Definition
一五一十 is a fixed expression (chengyu) that literally refers to counting by fives and tens — as when tallying on your fingers. The idiomatic meaning is to narrate something from start to finish in full detail, without leaving anything out. You'll hear it with verbs like 说, 讲, 交代, and it usually takes 地 before the verb.
f.e.
in full detailsystematically (to narrate, tell, or report)to count by fives or tens
Examples
- 一五一十。Tā bǎ shìqing de jīngguò yī wǔ yī shí de jiǎng le yí biàn.He told the whole story from beginning to end.
- 一五一十。Tā xiàng jǐngchá yī wǔ yī shí de jiāodài le nà tiān wǎnshang de qíngkuàng.She reported to the police in full detail what happened that night.
- 一五一十。Xiǎo shíhou nǎinai jiào wǒ yī wǔ yī shí de shǔ qián.When I was little, my grandma taught me to count money by fives and tens.
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