close to; to cut; to slice | middle; centre; within middle; centre; within; among; in; while (doing something); during; China; Chinese; hit (the mark) |
place where muscle and bone link; key point; crux | ||
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trad. (切中肯綮) | 切 | 中 | 肯綮 | |
simp. #(切中肯綮) | 切 | 中 | 肯綮 |
From a fable in 《莊子·養生主》. See 庖丁解牛 (páodīngjiěniú).
The modern term, which literally means "to exactly cut where muscles and bones attach", is completely opposite to the original fable's theme.
切中肯綮