maang4 jan4 mo2 zoeng6盲人摸象

Jyutpingmaang4 jan4 mo2 zoeng6

Yalemàahng yàhn mó jeuhng

語句

Definition

To mistake a part for the whole, or to draw conclusions based on a partial, incomplete understanding.

neutralpeopleother

How it's used

This idiom is used to critique someone who makes a sweeping judgment based on limited or biased experience. It carries a slightly intellectual or didactic tone, often used in professional or serious discussions to warn against narrow-mindedness. While it describes a common human tendency, it is rarely used to describe actual physical blindness.

Examples

nei5你zing6淨hai6係tai2睇dou3到siu2少siu2少zau6就haa6下deng6定leon6論，gaan2簡zik6直hai6係maang4盲jan4人mo2摸zoeng6象。

You only saw a tiny bit and jumped to a conclusion; that is just like the blind men touching an elephant.

ngo5我dei6哋m4唔hou2好maang4盲jan4人mo2摸zoeng6象，jing1應goi1該sin1先liu5了gaai2解seng4成gin2件si6事ge3嘅sai3細zit3節。

Let's not jump to conclusions based on partial information; we should understand the details of the whole thing first.

Common phrases

gaan2簡zik6直hai6係maang4盲jan4人mo2摸zoeng6象

simply like the blind men touching an elephant

m4唔hou2好maang4盲jan4人mo2摸zoeng6象

do not jump to conclusions based on partial understanding

Common mistake

Learners often use this as a direct verb phrase, but it functions more like a descriptive idiom or a noun phrase. It is not used to describe someone who is literally blind, as that would be considered offensive.