for a portrait or character so lifelike it seems about to answer when called (画中人物呼之欲出). In news, very commonly, of a result, answer or truth about to be revealed: 真相呼之欲出, 答案呼之欲出. It usually ends a clause.
Learn this in Lesson 165 · HSK 7–9: 辽西的带毛恐龙 (The feathered dinosaurs of Liaoning)
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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