<p>As Pedroski has explained, 一根弦的傻子 or 脑子一根弦 refers to those who clings to one idea. 一根弦 can be interpreted as &quot;single-minded&quot;. But note that it is not necessarily a derogatory term.</p>
<p>For example, in the following sentence,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>一根弦的傻子，也能熬出头。</p>
<p>A single-minded fool can eventually survive from the nights and succeed as well.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>一根弦 implies that the &quot;fool&quot; is determined and strong-willed and will not give up on what he/she has been pursuing for.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T03:33:15.850Z
2015-05-17T03:33:15.850Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Thomas Hsieh
<p>It means a stubborn person, who clings to just one idea , who is incapable or unwilling to consider other points of view.</p>

<p>A bit like 'a one track mind' without the sexual connotations.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T01:23:01.013Z
2015-05-17T01:29:53.527Z
2015-05-17T01:29:53.527Z
Pedroski
<p>Other people give nice explanations.</p>

<p>Just want to add something to the discussion:</p>

<p>一根弦=一根筋=单细胞.</p>

<p>Sometimes used to describe people who never turns back until runs into an impassable barrier. In Chinese, 不撞南墙不回头。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T22:29:33.343Z
2015-05-17T22:29:33.343Z
FortCpp
<p>It comes from a hidden metaphor to describe a person's brain as complex clockwork or musical instruments.</p>

<p>一根弦 means a person is stubborn, overly rigid, inflexible, unchangeable, one-track minded, even narrow-minded, hard to convince, or hard to work with.  </p>

<p>Similar phrase: 一根筋，死心眼/实心眼。A brain has many 弦 or 筋，while a heart has many 眼。</p>

<p>Famous 一根弦 people：Forrest Gump</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T03:56:32.840Z
一根弦 and 缺根弦 are quire different. Like @Thomas Hsieh said 一根弦 is not necessarily derogatory, but 缺根弦 is. It is just like 实心眼 and 缺心眼 are very different.
Tzu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T04:33:20.273Z
i.e. web quote "傻瓜则不然，傻瓜经常被人们称为“死脑筋”、“一根弦” see (a) of earlier comment is not generally valid? (傻瓜 not meaning fool,idiot?)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T04:40:21.060Z
I googled your quote "傻瓜则不然，傻瓜经常被人们称为“死脑筋”, and the first match is a weibo blog entry. In that article  傻瓜 does not meaning fool,idiot. The article ends with "如果你愿意，和笔者一起做一个开开心心的傻瓜吧，做傻瓜，挺好。"
Tzu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T09:07:34.680Z
besides singing the praises of 傻瓜 the quoted article also seems to make no distinction between “死脑筋”and“一根弦”which according to iciba：死脑筋 one-track mind ； block-headed seems to confirm given answers
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T13:47:06.900Z
Reechen, when will you start writing answers in the answer box? I will always give you an upvote, schlau wie du bist!
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T03:50:59.333Z
2015-05-17T05:46:18.810Z
2015-05-17T05:46:18.810Z
Tzu
<blockquote>
  <p>一根弦的傻子</p>
</blockquote>

<p>From what I see, "An idiot with one root/string?"</p>

<p>I don't really understand where the meaning would be taken from. Would an English equivalent be something like "An idiot with only one brain cell"?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T03:33:05.347Z
regarding 一根弦 note e。g。
（a）聪明人之所以称为聪明人，是因为他们有一颗善于思维的大脑，傻瓜则不然，傻瓜经常被人们称为“死脑筋”、“一根弦”。（b）人类大脑有多少根弦儿http://iask.sina.com.cn/b/3391580.html， it seems there are different apparently contradictory ways  of characterizing brain deficiencies, brain may have only one string，alternatively just one （among thousands）may be lacking：
people often say 少（差）一根弦  see e。g。有人说傻子跟天才只差一根玄（sic）？答案：是的，因为人们常说傻子少根弦！ i。e。it is a matter of lacking a string （loose screw）
 also see iciba：一根弦的傻子：examples：自从保罗的女朋友与他分手后,保罗总是象少了一根弦似的.（screw loose）缺乏幽默感的人总是少一根弦
user6065
<translation>
When describing an idiot, "一根弦的傻子"?
# When describing an idiot, "一根弦的傻子"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-17)

> 一根弦的傻子

From what I see, "An idiot with one root/string?"

I don't really understand where the meaning would be taken from. Would an English equivalent be something like "An idiot with only one brain cell"?

**Tags:** translation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: regarding 一根弦 note e。g。 （a）聪明人之所以称为聪明人，是因为他们有一颗善于思维的大脑，傻瓜则不然，傻瓜经常被人们称为“死脑筋”、“一根弦”。（b）人类大脑有多少根弦儿http://iask.sina.com.cn/b/3391580.html， it seems there are different apparently contradictory ways  of characterizing brain deficiencies, brain may have only one string，alternatively just one （among thousands）may be lacking： people often say 少（差）一根弦  see e。g。有人说傻子跟天才只差一根玄（sic）？答案：是的，因为人们常说傻子少根弦！ i。e。it is a matter of lacking a string （loose screw）  also see iciba：一根弦的傻子：examples：自从保罗的女朋友与他分手后,保罗总是象少了一根弦似的.（screw loose）缺乏幽默感的人总是少一根弦  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-05-17. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

It comes from a hidden metaphor to describe a person's brain as complex clockwork or musical instruments.

一根弦 means a person is stubborn, overly rigid, inflexible, unchangeable, one-track minded, even narrow-minded, hard to convince, or hard to work with.

Similar phrase: 一根筋，死心眼/实心眼。A brain has many 弦 or 筋，while a heart has many 眼。

Famous 一根弦 people：Forrest Gump

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: 一根弦 and 缺根弦 are quire different. Like @username_2 said 一根弦 is not necessarily derogatory, but 缺根弦 is. It is just like 实心眼 and 缺心眼 are very different.  
> **username_1**: i.e. web quote "傻瓜则不然，傻瓜经常被人们称为“死脑筋”、“一根弦” see (a) of earlier comment is not generally valid? (傻瓜 not meaning fool,idiot?)  
> **username_5**: I googled your quote "傻瓜则不然，傻瓜经常被人们称为“死脑筋”, and the first match is a weibo blog entry. In that article  傻瓜 does not meaning fool,idiot. The article ends with "如果你愿意，和笔者一起做一个开开心心的傻瓜吧，做傻瓜，挺好。"  
> **username_1**: besides singing the praises of 傻瓜 the quoted article also seems to make no distinction between “死脑筋”and“一根弦”which according to iciba：死脑筋 one-track mind ； block-headed seems to confirm given answers  
> **username_3**: Reechen, when will you start writing answers in the answer box? I will always give you an upvote, schlau wie du bist!  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-05-17. Score: 3

As username_3 has explained, 一根弦的傻子 or 脑子一根弦 refers to those who clings to one idea. 一根弦 can be interpreted as "single-minded". But note that it is not necessarily a derogatory term.

For example, in the following sentence,

> 一根弦的傻子，也能熬出头。
>
> A single-minded fool can eventually survive from the nights and succeed as well.

一根弦 implies that the "fool" is determined and strong-willed and will not give up on what he/she has been pursuing for.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-05-17. Score: 2

It means a stubborn person, who clings to just one idea , who is incapable or unwilling to consider other points of view.

A bit like 'a one track mind' without the sexual connotations.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2015-05-17. Score: 0

Other people give nice explanations.

Just want to add something to the discussion:

一根弦=一根筋=单细胞.

Sometimes used to describe people who never turns back until runs into an impassable barrier. In Chinese, 不撞南墙不回头。


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