盲人摸象
盲人摸象 (máng rén mō xiàng) literally means “blind person touches elephant”and expresses “mistaking partial knowledge for complete wisdom”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom & learning.
Also searched as: mang ren mo xiang, mang ren mo xiang,盲人摸象 meaning, 盲人摸象 in english
Pronunciation: máng rén mō xiàng Literal meaning: Blind person touches elephant
Origin & Usage
This profound metaphor shows blind (盲) people (人) touching (摸) an elephant (象), coming from a Buddhist parable that entered China during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, it became central to philosophical discussions about the limitations of individual perspective. The tactile imagery perfectly illustrated how direct but limited experience can create confident but incomplete knowledge. Modern usage particularly applies to complex systems analysis, where experts in narrow domains might mistake their specialized insight for comprehensive understanding.
When to Use
Situation: Each department understood only their aspect of the problem, missing the complete picture
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Be very familiar with; handle with expertise
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Handle with ease; have skill to spare
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Retire at the peak; know when to quit
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 盲人摸象 mean in English?
盲人摸象 (máng rén mō xiàng) literally translates to “Blind person touches elephant”and is used to express “Mistaking partial knowledge for complete wisdom”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theWisdom & Learning category..
When is 盲人摸象 used?
Situation: Each department understood only their aspect of the problem, missing the complete picture
What is the pinyin for 盲人摸象?
The pinyin pronunciation for 盲人摸象 is “máng rén mō xiàng”.