<p>外行literally means "outsider." But it can easily be interpreted as "layman" or "non-professional." </p>

<p>外行的想法, would be "outsider or non-professional way of thinking." It's something of a pejorative, because the Chinese culture places a greater emphasis on "expert" or "professional" opinions, as opposed to "whatever works."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-19T00:18:58.723Z
2012-07-19T00:18:58.723Z
Tom Au
<p>English is not my mother tongue, but I would translate 外行的想法 as "unprofessional opinion" or "amateurish opinion".
<a href="http://www.nciku.com/search/all/%E5%A4%96%E8%A1%8C" rel="noreferrer">外行</a> is the opposite of <a href="http://www.nciku.com/search/all/%E5%86%85%E8%A1%8C" rel="noreferrer">内行</a>, which means <em>expert, adept, experienced, an expert, a professional</em>, so the emphasis is as you mentioned on the fact that the person is not experienced.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-12T23:28:50.587Z
It surely sounds like your mother tongue.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-12T23:29:19.973Z
Agreed. The original sentence doesn't sound belittling (although blunt) unless it's intentionally used against a real professional.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-12T17:58:08.380Z
2012-07-19T09:23:21.030Z
2012-07-19T09:23:21.030Z
BertR
<p>I found this sentence and its translation on <a href="http://tatoeba.org/eng/sentences/show/344579" rel="nofollow noreferrer">tatoeba.org</a>. Is there a better way to translate it into English?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>這是外行的想法。</p>
<p>That's a layman's idea.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I looked up 外行, and it does mean amateur or layman, but I've never heard anybody use the phrase &quot;layman's idea&quot; in English. Perhaps a better translation would be as simple as, &quot;That's a dumb idea.&quot; Or does the Chinese phrase emphasize that it's a bad idea because the person is inexperienced? If so, perhaps it would be best to translate as, &quot;That's a rookie mistake.&quot;</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-12T23:27:54.923Z
A rookie's opinion sounds better. A suggestion by a rookie/amateur doesn't necessarily culminate in a mistake/blunder.
deutschZuid
<word-choice><translation>
Does 外行的想法 mean "rookie mistake"?
# Does 外行的想法 mean "rookie mistake"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-07-12)

I found this sentence and its translation on [tatoeba.org](http://tatoeba.org/eng/sentences/show/344579). Is there a better way to translate it into English?

> 這是外行的想法。
>
> That's a layman's idea.

I looked up 外行, and it does mean amateur or layman, but I've never heard anybody use the phrase "layman's idea" in English. Perhaps a better translation would be as simple as, "That's a dumb idea." Or does the Chinese phrase emphasize that it's a bad idea because the person is inexperienced? If so, perhaps it would be best to translate as, "That's a rookie mistake."

**Tags:** word-choice, translation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: A rookie's opinion sounds better. A suggestion by a rookie/amateur doesn't necessarily culminate in a mistake/blunder.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-07-12. Score: 9 | Accepted answer

English is not my mother tongue, but I would translate 外行的想法 as "unprofessional opinion" or "amateurish opinion".
[外行](http://www.nciku.com/search/all/%E5%A4%96%E8%A1%8C) is the opposite of [内行](http://www.nciku.com/search/all/%E5%86%85%E8%A1%8C), which means *expert, adept, experienced, an expert, a professional*, so the emphasis is as you mentioned on the fact that the person is not experienced.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It surely sounds like your mother tongue.  
> **username_4**: Agreed. The original sentence doesn't sound belittling (although blunt) unless it's intentionally used against a real professional.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2012-07-19. Score: 4

外行literally means "outsider." But it can easily be interpreted as "layman" or "non-professional."

外行的想法, would be "outsider or non-professional way of thinking." It's something of a pejorative, because the Chinese culture places a greater emphasis on "expert" or "professional" opinions, as opposed to "whatever works."


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