measure the sea with a shell; to make shallow, ignorant judgments
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to measure the ocean with a shell; to make superficial or ignorant judgments
literaryLiterary idiom derived from '以蠡测海' (yǐ lí cè hǎi), meaning to try to understand something vast and profound with limited, shallow knowledge. Used to criticize narrow-mindedness or lack of deep insight.
Duì对
yú于
yǔ宇
zhòu宙
de的
ào奥
mì秘
，
wǒ我
men们
de的
rèn认
shí识
bù不
guò过
shì是
guǎn管
kuī窥
lí蠡
cè测
bà罢
le了
。
Our understanding of the mysteries of the universe is merely like looking through a tube and measuring the sea with a shell.
Yǐ以
gè个
rén人
piān偏
jiàn见
lái来
píng评
jià价
zhè这
ge个
fù复
zá杂
de的
wén文
huà化
xiàn现
xiàng象
，
wú无
yì异
yú于
lí蠡
cè测
。
Judging this complex cultural phenomenon with personal bias is no different from measuring the sea with a shell.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Tā他
de的
fēn分
xī析
liú流
yú于
lí蠡
cè测
，
wèi未
néng能
chù触
jí及
wèn问
tí题
de的
hé核
xīn心
。
His analysis remained superficial and failed to touch the core of the issue.