瞎子摸象 — “To generalize from a partial experience”
瞎子摸象 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to generalize from a partial experience”. To mistake a part for the whole; to have a one-sided view of a complex issue. Literally, “Blind men feeling an elephant”.
瞎子摸象 Pronunciation and Pinyin
瞎子摸象 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 瞎子摸象
Origin and Story of 瞎子摸象
According to ancient Buddhist scriptures, several blind men went to feel an elephant. One blind man touched the elephant's leg and claimed the elephant was like a stick. Another felt its ear and said it was like a fan. A third touched its tail and concluded it was like a rope.
This was because they only perceived a part of the elephant and failed to grasp its complete form, leading to a limited and incorrect understanding.
Idioms Related to 瞎子摸象
Synonyms of 瞎子摸象
Antonyms of 瞎子摸象
More idioms starting with 瞎
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Open the tool →Questions about 瞎子摸象
What does 瞎子摸象 mean?
瞎子摸象 (xiā zi mō xiàng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to generalize from a partial experience”.
How do you pronounce 瞎子摸象?
瞎子摸象 is pronounced xiā zi mō xiàng in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 瞎子摸象 literally mean?
Literally, 瞎子摸象 means “Blind men feeling an elephant”. It is used to mean “to generalize from a partial experience”.
Where does 瞎子摸象 come from?
瞎子摸象 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to modern Chinese. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 瞎子摸象?
比喻对事物一知半解，不对全局作判断。