损本逐末 — “To neglect the fundamental and pursue the trivial”
损本逐末 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to neglect the fundamental and pursue the trivial”. To abandon the root for the branch; to focus on minor details while ignoring the essential. Literally, “damage the root to chase the branch; lose the fundamental to pursue the trivial”.
损本逐末 Pronunciation and Pinyin
损本逐末 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 损本逐末
Origin and Story of 损本逐末
During the early Sui Dynasty, Li E, an Imperial Censor of the Censorate, was skilled in writing and eloquent in speech.
He worried that people who only focused on ornate language and flowery rhetoric, influenced by the elaborate literary style of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, would be favored. He saw this as abandoning the fundamental and pursuing the trivial. He believed the imperial court was failing to select truly talented individuals.
His memorial, however, did not receive the attention it deserved.
Idioms Related to 损本逐末
Synonyms of 损本逐末
More idioms starting with 损
- sǔn损shàng上yì益xià下diminish the top to enrich the bottom
- sǔn损zhī之yòu又sǔn损to be exceedingly humble
- sǔn损rén人bù不lì利jǐ己harm others, benefit self not
- sǔn损rén人lì利jǐ己harm others to benefit oneself
- sǔn损rén人ān安jǐ己harm others to benefit oneself
- sǔn损rén人hài害jǐ己harm others and oneself
- sǔn损rén人yì益jǐ己harm others to benefit oneself
- sǔn损rén人féi肥jǐ己harm others to benefit oneself
- sǔn损gōng公féi肥sī私enrich oneself at public expense
- sǔn损bīng兵zhé折jiàng将suffer heavy casualties and losses
- sǔn损jūn军zhé折jiàng将suffer heavy losses in battle
- sǔn损jǐ己lì利rén人harm oneself to benefit others
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Open the tool →Questions about 损本逐末
What does 损本逐末 mean?
损本逐末 (sǔn běn zhú mò) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to neglect the fundamental and pursue the trivial”.
How do you pronounce 损本逐末?
损本逐末 is pronounced sǔn běn zhú mò in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 损本逐末 literally mean?
Literally, 损本逐末 means “damage the root to chase the branch; lose the fundamental to pursue the trivial”. It is used to mean “to neglect the fundamental and pursue the trivial”.
Where does 损本逐末 come from?
损本逐末 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 损本逐末?
犹舍本逐末。谓抛弃根本，专在枝节上用功夫。