clue; thread; beginning
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
clue; thread; beginning of a matter
literaryUsed in formal or literary contexts to describe the initial lead, clue, or logical thread of a complex situation. Often appears in negative constructions like '毫无端绪' (completely without a clue).
Tán谈
le了
bàn半
tiān天
，
réng仍
rán然
háo毫
wú无
duān端
xù绪
。
We talked for a long time, but there was still no clue whatsoever.
Miàn面
duì对
zhè这
tuán团
luàn乱
má麻
，
tā他
zhǎo找
bù不
dào到
sī丝
háo毫
duān端
xù绪
。
Facing this tangled mess, he couldn't find the slightest thread to follow.
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Shì事
qing情
de的
duān端
xù绪
jiàn渐
jiàn渐
míng明
lǎng朗
qǐ起
lái来
。
The beginnings of the matter gradually became clear.
Zhè这
piān篇
wén文
zhāng章
jié结
gòu构
hùn混
luàn乱
，
duān端
xù绪
bù不
qīng清
，
ràng让
rén人
nán难
yǐ以
lí理
jiě解
。
This article is structurally chaotic with unclear threads, making it difficult to understand.