井底之蛙
- Literal
- the frog at the bottom of the well
- Figurative
- A person of narrow vision and limited knowledge who mistakes their tiny world for the whole.
Where does 井底之蛙 come from?
In the Zhuangzi (the chapter Qiushui, 'Autumn Floods'), a frog living in a dilapidated well boasts to a turtle from the Eastern Sea about how it hops along the railing, rests among the broken bricks, and rules over the shallow water. The turtle tries to enter but gets stuck, and tells the frog of the vastness of the sea, which neither great droughts nor floods can change. Hearing this, the frog is left bewildered and stunned, realizing how tiny its own world is.
Source (出处): 《庄子》
How is 井底之蛙 used? Two examples
- 出国留学之后，他才发现自己以前像个井底之蛙。
Only after going abroad to study did he realize he had been like a frog at the bottom of a well.
- 别做井底之蛙，多出去走走，看看外面的世界。
Don't be a frog in a well; go out more, travel, and see the world outside.
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