只看一部分就是盲人摸象。
Looking at only one part is like blind men touching an elephant.
Daily Chengyu
盲人摸象
To grasp only part of the truth.
Literal Meaning: Blind men touch an elephant.
盲blind
人person
摸touch
象elephant
Today's Situation
Each department describes the product differently because they only see their slice.
Perfect Chengyu: 盲人摸象
Actual Meaning
Each person sees a fragment and mistakes it for the whole — like touching the trunk and calling an elephant a snake.
Emotional toneCautionary
Usage feelNeutral in tone
FormalityNeutral
English Equivalent
- Partial truth.
- See only part of the picture.
- Limited perspective.
English equivalents capture the general idea, but they may not fit every context exactly.
Modern Usage Example
User research from one city alone is 盲人摸象 — you need broader data.
Chinese Example Sentences
别盲人摸象，要全面了解情况。
Don't take a partial view — understand the full situation.
Origin Story
Blind men each touched a different part of an elephant and argued about what an elephant is — leg like a pillar, trunk like a snake.
When Natives Use It
Good fit
- Research
- Cross-team alignment
- Debates
Avoid
Encourages holistic thinking.
- Common in speech
- Common in writing
- Sounds natural today
- Possible but uncommon in casual chat
- More common in writing or commentary
- Use with care — can sound critical
Similar and Opposite Chengyu
Daily Quiz
Which best matches 盲人摸象?
Share and Save
Save, share, and visual export actions are coming soon. Interfaces are ready for the next release.
Explore More
More from the same category
