这是掩耳盗铃，骗不了别人。
This is self-deception — you can't fool others.
Daily Chengyu
掩耳盗铃
To deceive oneself; ignore obvious problems.
Literal Meaning: Cover ears while stealing a bell.
掩cover
耳ear
盗steal
铃bell
Today's Situation
Your team ignores user complaints and insists the product is fine.
Perfect Chengyu: 掩耳盗铃
Actual Meaning
Criticizes pretending a problem doesn't exist by ignoring evidence — the thief thought covering his ears meant others couldn't hear the bell.
Emotional toneCritical, ironic
Usage feelOften negative or critical
FormalityNeutral
English Equivalent
- Bury your head in the sand.
- Self-deception.
- Ignorance won't save you.
English equivalents capture the general idea, but they may not fit every context exactly.
Modern Usage Example
Ignoring the crash reports is 掩耳盗铃 — users still see the bugs.
Chinese Example Sentences
别掩耳盗铃了，问题很明显。
Stop ignoring the obvious — the problem is clear.
Origin Story
A thief covered his own ears while stealing a bell, thinking others couldn't hear it either.
When Natives Use It
Good fit
- Management
- Personal denial
- Policy blind spots
Avoid
Sharp but vivid. Good for calling out denial.
- Common in speech
- Common in writing
- Sounds natural today
- Possible but uncommon in casual chat
- More common in writing or commentary
- Use with care — can sound critical
Similar and Opposite Chengyu
Daily Quiz
Which best matches 掩耳盗铃?
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