图穷匕现Tú Qióng Bǐ Xiàn

When the Map is Unrolled, the Dagger is Revealed

The Scheme is Revealed at the End

图穷匕现

图[ 圖

]tú

囗 weí [encompass] and 啚 bǐ .[granary] Simplified form uses 冬 dōng. [winter - 冫 bīng [cold - pictograph of ice crystals] (phonetic) end of year]] → tú [scheme, plan, picture, drawing, graph, map]

图穷匕现

穷[ 窮

]qióng

躬 gōng (phonetic)[bent over - 身 shēn [body] bent 弓 gōng [bow-like] (phonetic) --> (to) bow]

in a 穴 xuè. [hole]

→ qióng [poor, limit]

Simplified form uses 力 lì [strength, power]

图穷匕现

匕 bǐ

人 ren [person]

turned around.

→ bǐ [dagger] (short form of 匕首 bī shǒu)

Early form of 比 bǐ [compare].

Also used to represent a spoon or other object.

图穷匕现

现[ 現

]xiàn

玉 yù [jade]

見 jiàn (phonetic).[visible]

→ xiàn [current, present]

图穷匕现

• English version• Usage• VideoSources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpVOdSsfYdk http://www.zhongwen.com

http://www.hanyu.com.cn/En/htm_idioms/tuqiongbixian.htm

图穷匕现