consummate skill; supreme proficiency
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to be so skilled that one sees only the gaps between bones and not the whole ox; to have achieved supreme mastery in one's craft
literaryDerived from the story of Cook Ding in the Zhuangzi ('Yangshengzhu' chapter), who after three years of practice no longer saw the whole ox but only its anatomical structure, allowing him to butcher with effortless precision. Used to praise complete mastery of a skill.
Zhè这
wèi位
lǎo老
jì技
shī师
cāo操
zuò作
jī机
qì器
mù目
wú无
quán全
niú牛
，
měi每
yī一
gè个
dòng动
zuò作
dōu都
jīng精
zhǔn准
wú无
bǐ比
。
This veteran technician operates the machine with supreme mastery; every movement is incredibly precise.
Jīng经
guò过
duō多
nián年
de的
liàn练
xí习
，
tā他
duì对
gāng钢
qín琴
de的
yǎn演
zòu奏
yǐ已
jīng经
mù目
wú无
quán全
niú牛
。
After years of practice, his piano performance has reached a level of consummate skill.
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Zhè这
wèi位
wài外
kē科
yī医
shēng生
zuò做
shǒu手
shù术
mù目
wú无
quán全
niú牛
，
jì技
shù术
jīng精
zhàn湛
。
This surgeon operates with such mastery that he sees only the anatomy, not the whole; his technique is superb.
Tā他
cóng从
shì事
diāo雕
kè刻
gōng工
zuò作
sān三
shí十
zǎi载
，
zǎo早
yǐ已
dá达
dào到
mù目
wú无
quán全
niú牛
de的
jìng境
jiè界
。
Having worked in carving for thirty years, he has long ago reached the realm of seeing only the structure, not the whole.