闭门造车
闭门造车 (bì mén zào chē) literally means “build cart behind closed doors” and expresses “creating without practical feedback”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
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Creating without practical feedback
Pronunciation: bì mén zào chē
Literal meaning: Build cart behind closed doors
Origin & Usage
This isolated idiom describes building (造) a cart (车) behind closed (闭) doors (门), originating from the Warring States period text 'Hanfeizi.' It tells of a man who crafted a carriage in isolation, only to discover it couldn't fit through doorways or navigate common roads. The tale gained prominence during the Han Dynasty as governance advisors cautioned against developing policies without understanding real-world conditions. The specific reference to carriage-making was meaningful as it represented complex engineering requiring practical adaptation. Modern usage criticizes theoretical development without practical testing or feedback, particularly relevant in product design, policy creation, and educational methods where disconnection from actual users often leads to impractical results.
Examples
English: "The product failed because developers designed it without customer feedback"
Chinese: 这个产品失败是因为开发人员在没有客户反馈的情况下设计了它
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 闭门造车 mean in English?
闭门造车 (bì mén zào chē) literally translates to “Build cart behind closed doors” and is used to express “Creating without practical feedback”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 闭门造车 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving creating without practical feedback.
What is the pinyin for 闭门造车?
The pinyin pronunciation for 闭门造车 is “bì mén zào chē”.