想当然 (xiǎng dāng) — to take for granted; to assume uncritically
Definition
想当然 (xiǎng dāng rán) means to assume something is true without checking — a presumptuous, uncritical stance. It carries a negative judgment, unlike neutral 'assume' (假设/以为). Often used in the pattern 不能/不要 + 想当然 to warn against it.
verb
to take for grantedto assume uncritically
Examples
- 想当然。Nǐ bù néng xiǎng dāng dì rèn wéi tā men dōu huì tóng yì.You can't take for granted that they will all agree.
- 想当然，。Hěn duō wèn tí bù néng xiǎng dāng, xū yào rèn zhēn sī kǎo.Many problems can't be taken for granted; they require careful thought.
- 想当然。Zhè zhǒng xiǎng dāng de tài dù hěn róng yì chū cuò.This kind of presumptuous attitude easily leads to mistakes.
Appears in
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