大智若愚

Pronunciation: dà zhì ruò yú Literal meaning: Great wisdom appears foolish

Origin & Usage

The idiom 大智若愚 (dà zhì ruò yú) originates from a letter by the Song dynasty scholar Su Shi (苏轼) to Ouyang Xiu (欧阳修), a prominent statesman and literary figure. In his letter, Su Shi praised Ouyang Xiu's wisdom and virtue, noting that true wisdom (智, zhì) often appears as simplicity or foolishness (愚, yú). This reflects the idea that those with great intelligence do not flaunt their abilities, appearing modest and unassuming. The idiom illustrates the concept that genuine wisdom is characterized by humility and the ability to see beyond superficial matters. In modern usage, it describes individuals who possess deep insight and understanding but choose to remain humble and understated.

Examples

English: "His seemingly naive approach often led to the most effective solutions."

Chinese: 他看似天真的方法常常导致最有效的解决方案。