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原形畢露

简原形毕露 · 繁原形畢露

Mandarin · pinyin yuán xíng bì lù

original identity fully revealed (idiom); fig. to unmask and expose the whole truth

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Characters in this entry

原: yuán · source, origin, beginning
形: xíng · form, shape, appearance
畢: Look up this written character
露: lù · dew; bare, open, exposed
毕: bì · end, finish, conclude; completed

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2–2–4–4 · yuan2 xing2 bi4 lu4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

原形畢露 · find source passages ↗ · 原形毕露 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jyun4 jing4 bat1 lou6

Cantonese word readings for 原形畢露. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to reveal one's true colors

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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