Chinese word

孤陋寡闻

Pronunciation

Pinyingū lòu guǎ wén

Meaning

  • idiomuninformed

Example

他在这方面孤陋寡闻，需要学习。tā zài zhè fāng miàn gū lòu guǎ wén xū yào xué xí

He is uninformed about this subject and needs to study.

Illustration for 孤陋寡闻 (uninformed)

More examples

作为教师，他不能显得孤陋寡闻，必须不断学习。zuò wéi jiào shī tā bù néng xiǎn de gū lòu guǎ wén bì xū bú duàn xué xí

As a teacher, he must not appear uninformed and must keep learning.

Core concept

A narrow window onto the world, formed by too few sources and experiences.

Common phrases

  • 孤陋寡闻的人gū lòu guǎ wén de rén

    an uninformed person

  • 显得孤陋寡闻xiǎn de gū lòu guǎ wén

    appear uninformed

Similar words

见识浅薄jiàn shí qiǎn bó: Having little knowledge or experience and lacking deep understanding of things.
井底之蛙jíng dǐ zhī wā: Being like a frog in a well, unaware of how wide the outside world is.
目光短浅mù guāng duán qiǎn: Having a narrow view and little ability to see what lies ahead.

Definition in Chinese

用来形容知识面狭窄、见闻寡少，指缺乏广泛的学识与经验。yòng lái xíng róng zhī shí miàn xiá zhǎi jiàn wén guǎ shǎo zhǐ quē fá guǎng fàn de xué shí yǔ jīng yàn

Word origin

孤 (gū, "alone") + 陋 (lòu, "narrow and plain") suggests a restricted setting, while 寡 (guǎ, "few") + 闻 (wén, "knowledge gained through hearing") adds scant learning and experience.

Usage tips

  • Unlike a comment about one forgotten fact, this idiom points to a wider limitation in a person's learning, so it is stronger than a casual admission of not knowing something.

Other meanings

  • limited in outlookidiom
  • unlearnedidiom
  • not broadly educatedidiom

Opposites

  • 博学多闻bó xué duō wénlearned and well-informedidiom
  • 见多识广jiàn duō shí guǎngwell-informed and worldlyidiom

Word lists with this word