Definition
一斑 literally means 'one spot' or 'one speck', but in modern Chinese it's almost always used in the chengyu 可见一斑 ('one can see a spot — i.e., a small sample reveals the whole'). The concept is that a single small part can hint at the nature of the whole, like seeing one spot on a leopard and inferring the pattern. You'll encounter it in formal or literary writing, not casual conversation.
n.
one spota small part that hints at the whole (chiefly in the set phrase 可见一斑)
Examples
- ，一斑。Cóng tā de fǎnyìng, kě jiàn yī bān.From his reaction, one can see a small part of the whole picture.
- ，一斑。Zhè jiàn shì suīrán xiǎo, dàn kě jiàn yī bān.Although this matter is small, it reveals a glimpse of the bigger situation.
- 一斑，。Zhǐ kàn yī bān, jiù néng cāi dào quán mào.Just by seeing one spot, you can guess the whole picture.
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