look at the sky through a pipe; measure the sea with a ladle; limited viewpoint; shallow understanding
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to have a narrow perspective; to have limited insight or shallow understanding
formalUsed to describe someone's shallow or limited understanding of a complex situation, often due to a narrow viewpoint. It implies the person lacks the breadth and depth to grasp the whole picture. Typically used in a self-deprecating or critical manner.
Wǒ我
duì对
zhè这
ge个
fù复
zá杂
lǐng领
yù域
de的
liǎo了
jiě解
，
bù不
guò过
shì是
guǎn管
kuī窥
lí蠡
cè测
，
bù不
gǎn敢
wàng妄
xià下
jié结
lùn论
。
My understanding of this complex field is merely looking through a tube and measuring with a ladle; I dare not jump to conclusions.
Jǐn仅
píng凭
yī一
piān篇
bào报
dào道
jiù就
duì对
zhěng整
ge个
shì事
jiàn件
zuò做
chū出
pàn判
duàn断
，
wèi未
miǎn免
yǒu有
xiē些
guǎn管
kuī窥
lí蠡
cè测
le了
。
Judging the entire incident based solely on one news report is somewhat like looking at the sky through a pipe.
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Tā他
xué学
shí识
yuān渊
bó博
，
wǒ我
de的
zhè这
diǎn点
jiàn见
jiě解
zài在
tā他
kàn看
lái来
kǒng恐
pà怕
zhǐ只
shì是
guǎn管
kuī窥
lí蠡
cè测
。
He is very learned; my little insights probably seem like measuring the ocean with a ladle to him.