What is the meaning of 捅破 the serial of 寒夜? E.g. 被我们的学生捅破

Question

The following text is taken from the serial of 寒夜:

一直到有一天 一个偶然的机会
我的心事 或者说是我们的心事
被我们的学生捅破
感情是不能被捅破的
一旦捅破 就如同大坝破堤
汹涌而出

He's talking about his love for the heroine of the series, then explains how the ice was broken.

捅破 is the problem word here. None of the dictionary definitions seem to fit.

Actually, the following line referring to dams and dykes is also a bit cryptic. I thought a dam and a dyke are pretty similar but that doesn't fit if you want to understand the text.

By the way, I'm in the process of transcribing both 新结婚时代 and 寒夜 with the aim of learning all the vocab and using the audio/video to get a feel for it all in context.

Are the transcribed subtitles of any of these two already available somewhere?

Answer 1

捅破 comes from 捅破窗户纸 (poke the window paper). Try googling "捅破窗户纸".

In the past, Chinese used paper instead of glass on their windows until the technology of making glass is imported to China. Window paper can stop the wind, but is much more fragile than glass and can be easily poked. Window paper is not transparent. If you poke a hole on it, you can see the other side.

The two people loved each other, but they are too shy to tell each other. That's like there is a thin piece of paper hiding them from each other. Once it is poked, they can see each other. That is, they know how the other person feels.

捅破窗户纸 is also similar to "break the ice" in English.

Answer 2

Think about that, there's a dam preventing they make a further step for their feelings/relationship. something or someone pokes a little hole on the dam, then the water just flood out...

Answer 3

uncovered. It means, there was love between two people, but they both said nothing and kept silence about their feelings toward each other. Untill, their students spoke it out or the feeling be found out by stuents.

Answer 4

There is nothing to do with "the ice was broken." and " dams and dykes is also a bit cryptic" at all. This sentence is just a simile.