penetrating

adj. entering, passing into; permeating; cunning, shrewd; sharp

v. pass into, enter, pierce; permeate; understand, comprehend

Adjective
1. having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions; "an acute observer of politics and politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike reasoning"; "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"; "penetrating insight"; "frequent penetrative observations"
(synonym) acute, discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrative, piercing, sharp
(similar) perceptive
2. tending to penetrate; having the power of entering or piercing; "a toxic penetrative spray applied to the surface"; "a cold penetrating wind"; "a penetrating odor"
(synonym) penetrative
(similar) sharp

Verb
1. pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest"
(synonym) perforate
(hypernym) enter, come in, get into, get in, go into, go in, move into
(hyponym) probe, dig into, poke into
(derivation) penetrator
2. come to understand
(synonym) fathom, bottom
(hypernym) understand
(derivation) penetration, insight
3. become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions; "It dawned on him that she had betrayed him"; "she was penetrated with sorrow"
(synonym) click, get through, dawn, come home, get across, sink in, fall into place
(cause) understand
4. enter a group or organization in order to spy on the members; "The student organization was infiltrated by a traitor"
(synonym) infiltrate
(hypernym) join, fall in, get together
5. make one's way deeper into ar through; "The hikers did not manage to penetrate the dense forest"
(hypernym) advance, progress, pass on, move on, march on, go on
(derivation) penetration
6. insert the penis into the vagina or anus of; "Did the molester penetrate the child?"
(hypernym) insert, infix, enter, introduce
(derivation) penetration
7. spread or diffuse through; "An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration"; "music penetrated the entire building"
(synonym) permeate, pervade, interpenetrate, diffuse, imbue
(hypernym) perforate
(hyponym) spiritize, spiritise

(p. pr. & vb. n.)
of Penetrate
  

(a.)
Having the power of entering, piercing, or pervading; sharp; subtile; penetrative; as, a penetrating odor.
  

(a.)
Acute; discerning; sagacious; quick to discover; as, a penetrating mind.
  

ru4 mu4 san1 fen1
Eating into the wood by three tenths on an inch.
Originally, this idiom was used to describe forceful calligraphy with bold strokes that ate into the wood. Nowadays the phrase mostly alludes to incisive writings or views. Penetrating. Profound. Keen.

ming2 cha2 qiu1 hao2
Sharp-sighted enough to see an animal's autumn down.
Referring to a person capable of discerning the minute detail in everything and penetrating deeply into a problem. See through a millstone.

Synonyms and related words:
Siberian, absorbing, acerb, acerbate, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulent, acidulous, acrid, acrimonious, acute, algid, apperceptive, appercipient, arctic, argute, asperous, astringent, astute, below zero, biting, bitter, bitterly cold, bleak, boreal, brisk, brumal, caustic, clear-cut, clever, cogent, cold, cold as charity, cold as death, cold as ice, cold as marble, corroding, corrosive, creaky, crisp, cutting, deafening, deep, deep-felt, deepgoing, discerning, discriminating, double-edged, driving, ear-piercing, ear-splitting, edged, effective, escharotic, farseeing, farsighted, fierce, forceful, forcible, foreseeing, foresighted, forethoughted, forethoughtful, freezing, freezing cold, frigid, gelid, glacial, gutsy, harsh, heartfelt, hibernal, hiemal, homefelt, howling, hyperborean, ice-cold, ice-encrusted, icelike, icy, imperative, impressive, incisive, inclement, indelible, ingoing, intelligent, intense, irritating, keen, keening, longheaded, longsighted, loud, mordacious, mordant, nervous, nipping, nippy, nose-piercing, nose-tickling, numbing, perceptive, percipient, perspicacious, perspicuous, pervading, pervasive, piercing, pinching, piping, piquant, poignant, powerful, profound, provident, punchy, pungent, quick, quick-witted, raw, reedy, reeking, rigorous, rough, sagacious, scathing, scorching, screaky, screeching, screechy, searching, sensational, sensitive, severe, sharp, sharp-sighted, sharp-witted, shrieking, shrieky, shrill, sinewed, sinewy, slashing, sleety, slushy, smart, snappy, sour, squeaking, squeaky, stabbing, stinging, stone-cold, strident, striking, stringent, strong, strong-scented, strong-smelling, subzero, suffocating, supercooled, tart, telling, thin, thundering, trenchant, ululant, understanding, vehement, vigorous, violent, virulent, vital, vitriolic, wailing, whining, whistling, winterbound, winterlike, wintery, wintry, withering