Definition
This four-character idiom (chengyu) literally refers to the 'coming dragon and going vein' in feng shui topography. Figuratively, it means the complete background, sequence of events, or cause-and-effect chain of a matter — the full story from start to finish. It is commonly used with 的 after it, e.g., 事情的来龙去脉.
idiom
the whole sequence of eventsthe full story from start to finishcauses and effects
Examples
- 来龙去脉。Tā huā le jǐ gè zhōngtóu jiù bǎ zhè jiàn shì de lái lóng qù mài chá qīngchu le.He spent just a few hours investigating the whole story of this matter.
- 来龙去脉，。Nǐ xiān bǎ shìqing de lái lóng qù mài shuō yī biàn, wǒmen zài tǎolùn zěnme chǔlǐ.First explain the whole sequence of events, then we'll discuss how to handle it.
- 来龙去脉，。Rúguǒ bù liǎojiě shìgù de lái lóng qù mài, hěn nán pànduàn zérèn fāng.Without understanding the full background of the accident, it's hard to determine responsibility.
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