盲人摸象máng rén mō xiàngunable to see the big picture

1. 1.

   unable to see the big pictureidiom

2. 2.

   to mistake the part for the wholeidiom

Figurative meaning

Unable to see the big picture; to mistake the part for the whole.

Literal meaning

Blind people touch an elephant.

• 盲blind
• 人person
• 摸to touch
• 象elephant

The story

The blind man who touched the elephant's tusk said that the elephant was shaped like a radish root.

盲人摸象 can describe a judgment based on only part of the facts, often in discussions or reviews of a problem.

1. HSK 5

   只看一部分就判断整体，这是盲人摸象。

   Zhǐ kàn yí bùfen jiù pànduàn zhěngtǐ, zhè shì máng rén mō xiàng.

   Judging the whole after seeing only one part is mistaking the part for the whole.

2. HSK 5

   你要全面了解情况，不要盲人摸象。

   Nǐ yào quánmiàn liǎojiě qíngkuàng, bú yào máng rén mō xiàng.

   You need to understand the situation fully, not just one small piece of it.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   我觉得这家公司不好。

   Wǒ juéde zhè jiā gōngsī bù hǎo.

   I think this company is not good.

2. 
   Speaker B:

   你为什么这样想？

   Nǐ wèishénme zhèyàng xiǎng?

   Why do you think so?

3. 
   Speaker A:

   我只见过一个经理，他不太好。

   Wǒ zhǐ jiànguo yí gè jīnglǐ, tā bú tài hǎo.

   I've only met one manager, and he wasn't very nice.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   只见过一个人就这样说，有点儿盲人摸象。

   Zhǐ jiànguo yí gè rén jiù zhèyàng shuō, yǒudiǎnr máng rén mō xiàng.

   Saying that after meeting only one person is a bit like judging the whole from one part.

1. 1.What does 盲人摸象 mean?

   AUnable to see the big pictureBTo be very kind to animalsCTo travel without a map
2. 2.Which sentence uses 盲人摸象 correctly?

   A只看一部分就下结论，是盲人摸象。B今天的天气很盲人摸象。C我盲人摸象地吃饭。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 只了解一点儿情况，不要____。 (If you only know a little about the situation, don't judge the whole.)

   A盲人摸象B守株待兔C完璧归赵

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