yǐtíngzhuàngzhōng
to strike a bell with a stalk
- to strike a bell with a stalk
- (idiom) Lit. to strike a bell with a grass stalk. It describes a futile effort where one overestimates their own ability or a situation where a student's knowledge is too shallow to elicit a response from a master. Often paired with 以蠡测海 yǐlícèhǎi and 以管窥天 yǐguǎnkuītiān.