盲人摸象

Chinese

		blind person	feel with the hand; to touch; to stroke feel with the hand; to touch; to stroke; to grope; to feel (one's pulse); imitate; copy	shape; form; appearance shape; form; appearance; elephant; image under a map (maths)
trad. (盲人摸象)		盲人	摸	象
simp. #(盲人摸象)		盲人	摸	象
Literally: “The blind man touches some parts of an elephant (and concludes what an elephant looks like).”

Etymology

From the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra. See Blind men and an elephant.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): mángrénmōxiàng

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄤˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄇㄛ ㄒㄧㄤˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): maang⁴ jan⁴ mo² zoeng⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: mángrénmōxiàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄤˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄇㄛ ㄒㄧㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: mángrénmosiàng
    • Wade–Giles: mang²-jên²-mo¹-hsiang⁴
    • Yale: máng-rén-mwō-syàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mangrenmhoshianq
    • Palladius: манжэньмосян (manžɛnʹmosjan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɑŋ³⁵ ʐən³⁵ mu̯ɔ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: maang⁴ jan⁴ mo² zoeng⁶
    • Yale: màahng yàhn mó jeuhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: maang⁴ jan⁴ mo² dzoeng⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: mang⁴ yen⁴ mo² zêng⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /maːŋ²¹ jɐn²¹ mɔː³⁵ t͡sœːŋ²²/

Idiom

盲人摸象

1. (figurative) to draw (incorrect) conclusions from partial understanding

Synonyms

• 瞎子摸象 (xiāzimōxiàng)
• 眾盲摸象／众盲摸象 (zhòngmángmōxiàng)