掩耳盗铃

掩耳盜鈴
yǎn'ěr-dàolíng
idiom HSK 7-9 #39,747

Meanings

  1. 1 to plug one's ears while stealing a bell
  2. 2 to deceive oneself; to pretend a problem doesn't exist by ignoring it

Examples

HSK 5
Bù chéngrèn wèntí jiù děngyú yǎn'ěr-dàolíng.
Refusing to admit the problem is just self-deception.
HSK 7-9
Tā xiǎng mán zhù kǎoshì chéngjī, jiǎnzhí shì yǎn'ěr-dàolíng.
Him trying to hide his test scores is sheer self-deception.

Tips

history
From 《吕氏春秋·自知》: a thief who could not carry off a large bell smashed it; afraid the noise would betray him, he covered his own ears - as if that would silence it for everyone else.
memory
Picture: hands clamped over your own ears while ringing a bell - the sound still reaches everyone but you. Perfect image of willful self-delusion.

Stroke Order

yǎn
ěr
dào
líng