Chinese Idiom: 耳熟能详 (Er Shu Neng Xiang)
English Translation: Familiar enough to recount in detail
pīn yīn: ěr shú néng xiáng
Idiom Meaning: This idiom refers to something that has been heard so often that one can recount it in detail.
Historical Source: Ouyang Xiu’s work “Liangong Qianbiao” (《泷风阡表》), written during the Northern Song Dynasty.
Idiom Story:
“Liangong Qianbiao” was a tomb inscription composed by Ouyang Xiu in the third year of the Xining era (1070 AD) for his father, Ouyang Guan, who had passed away sixty years earlier. The tomb inscription serves to narrate the deeds of the deceased and praise his virtues.
Ouyang Xiu lost his father at the age of four and was raised and educated by his mother. When he wrote the tombstone, he relied heavily on the stories and lessons his mother shared about his father’s character and deeds. His mother often recounted how his father served as a public official in various regions and emphasized his integrity and kindness. She noted, “Your father was a clean and generous official who enjoyed hospitality. Though his salary was meager, he never allowed it to accumulate, saying, ‘Do not let money burden me.’ Thus, he left behind neither a house nor a piece of land.”
His mother also recounted how his father, when serving as a judge, would often work late into the night to handle cases, showing compassion for the lower-class individuals who had violated laws. If he could not find a way to lessen their punishment, he would sigh deeply over the case files.
She would tell Ouyang Xiu, “Providing for one’s parents doesn’t have to be lavish; what matters is filial piety. You may not be able to share your wealth broadly, but what’s important is to have a heart full of kindness and benevolence. I cannot teach you this; just understand that this is your father’s wish.”
Ouyang Xiu’s mother recalled these teachings so clearly because his father often used these phrases while educating other children. She said, “Because he often taught other children these lessons, I heard them so frequently that I can recount them in detail.”
Over time, this expression evolved into the idiom “耳熟能详”, which emphasizes familiarity through repetition, allowing one to recount the details with ease.
