视而不见
视而不见 (shì ér bù jiàn) literally means “look but not see” and expresses “turn a blind eye; deliberately ignore”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: shi er bu jian, shi er bu jian,视而不见 meaning, 视而不见 in english
Turn a blind eye; deliberately ignore
Pronunciation: shì ér bù jiàn
Literal meaning: Look but not see
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes looking (视) but not (不) seeing (见), indicating willful blindness rather than genuine inability to perceive. The phrase originated in Daoist philosophy discussing how distracted minds fail to register what's before them. It evolved to describe deliberate ignorance or choosing not to acknowledge obvious realities. Modern usage commonly criticizes those who intentionally overlook problems, injustice, or inconvenient truths that they would prefer to ignore.
Examples
English: "Management deliberately ignored the obvious problems."
Chinese: 管理层对明显的问题视而不见。
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 视而不见 mean in English?
视而不见 (shì ér bù jiàn) literally translates to “Look but not see” and is used to express “Turn a blind eye; deliberately ignore”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 视而不见 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving turn a blind eye; deliberately ignore.
What is the pinyin for 视而不见?
The pinyin pronunciation for 视而不见 is “shì ér bù jiàn”.