Simplified display

盲人摸象

máng rén mō xiàng

Definitions

1. blind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[dà bān niè pán jīng]); fig. unable to see the big picture
2. to mistake the part for the whole
3. unable to see the wood for the trees

Child Words of 盲人摸象

• 人 人 rén: person; people
• 摸 摸 mō: to feel with the hand
• 盲人 盲人 máng rén: blind person
• 摸象 摸象 mō xiàng: to touch an elephant (of proverbial blind people)
• 盲 盲 máng: blind
• 象 象 xiàng: elephant