The literal meaning of "yī mù shí háng" is that the eyes can read ten lines of text at a single glance, describing extremely fast reading speed and strong memory. This idiom originates from The Book of Liang: Annals of Emperor Jianwen, which records that Emperor Jianwen, Xiao Gang, "read ten lines at once," and later evolved into "yī mù shí háng." It is often used in a commendatory sense, praising a person for being quick-witted and widely learned, especially for reading rapidly while grasping the key points. In cultural background, under the ancient imperial examination system, scholars needed to read classics extensively, and rapid reading ability was regarded as a kind of talent, so this idiom also carries admiration for learning and wisdom. When used, it can describe someone's astonishing reading speed, or slightly exaggerate the speed of browsing. In emotional coloring, it is mostly used for admiration and praise, and occasionally for neutral description, such as quickly flipping through materials. It should be noted that it emphasizes the efficiency of reading ten lines at a glance, rather than careless skimming, so it is essentially different from "bù qiú shèn jiě."
📝 Example
1. He has the ability to read ten lines at a glance, finishing a three-hundred-page novel in less than two hours. (Describing extremely fast reading speed.)
2. In an era of information explosion, we need to learn to skim through content quickly to filter out what is important, rather than reading word by word. (Describing rapid browsing and extraction of key information.)