目不识丁

目不識丁

mùbùshídīng

idiom

Meanings

1 eyes that can't recognize the character 丁
2 completely illiterate
3 unable to read a single word

Characters

(the character) 丁 / simplest word

Examples

他虽然目不识丁，却是个精明的商人。

Tā suīrán mù bù shí dīng, què shì ge jīngmíng de shāngrén.

He can't read a word, yet he's a shrewd businessman.

过去的农村，很多老人目不识丁。

Guòqù de nóngcūn, hěn duō lǎorén mù bù shí dīng.

In villages of old, many elderly people were completely illiterate.

这种合同怎么能让目不识丁的人签？

Zhè zhǒng hétong zěnme néng ràng mù bù shí dīng de rén qiān?

How can you let someone who can't read sign a contract like this?

Tips

history

From 《旧唐书·张弘靖传》: Tang governor Zhang Hongjing scolded his rough soldiers saying that 'drawing a strong bow is worth less than knowing a single character 丁.' 丁 was chosen because it's one of the simplest characters — not knowing even this was the deepest possible illiteracy.

Stroke Order

目 mù

不 bù

识 shí

丁 dīng