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眼光紙背に徹す (がんこうしはいにてっす) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

眼がん光こう紙し背はいに徹てっす

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-su)

read between the lines

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic expression meaning to perceive the deeper meaning or hidden implications in a text. Often used in literary or formal contexts.

See also: 眼光紙背に徹する

彼かれの文ぶん章しょうは簡かん潔けつだが、眼がん光こう紙し背はいに徹てっす読どく者しゃに

は

深ふか

い

意味み

が

伝つた

わる

。

His writing is concise, but readers who can read between the lines will grasp the deeper meaning.

Kanji

眼eyeball
光ray, light
紙paper
背stature, height, back
徹penetrate, clear, pierce

Similar words

行ぎょう間かんを読よむ
A more common and neutral expression for 'reading between the lines', while 眼光紙背に徹す is a formal, literary idiom.

Etymology

The expression derives from classical Chinese literary criticism, where 'eyesight penetrating to the back of the paper' metaphorically describes a reader's ability to see beyond the surface of a text.