# 大开眼界

dà kāi yǎn jiè

Greatly broaden your experience

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Open the scope of the eyes wide

**Traditional Chinese:** 大開眼界

**Register:** Positive · conversational

[Perspective](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/perspective)

## When to use it

Use for an experience that reveals something new or surprising.

It is positive and experiential, rather than a claim of full expertise.

## Behind the words

Eyes stand for the range of experience. The phrase makes a new encounter feel like a widening field of vision.

The widened field of vision stands for discovering unfamiliar things, possibilities, or ways of living. The idiom often expresses enthusiasm after a visit, demonstration, or encounter. It need not imply that everything new is better. The key is that the experience extends beyond what the person previously knew or expected.

## Examples

参观那家实验室，让我大开眼界。

### Traditional Chinese

參觀那家實驗室，讓我大開眼界。

cān guān nà jiā shí yàn shì ， ràng wǒ dà kāi yǎn jiè 。

Visiting that laboratory really broadened my horizons.

参观这座博物馆，让我大开眼界。

### Traditional Chinese

參觀這座博物館，讓我大開眼界。

cān guān zhè zuò bó wù guǎn ， ràng wǒ dà kāi yǎn jiè 。

Visiting the museum greatly broadened my experience.

第一次参加国际交流活动，她觉得大开眼界。

### Traditional Chinese

第一次參加國際交流活動，她覺得大開眼界。

dì yī cì cān jiā guó jì jiāo liú huó dòng ， tā jué de dà kāi yǎn jiè 。

Her first international exchange event introduced her to many new perspectives.

看了不同地区的建筑，我们大开眼界。

### Traditional Chinese

看了不同地區的建築，我們大開眼界。

kàn le bù tóng dì qū de jiàn zhù ， wǒ men dà kāi yǎn jiè 。

Seeing architecture from different regions greatly expanded what we knew.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=17349&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%A4%A7%E9%96%8B%E7%9C%BC%E7%95%8C)

## Keep exploring

- [大名鼎鼎 dà míng dǐng dǐng Be widely renowned ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/da-ming-ding-ding)

- [大千世界 dà qiān shì jiè The vast and richly varied world ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/da-qian-shi-jie)

- [大同小异 dà tóng xiǎo yì Mostly alike with minor differences ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/da-tong-xiao-yi)

- [大智若愚 dà zhì ruò yú Appear unassuming despite profound wisdom ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/da-zhi-ruo-yu)

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