mysterious upon mysterious; extremely abstruse; profound and mystical
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesidiom
mysterious and profound; the gateway to all subtleties
literaryOriginal meaning from Chapter 1 of the Dao De Jing (Laozi), describing the nature of the Dao as doubly mysterious and the gateway to all wonders. Used in philosophical or literary contexts.
The Daodejing states: "Mysterious upon mysterious, the gateway to all subtleties."
Daoist thought is profoundly mystical, not something shallow scholars can hope to grasp.
idiom
extremely mysterious and abstruse; difficult to understand
formalModern usage derived from the Laozi passage, used to describe theories, ideas, or language that is overly complex, vague, or impossible to comprehend. Can carry a slightly negative connotation of being unnecessarily complicated.
The theories he talked about were so abstruse that nobody could understand them.
This philosophical work is written in such a mysterious and profound way that ordinary readers can hardly comprehend it.
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Don't make those simple principles sound so mysterious and incomprehensible.