醍醐灌顶
tí hú guàn dǐng
a sudden flash of understanding; to be enlightened by wise words
Character by character
醍tí
clarified
clarified
醐hú
butter
butter
灌guàn
pour on
pour on
顶dǐng
crown
crown
Example
老师的一句话让我如醍醐灌顶，一下子明白了问题在哪儿。
One remark from my teacher was a revelation: I saw at once where the problem lay.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
醍醐 is the purest clarified butter, which Buddhist texts compare to the highest teaching; 灌顶 is a rite of pouring water on the head. Usually 如醍醐灌顶 or 有醍醐灌顶之感; a little literary.
Learn this in Lesson 90 · HSK 6–7: 佛教来到中国 (How Buddhism became Chinese)
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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