"Explain the profound in simple terms" means to express profound and complex truths, knowledge, or theories in plain and easily understandable language or ways, so that ordinary people can also understand them. It emphasizes that the speaker first engages in deep study and thorough understanding, and then transforms that into accessible expression, rather than simplifying things superficially. It is often used in fields such as academic popularization, teaching, speeches, and writing, and carries a commendatory tone, praising the speaker for being both professional and good at communication. Culturally, it reflects the wisdom in traditional Chinese culture of "returning from broad learning to simplicity" and "the great way is simple," and it also accords with the Confucian educational spirit of "wishing to establish oneself, one establishes others." In use, it often serves as a predicate, attributive, or adverbial, for example, "His lectures explain the profound in simple terms and are very popular." This idiom originates from the Draft History of Qing, where the original text used it to praise a scholar for being able to expound profound principles in a plain and accessible way, and later it became a fixed idiom.
📝 Example
1. This popular science writer is skilled at explaining quantum mechanics in a way that is profound yet easy to understand, so that even elementary school students can follow. (Describing the expression of profound scientific knowledge in a simple and accessible way.)
2. Professor Wang's lecture was profound yet easy to understand, combining theoretical depth with accessibility for the audience. (Describing expression that is both profound and easily comprehensible.)