一叶障目
一叶障目 (yī yè zhàng mù) literally means “leaf blocks eye” and expresses “miss big picture”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: yi ye zhang mu, yi ye zhang mu,一叶障目 meaning, 一叶障目 in english
Miss big picture
Pronunciation: yī yè zhàng mù Literal meaning: Leaf blocks eye
Origin & Usage
This idiom illustrates how a single (一) leaf (叶) can block (障) one's vision/eyes (目). Emerging from Buddhist texts warning against limited perspective, it gained prominence during the Song Dynasty's Neo-Confucian movement. The deceptively simple image of a leaf blocking an entire view became a powerful metaphor for how minor distractions can prevent broader understanding. In contemporary contexts, it critiques tunnel vision in decision-making, from business strategy to political analysis, reminding us that fixation on small details can obscure the larger picture.
Examples
English: "The team got lost in technical details and forgot the project's main goal"
Chinese: 团队陷入技术细节而忘记了项目的主要目标
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 一叶障目 mean in English?
一叶障目 (yī yè zhàng mù) literally translates to “Leaf blocks eye” and is used to express “Miss big picture”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 一叶障目 used?
Situation: The team got lost in technical details and forgot the project's main goal
What is the pinyin for 一叶障目?
The pinyin pronunciation for 一叶障目 is “yī yè zhàng mù”.
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