TongTong
Sign in

一叶障目 (yí yè zhàng mù) — to be blinded by a trivial matter; to miss the bigger picture due to focusing on a minor detail

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'a leaf before the eyes blinds you' — i.e., letting one small detail obscure the whole picture. Often paired with 不见泰山 ('not seeing Mount Tai') for a fuller idiom form.

idiom
to be blinded by a trivial matterto miss the bigger picture due to focusing on a minor detail

Examples

  • 一叶障目，。
    Wǒ men bù néng yīn wèi yí gè xiǎo wèn tí ér yí yè zhàng mù, hū shì le zhěng tǐ jì huà.
    We cannot be blinded by a small problem and overlook the overall plan.
  • ，一叶障目，。
    Tā zhī kàn zhòng yǎn qián de lì yì, yí yè zhàng mù, méi yǒu kǎo lǜ cháng yuǎn de fā zhǎn.
    He only focuses on immediate gains, blinded by a trivial matter, and fails to consider long-term development.
  • ，一叶障目，。
    Fēn xī wèn tí yào quán miàn, bú yào yí yè zhàng mù, bèi xì zhī mò jié suǒ mí huò.
    When analyzing a problem, be comprehensive; don't be blinded by a trivial matter or misled by minor details.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.