諺語 · a single proverb
鼠目寸光
What does 鼠目寸光 (shǔ mù cùn guāng) mean?
鼠目寸光 (shǔ mù cùn guāng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "rat eyes, inch of light." In use it means: Short-sighted; lacking vision or foresight; able to see only what is immediately in front. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "rat eyes, inch of light."
The reading
The mouse's eye is perfectly calibrated for the inch of world the mouse inhabits. For the mouse, this is not a limitation but a perfect match between instrument and requirement. For the person who is also capable of longer vision, to use only the mouse's inch is the waste of an unused gift. The eye that can see the horizon should use it.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese idiom (common in folk and literary contexts)
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Frog, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 鼠目寸光 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 鼠目寸光 (shǔ mù cùn guāng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese idiom (common in folk and literary contexts). It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 鼠目寸光?
In Mandarin it is shǔ mù cùn guāng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 鼠目寸光 aloud in Mandarin.