Learn Chinese Words: yǎn ěr dào líng (掩耳盗铃)

掩耳盗铃 (yǎn ěr dào líng) is an ancient idiom that means to deceive oneself and think that no one else can hear. In modern society, we also encounter similar situations, where people try to cover up their problems and avoid facing them head-on. 

Meaning

“掩”的意思是捂住 yǎn
“ yǎn” means to cover up.
“耳”的意思是耳朵 ěr
“ěr ” means ear.
“盗”的意思是偷窃 dào
 “dào” means to steal.
“铃”的意思是钟  líng
“ líng” means Big Clock.

Story

A man wanted to steal a large bell, but found that it was heavy and difficult to carry. In order to facilitate the theft, he fetched a large iron hammer and hit the bell hard, causing it to ring. He immediately covered his own ears with his hands, thinking that others wouldn't hear the sound. However, he forgot that the sound traveled through the air, and others could still hear the bell ringing.

Revelation

Don't deceive yourself: The protagonist in the story covered his own ears to steal the bell, thinking that this would allow him to evade his thieving behavior, but this was clearly a self-deceiving act. We cannot evade our own actions and responsibilities, we must face reality bravely, accept our behavior, and seek ways to correct it.

Be open to suggestions: The protagonist's mistake was not that he was unaware of it, but that he refused to accept criticism and suggestions from others, and insisted on his wrong behavior. We should have an open mind, accept others' opinions and suggestions, and learn and grow from them.

Align your actions with your thoughts: The protagonist wanted to steal the bell, but his actions did not match his thoughts. He should recognize his mistake and take corrective action. If he only speaks of mistakes but does not change his behavior, then those "mistakes" are meaningless.

Sentences

1.That kind of thinking is like plugging one's ears while stealing a bell, it doesn't work.
那种想法，就像掩耳盗铃，是行不通的。
 nà zhǒng xiǎng fǎ ， jiù xiàng yǎn ěr dào líng ， shì xíng bù tōng de。

2.However, this kind of practice of covering one's ears while stealing a bell will inevitably lead to serious consequences.
然而这种掩耳盗铃的做法，必将会产生严重后果。
rán ér zhè zhǒng yǎn ěr dào líng de zuò fǎ ， bì jiāng huì chǎn shēng yán zhòng hòu guǒ 。

3.His plan sounds great, but it's actually a case of plugging one's ears and stealing a bell.
他的计划听起来很好，但实际上是掩耳盗铃。
tā de jì huà tīng qǐ lái hěn hǎo ， dàn shí jì shàng shì yǎn ěr dào líng 。