掩耳盗铃
掩耳盗铃 (yǎn ěr dào líng) literally means “cover ears while stealing bell” and expresses “self-deception through ignoring reality”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: yan er dao ling, yan er dao ling,掩耳盗铃 meaning, 掩耳盗铃 in english
Self-deception through ignoring reality
Pronunciation: yǎn ěr dào líng Literal meaning: Cover ears while stealing bell
Origin & Usage
A man found a bell too large to carry and tried to break it up; the noise alarmed him, so he covered (掩) his own ears (耳) and went on hammering at the thing he was stealing (盗). The Lüshi Chunqiu tells it as a lesson to rulers about refusing to hear what is being said of them. The original is a bell (钟) rather than a hand-bell (铃), and both forms are current. The phrase describes deception aimed entirely at oneself, and it remains among the most quoted idioms in the language.
Examples
English: "The company ignored customer complaints while claiming excellent service"
Chinese: 公司无视客户投诉，同时声称提供卓越服务
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
追本溯源
zhuī běn sù yuán
Trace back to source
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兼收并蓄
jiān shōu bìng xù
Embrace diverse ideas inclusively
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囫囵吞枣
hú lún tūn zǎo
Accept without proper understanding
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本末倒置
běn mò dào zhì
Prioritize minor over fundamental matters
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过犹不及
guò yóu bù jí
Moderation in all things
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揠苗助长
yà miáo zhù zhǎng
Harmful interference ruins growth
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耳濡目染
ěr rú mù rǎn
Learning unconsciously through constant exposure
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耳目一新
ěr mù yī xīn
A refreshing new experience
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 掩耳盗铃 mean in English?
掩耳盗铃 (yǎn ěr dào líng) literally translates to “Cover ears while stealing bell” and is used to express “Self-deception through ignoring reality”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 掩耳盗铃 used?
Situation: The company ignored customer complaints while claiming excellent service
What is the pinyin for 掩耳盗铃?
The pinyin pronunciation for 掩耳盗铃 is “yǎn ěr dào líng”.