點睛之筆
简 点睛之笔 · 繁 點睛之筆Meanings
- the brush stroke that dots in the eyes (idiom); fig. to add the vital finishing touch
- the crucial point that brings the subject to life
- a few words to clinch the point
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Mandarin tones
3–1–1–3 · dian3 jing1 zhi1 bi3
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
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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.
點睛之筆 · find source passages ↗ · 点睛之笔 · find source passages ↗
Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
dim2 zing1 zi1 bat1
Cantonese word readings for 點睛之筆. 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) the finishing touch to a painting; the crucial point that brings the subject to life
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
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