一叶障目
一叶障目 (yī yè zhàng mù) literally means “leaf blocks eye” and expresses “miss big picture”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: yi ye zhang mu, yi ye zhang mu,一叶障目 meaning, 一叶障目 in english
Miss big picture
Pronunciation: yī yè zhàng mù
Literal meaning: Leaf blocks eye
Origin & Usage
This idiom illustrates how a single (一) leaf (叶) can block (障) one's vision/eyes (目). Emerging from Buddhist texts warning against limited perspective, it gained prominence during the Song Dynasty's Neo-Confucian movement. The deceptively simple image of a leaf blocking an entire view became a powerful metaphor for how minor distractions can prevent broader understanding. In contemporary contexts, it critiques tunnel vision in decision-making, from business strategy to political analysis, reminding us that fixation on small details can obscure the larger picture.
Examples
English: "The team got lost in technical details and forgot the project's main goal"
Chinese: 团队陷入技术细节而忘记了项目的主要目标
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 一叶障目 mean in English?
一叶障目 (yī yè zhàng mù) literally translates to “Leaf blocks eye” and is used to express “Miss big picture”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 一叶障目 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving miss big picture.
What is the pinyin for 一叶障目?
The pinyin pronunciation for 一叶障目 is “yī yè zhàng mù”.