夜郎自大
夜郎自大 (yè láng zì dà) literally means “small kingdom thinks itself great” and expresses “overestimate oneself”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: ye lang zi da, ye lang zi da,夜郎自大 meaning, 夜郎自大 in english
Overestimate oneself
Pronunciation: yè láng zì dà
Literal meaning: Small kingdom thinks itself great
Origin & Usage
This idiom references the ancient kingdom of Yelang (夜郎), whose ruler allegedly believed his small state rivaled the Han Empire in greatness (自大). The story first appeared in official Han histories, recording how a Yelang king asked a Han envoy if his kingdom was larger than Han - displaying remarkable provincial ignorance. During the Tang and Song dynasties, the phrase became a standard critique of inflated self-importance based on limited perspective. Modern usage describes any situation where someone overestimates their importance due to inexperience or isolation. It serves as a reminder that true self-assessment requires broader perspective and knowledge of the larger world.
Examples
English: "Having never left his small town, he thought his local success made him world-class"
Chinese: 从未离开过小城镇的他，以为本地的成功就意味着世界级水平
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
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yī fān fēng shùn
Plain sailing; everything going smoothly
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千里迢迢
qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo
Travel a great distance
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民富国强
mín fù guó qiáng
Prosperous people and powerful nation
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国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
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太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
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四海升平
sì hǎi shēng píng
Peace everywhere; universal harmony
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安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
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故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 夜郎自大 mean in English?
夜郎自大 (yè láng zì dà) literally translates to “Small kingdom thinks itself great” and is used to express “Overestimate oneself”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 夜郎自大 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving overestimate oneself.
What is the pinyin for 夜郎自大?
The pinyin pronunciation for 夜郎自大 is “yè láng zì dà”.