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yǎn 掩 ěr 耳 dào 盗 líng 铃

掩耳盗铃 yǎn ěr dào líng

to bury one's head in the sand; to deceive oneself

Literally: cover ear steal bell

Intermediate 🦉 Wisdom & judgement
🃏 Practise intermediate chengyu

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Origin

From the Lüshi Chunqiu: a thief who wanted to carry off a large bell covered his own ears so he would not hear it ring as he smashed it.

How to use it

Predicate or attributive; negative, mocking. Often 这样做是掩耳盗铃.

Example sentences

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  1. 问题不会因为你不看就消失，这是掩耳盗铃。
    Wèntí bù huì yīnwèi nǐ bù kàn jiù xiāoshī, zhè shì yǎn ěr dào líng.
    The problem won't disappear just because you refuse to look; that's burying your head in the sand.
    problem not will because you not look then disappear, this is cover ear steal bell
  2. 考试作弊却以为老师不知道，简直是掩耳盗铃。
    Kǎoshì zuòbì què yǐwéi lǎoshī bù zhīdào, jiǎnzhí shì yǎn ěr dào líng.
    Cheating on the exam and thinking the teacher won't know is pure self-deception.
    exam cheat yet think teacher not know, simply is cover ear steal bell

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