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.
Also searched as: bi men zao che, bi men zao che,闭门造车 meaning, 闭门造车 in english
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
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Master something completely
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学海无涯
xué hǎi wú yá
Learning is limitless
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知行合一
zhī xíng hé yī
Practice what you know
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举一反三
jǔ yī fǎn sān
Learn many from one example
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温故知新
wēn gù zhī xīn
Learn new through studying old
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画龙点睛
huà lóng diǎn jīng
Add crucial finishing touch
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读万卷书
dú wàn juǎn shū
Read extensively for knowledge
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抛砖引玉
pāo zhuān yǐn yù
Offer modest view to inspire better
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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: The product failed because developers designed it without customer feedback
What is the pinyin for 闭门造车?
The pinyin pronunciation for 闭门造车 is “bì mén zào chē”.