<p>松了口气=(literally) to get my lung exhausted=to finally relax</p>

<p>如释重负=(literally) just like having uninstalled a heavy burden=to finally relax</p>

<p>Other expressions include</p>

<p>拨开云雾见太阳=拨云见日（short form）=(literally) to wipe away clouds and fog to see the sun=to feel happy after a catastrophe (metaphor or literally)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-20T21:17:14.223Z
2013-12-26T04:03:46.417Z
2013-12-26T04:03:46.417Z
Joseph S WU
<p>恍然大悟 &lt;= you understood something finally</p>

<p>善始善终 &lt;= you have a good start and a good end of a non-trivial task</p>

<p>松了口气 &lt;= relief</p>

<p>释然     &lt;= .... um .... also relief .... but written in a literal manner</p>

<p>如释重负 &lt;= get rid of some heavy responsibilities</p>

<p>大彻大悟 &lt;= understood some great big ideas, changing your attitude/thought/life in a good way</p>

<p>冰释前嫌 &lt;= settled a serious misunderstanding or even quarrel</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-27T02:38:28.497Z
2014-06-27T02:38:28.497Z
Henry HO
<p>I got 恍然大悟/善始善终/松了口气/释然/如释重负/大彻大悟/冰释前嫌/释然放怀，无复蔕芥/尘埃落定 etc. in mind. But they don't mean the same.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-02T01:32:22.187Z
Could you please provide short definitions, or at least what the differences are between the terms?
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-03T03:44:27.723Z
"But they don't mean the same." How do they differ? This answer would be a lot more helpful if you could provide some insight into their differences.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-04T00:26:57.250Z
I wish you have 现代汉语大词典 or 新华书店的成语词典, you 'll learn more if you do the research by yourselves. If you do it online, for example http://www.zdic.net/c/2/79/125715.htm, this is the explanation of 如释重负， however I suggest use the standard books mentioned, online website is not reliable if you wish learn it seriously.
tomriddle_1234
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-01T23:21:08.330Z
2013-12-01T23:21:08.330Z
tomriddle_1234
<p>The phrase <strong>了结一桩心事</strong> is quite nice here</p>

<p>了结 can be used to mean closure, like mentioned in the question ("getting explanation on death of a loved one.. etc.").</p>

<p><strong>Oxford</strong> &amp;&amp; <strong>A Chinese-English Dictionary</strong> both define it as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>了结一桩心事</p>
  
  <p>take a load off one's mind</p>
</blockquote>

<p>a quick baidu search turns up some example usage:</p>

<ul>
<li>退个党真麻烦,不过总算了结一桩心事。</li>
<li>了结一桩心事,转眼看见另一桩心事。</li>
<li>订单填完,了结一桩心事。</li>
</ul>

<p>If you really want to emphasize, feeling good after getting some, <em>closure</em> this is not a bad way of doing it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-27T01:44:12.220Z
2014-06-27T01:44:12.220Z
Mou某
<p>I'm looking for an idiom that describes feeling better after getting closure/some explanation/clarity on a certain issue... whether breaking up with significant other and having a final face-to-face... getting explanation on death of a loved one.. etc.</p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-02T03:13:33.353Z
松了口气 or 如释重负 or 解脱了
user58955
<translation><idioms>
How you say... I feel good after finally getting closure
# How you say... I feel good after finally getting closure

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-01)

I'm looking for an idiom that describes feeling better after getting closure/some explanation/clarity on a certain issue... whether breaking up with significant other and having a final face-to-face... getting explanation on death of a loved one.. etc.

Any thoughts?

**Tags:** translation, idioms
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 松了口气 or 如释重负 or 解脱了  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-12-20. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

松了口气=(literally) to get my lung exhausted=to finally relax

如释重负=(literally) just like having uninstalled a heavy burden=to finally relax

Other expressions include

拨开云雾见太阳=拨云见日（short form）=(literally) to wipe away clouds and fog to see the sun=to feel happy after a catastrophe (metaphor or literally)


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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-06-27. Score: 2

恍然大悟 <= you understood something finally

善始善终 <= you have a good start and a good end of a non-trivial task

松了口气 <= relief

释然 <= .... um .... also relief .... but written in a literal manner

如释重负 <= get rid of some heavy responsibilities

大彻大悟 <= understood some great big ideas, changing your attitude/thought/life in a good way

冰释前嫌 <= settled a serious misunderstanding or even quarrel


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### Answer by username_4 on 2013-12-01. Score: 2

I got 恍然大悟/善始善终/松了口气/释然/如释重负/大彻大悟/冰释前嫌/释然放怀，无复蔕芥/尘埃落定 etc. in mind. But they don't mean the same.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Could you please provide short definitions, or at least what the differences are between the terms?  
> **username_6**: "But they don't mean the same." How do they differ? This answer would be a lot more helpful if you could provide some insight into their differences.  
> **username_4**: I wish you have 现代汉语大词典 or 新华书店的成语词典, you 'll learn more if you do the research by yourselves. If you do it online, for example http://www.zdic.net/c/2/79/125715.htm, this is the explanation of 如释重负， however I suggest use the standard books mentioned, online website is not reliable if you wish learn it seriously.  

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### Answer by username_7 on 2014-06-27. Score: 0

The phrase **了结一桩心事** is quite nice here

了结 can be used to mean closure, like mentioned in the question ("getting explanation on death of a loved one.. etc.").

**Oxford** && **A Chinese-English Dictionary** both define it as:

> 了结一桩心事
>
> take a load off one's mind

a quick baidu search turns up some example usage:

* 退个党真麻烦,不过总算了结一桩心事。
* 了结一桩心事,转眼看见另一桩心事。
* 订单填完,了结一桩心事。

If you really want to emphasize, feeling good after getting some, *closure* this is not a bad way of doing it.


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