<p>No exact translation or idiom comes to mind, but I think a good expression/phrase would be to '<strong>create a false sense of security</strong>'. </p>

<p>The expression '<strong>bury one's head in the sand</strong>' suggests that one is aware of the danger but simply chooses to ignore or hide from it although the perceived level of risk/danger remains the same to the person, whereas when you create a false sense of security (whether you are consciously aware of it or not) then you do believe that the level of risk/danger has been reduced, as the person in the story did.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-11T22:20:30.943Z
2015-03-11T22:20:30.943Z
Michael Lai
<p>Answer from <a href="http://www.zdic.net/c/9/13c/302569.htm" rel="nofollow">zdic.net</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>plug one's ears while stealing a bell;deceive oneself as an ostrich that buries its head in the sand</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-12T12:42:19.087Z
2015-03-12T12:42:19.087Z
einverne
<p>Blocking your own ears does not hide the sounds of your stealing a bell.</p>

<p>This is my own translation. Please comment. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-02T20:31:12.200Z
Yes, that is what it means. I just wondered if there was a similar English idiom.
George Chen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-02T21:30:44.347Z
But if no one was around, then there was no sound. I digress. (Sure there was vibration, etc)
George Chen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-02T22:41:39.530Z
The sensation of the sound is the sound itself. The sensation of colour is the colour itself. There is no sound or colour outside the mind.
George Chen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-02T23:00:55.347Z
So, to be exact, your translation should be "blocking one's own ears does not prevent sound waves from reaching other ears."
George Chen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-02T14:55:51.097Z
2015-03-02T14:55:51.097Z
PdotWang
<p>Oxford, CC-CEDICT, A Chinese-English dictionary all use the following idiom to define 掩耳盗铃:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(to) bury one's head in the sand</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Free Dictionary defines it as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>bury one's head in the sand and hide one's head in the sand; have one's head in the sand</p>
<p>Fig. to ignore or hide from obvious signs of danger. (Alludes to an ostrich, which is believed incorrectly to hide its head in a hole in the ground when it sees danger.) <em>Stop burying your head in the sand. Look at the statistics on smoking and cancer.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Like-wise Oxford Pocket also has:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(to) bury one's head in the sand like an ostrich</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It's not a perfect match, per se, but it's a pretty close English idiom.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-02T02:36:46.320Z
Line Dict: bury one’s head in the sand
iciba： plug one's ears while stealing a bell ； bury one's head in the sand ； deceive oneself ； play the ostrich，
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-01T23:25:39.347Z
2015-03-02T00:01:56.450Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Mou某
<p>Preferably an idiom just as picturesque and succinct. Thanks.</p>

<p>Here's the original meaning:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The expression 掩耳盗铃 comes from a story about a person who decided to
  steal a bell. However, the bell was too heavy to carry and the thief
  decided to break it into pieces. He was afraid the sound would attract
  attention, so the thief blocked his ears and continued to smash the
  bell believing that as long as he could not hear the bell's sound no
  one else could either.</p>
</blockquote>

<translation><idioms>
How to translate 掩耳盗铃 into English?
# How to translate 掩耳盗铃 into English?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-03-01)

Preferably an idiom just as picturesque and succinct. Thanks.

Here's the original meaning:

> The expression 掩耳盗铃 comes from a story about a person who decided to
> steal a bell. However, the bell was too heavy to carry and the thief
> decided to break it into pieces. He was afraid the sound would attract
> attention, so the thief blocked his ears and continued to smash the
> bell believing that as long as he could not hear the bell's sound no
> one else could either.

**Tags:** translation, idioms


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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-03-01. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

Oxford, CC-CEDICT, A Chinese-English dictionary all use the following idiom to define 掩耳盗铃:

> (to) bury one's head in the sand

The Free Dictionary defines it as:

> bury one's head in the sand and hide one's head in the sand; have one's head in the sand
>
> Fig. to ignore or hide from obvious signs of danger. (Alludes to an ostrich, which is believed incorrectly to hide its head in a hole in the ground when it sees danger.) *Stop burying your head in the sand. Look at the statistics on smoking and cancer.*

Like-wise Oxford Pocket also has:

> (to) bury one's head in the sand like an ostrich

It's not a perfect match, per se, but it's a pretty close English idiom.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Line Dict: bury one’s head in the sand iciba： plug one's ears while stealing a bell ； bury one's head in the sand ； deceive oneself ； play the ostrich，  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2015-03-11. Score: 1

No exact translation or idiom comes to mind, but I think a good expression/phrase would be to '**create a false sense of security**'.

The expression '**bury one's head in the sand**' suggests that one is aware of the danger but simply chooses to ignore or hide from it although the perceived level of risk/danger remains the same to the person, whereas when you create a false sense of security (whether you are consciously aware of it or not) then you do believe that the level of risk/danger has been reduced, as the person in the story did.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-03-12. Score: 1

Answer from [zdic.net](http://www.zdic.net/c/9/13c/302569.htm)

> plug one's ears while stealing a bell;deceive oneself as an ostrich that buries its head in the sand


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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-03-02. Score: 0

Blocking your own ears does not hide the sounds of your stealing a bell.

This is my own translation. Please comment.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Yes, that is what it means. I just wondered if there was a similar English idiom.  
> **username_0**: But if no one was around, then there was no sound. I digress. (Sure there was vibration, etc)  
> **username_0**: The sensation of the sound is the sound itself. The sensation of colour is the colour itself. There is no sound or colour outside the mind.  
> **username_0**: So, to be exact, your translation should be "blocking one's own ears does not prevent sound waves from reaching other ears."  

---

