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由表及裡

简由表及里 · 繁由表及裡

Mandarin · pinyin yóu biǎo jí lǐ

to proceed from the outside to the inside
to see the essence merely by looking at the superficial appearance

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Characters in this entry

由: yóu · cause, reason; from
表: biǎo · show, express, manifest, display
及: jí · extend; reach; come up to; and
裡: Look up this written character
里: lǐ · unit of distance; village; lane; Kangxi radical 166

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

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Mandarin tones

2–3–2–3 · you2 biao3 ji2 li3

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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.

由表及裡 · find source passages ↗ · 由表及里 · find source passages ↗

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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) from the outside to the inside; from the superficial to the profound; from outward appearance to inner essence

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

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