"connect the dots" in Chinese (Simplified)

• 连点成线 (字面)
• 理清思路 (引申)

Definition

将数字点连线来显现图案；引申为通过整合不同信息来理解某事。

Usage Notes (Chinese (Simplified))

字面常用于儿童益智画册，引申义常用在推理、发现背后联系的语境。表达对看似无关信息的整合与发现。

Examples

The children liked to connect the dots to make animal pictures.

孩子们喜欢**连点成线**画出动物图案。

You need to connect the dots to understand the story.

你需要**理清思路**才能理解这个故事。

Can you connect the dots and solve the puzzle?

你能**连点成线**完成这个谜题吗？

Once you connect the dots, everything suddenly makes sense.

只要你**理清思路**，一切就豁然开朗了。

Detectives have to connect the dots to figure out what happened.

侦探们需要**理清思路**才能查明真相。

At first, nothing was clear, but after I connected the dots, I realized the solution was simple.

起初一切都不明朗，但我**理清思路**后，发现解决办法很简单。