Chinese word

坐井观天

Pronunciation

Pinyinzuò jǐng guān tiān

Meaning

  • idiomhave a narrow outlook

Example

别总是坐井观天，出去看看世界吧。bié zǒng shì zuò jǐng guān tiān chū qù kàn kàn shì jiè ba

Don't always have such a narrow outlook; go out and see the world.

Illustration for 坐井观天 (have a narrow outlook)

More examples

如果只凭自己的经验，你就会坐井观天。rú guǒ zhǐ píng zì jǐ de jīng yàn nǐ jiù huì zuò jǐng guān tiān

If you rely only on your own experience, you will have a narrow outlook.

Core concept

A view confined to one small opening mistakes a partial scene for the whole world.

Common phrases

  • 不要总是坐井观天bú yào zǒng shì zuò jǐng guān tiān

    do not always have a narrow outlook

  • 避免坐井观天bì miǎn zuò jǐng guān tiān

    avoid having a narrow outlook

Similar words

井底之蛙jíng dǐ zhī wā: Being unaware of the broad world beyond a small and restricted range of experience.
目光短浅mù guāng duán qiǎn: Showing shallow thinking that cannot see far or understand the full meaning of a matter.

Definition in Chinese

比喻目光短浅，只看到局部而不能认识事物的全貌。bǐ yù mù guāng duán qiǎn zhǐ kàn dào jú bù ér bù néng rèn shí shì wù de quán mào

Word origin

坐 (zuò, "sit") + 井 (jǐng, "well") + 观 (guān, "view") + 天 (tiān, "sky") creates the image of someone in a well judging the vast sky from the small part visible above.

Usage tips

  • The idiom can be self-critical as well as critical of others, which makes it useful when discussing limited experience without claiming that every opinion is wrong.

Opposites

  • 眼界开阔yǎn jiè kāi kuòhave broad horizonsidiom
  • 见闻广博jiàn wén guǎng bóbe widely informedidiom

Word lists with this word