世俗之见

shì sú zhī jiàn
Literal: "world, vulgar, 's, opinion"

📖 Meaning

A vulgar or conventional view held by ordinary people. It refers to shallow, commonplace opinions that lack independent judgment. The term carries a dismissive tone toward unremarkable mainstream thinking.

📜 Origin Story

This idiom does not trace back to a single literary source but emerged from common usage in classical and vernacular Chinese. It contrasts worldly, conventional opinions with more enlightened or principled perspectives. The phrase appears in various literary works and essays throughout Chinese history where authors criticized shallow majority views. It remains widely used in modern Chinese to describe unreflective, herd-like attitudes.

💡 Example Usage

他不愿以世俗之见来评判一个人的价值。

He refuses to judge a person's worth by conventional worldly opinions.

🏷️ Category

➕ Similar Idioms

➖ Opposite Idioms

🔤 Quick Facts

  • Chinese: 世俗之见
  • Pinyin: shì sú zhī jiàn
  • Literal Translation: world, vulgar, 's, opinion
  • Category: Philosophy
  • Characters: 4