zhèng rén mǎi lǚ
Traditional: 鄭人買履
郑人买履 (zhèng rén mǎi lǚ) is a Chinese word meaning “lit. the person from Zheng 鄭|郑[Zheng4] who wanted to buy shoes (an allusion to an ancient story about somebody who, when buying a pair of shoes, preferred to rely on their foot measurements rather than just trying them on) (idiom); fig. disregarding the sensible approach in favor of adherence to a fixed idea”.
Meanings
- 1lit. the person from Zheng 鄭|郑[Zheng4] who wanted to buy shoes (an allusion to an ancient story about somebody who, when buying a pair of shoes, preferred to rely on their foot measurements rather than just trying them on) (idiom)
- 2fig. disregarding the sensible approach in favor of adherence to a fixed idea