<p>You already have a good understanding on this idiom, with the words explained, you can help yourself.</p>
<p>坐井而观天，曰(說)天小者(人)，非(不是)天小也(啊)!</p>
<p>Note 曰天小者 are four separate words - &quot;say&quot;, &quot;sky&quot;, &quot;small&quot;, and &quot;person&quot;. There is no connection between the individual word like 天小, and 小者, but &quot;天&quot; &quot;小&quot; and &quot;者&quot;.</p>
<p>In ancient Chinese writings, you will see many sentences end in one of these 4 letters - 之, 乎, 者, 也. In the past, they are very important for a person's education/knowledge level was exclusively judged by the proper use/handle of those letters. However, the meaning and use of these letters are not an easy task, and a lot of time people have to guess, either by reading the article several times, or using inference techniques. The difficulty in learning old writing style had been the barrier to the vast majority of Chinese in gaining an education, thus, the writing style that included using these letters was abolished right after overthrew of the Qing Dynasty.</p>
<p>In here, my interpretation 也 as 啊 may draw some objections, read on :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-30T12:43:36.183Z
I agree with most of your opinions, but I think there is a better explanation for "者". "者" here should be a particle with no actual meaning; it is just a part of a 判断句, not "的人".
T-Pioneer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-30T15:29:35.617Z
@T-Pioneer 反我者 殺之 :)
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-31T13:53:01.410Z
Afraid... :-) But I have an example too: "童寄者，郴州荛牧儿也。（柳宗元《童区寄传》）"
T-Pioneer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-31T16:07:08.960Z
@T-Pioneer Sorry, 古文到此不通 :)
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-25T14:58:35.110Z
这里的者显然不是指示代词，还得多学习喔）这里，者……也合用是一个有音节停顿的判断句
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-25T22:31:43.850Z
2021-07-25T22:31:43.850Z
r13
<p>井底之蛙</p>
<p>井底之蛙， 是一个汉语成语，意思是指井底的青蛙认为天只有井口那么大。</p>
<p>坐井而观天 if you sit at the bottom of a well and regard the sky<br />
曰天小者 you could say that the sky is small<br />
非天小也  but it is not the sky which is small yeah!</p>
<p>There is however a story about some ancient Egyptian astronomers who would do this at a certain time of year to regard a particular star during the day.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The belief is an old one. Aristotle (384 BCE – 322 BCE) mentioned it
in one of his essays, and Chapter 20 of Charles Dickens’ Pickwick
Papers begins with it. Ancient or not, the belief doesn’t work in
practice.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Croak!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-26T03:10:37.003Z
This is one Idiom that may give rise to arguments as to its true national origin, like who learn from whom on noodle / spaghetti eating, not to mention the question why the poor harmless frog is so internationally malign. Among the nationalities are, (in no particular order of merit of course), Chinese, 井底之蛙, Katak di bawah tempurung, (Malay Proverb - Frog under a shell), Japanese, 井の中の蛙、大海を知らず, and English, The Frog in the Well. However, a "European" near equivalent Idiom is "To measure another’s corn by one’s own bushel" Here, at least the "frog" is respected, though frogs, wells are common.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-26T04:26:38.930Z
I recently discovered some hitherto unknown sayings of Confucius. In this context: 孔子曰：“坐在井底人之屁股会被湿也！”  Now retranslate this one: Confucius spake: man who run in front of car get tired, but man who run behind car get exhausted!
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-26T07:32:24.587Z
BTW, I think we need someone around here, @r13, maybe, who could do a good pun in Chinese on "tired" & "exhausted"? I certainly couldn't.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-26T07:49:39.657Z
Here's an oft-quoted lost saying of Confucius -- "有性问题睡觉, 手头有解方也" Since I could not consult Confucius personally or any of his pupils, I consulted Mr. Google and he kindly translated it as "Sleep with sexual problems, and have solutions on hand", which though a bit limp, it does captures the essence of the saying?"
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-25T23:32:56.070Z
2021-07-25T23:32:56.070Z
Pedroski
<p>意思是坐在井里看天的人，说天小，并不是真的天小（是因为他就懂这么点，没见过外边的天）。</p>
<p>这个经常用于对某件事有不同的看法，某些人就会片面的认为xxxx，因为以他的阅历就懂这么多，他也只能说出这样的话。</p>
<p>夏虫不可语冰。</p>
<p>你问一个小学生，等他成为首富，他会做什么，他一定会说买吃不完的糖果，因为他就了解这些。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-26T01:24:27.793Z
2021-07-26T01:24:27.793Z
daotian
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E5%9D%90%E4%BA%95%E8%A7%82%E5%A4%A9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 坐井观天 (zuò​jǐng​guān​tiān) lit. to view the sky from the bottom of a well (idiom); ignorant and narrow-minded</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The origin of the above 成语 (idiom) is <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%9D%90%E4%BA%95%E8%A7%82%E5%A4%A9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">reported to be</a> the line</p>
<blockquote>
<p>坐井而观天，曰天小者，非天小也。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This comes from the Tang dynasty essay <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%8E%9F%E9%81%93/2373535" rel="nofollow noreferrer">《原道》</a> by <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%9F%A9%E6%84%88/127407" rel="nofollow noreferrer">韩愈</a>.  I understand the above is Classical Chinese, which is new to me.  Here's my attempt at understanding this sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>坐井而观天 to sit in a well and observe the sky<br />
曰天小者 and declare 曰 the sky is a small thing 小者<br />
非天小也 [but it is] not 非 the sky which is small</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The 也 at the end seems to be the special character:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E4%B9%9F" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 也 (yě​) (in Classical Chinese) final particle implying affirmation</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Honestly, my understanding of this sentence is fairly flimsy, especially 曰, 小者, and 非.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: How do I precisely understand 坐井而观天，曰天小者，非天小也?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-25T21:58:36.230Z
「之」「乎」「者」「也」都是常用文言虚词 -  "Zhi", "Hu", "Zhe" and "Ye" are all commonly used classical Chinese function words
Tang Ho
<translation><meaning><classical-chinese>
How do I precisely understand 坐井而观天，曰天小者，非天小也 (the origin of the chengyu 坐井观天)?
# How do I precisely understand 坐井而观天，曰天小者，非天小也 (the origin of the chengyu 坐井观天)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-07-25)

> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E5%9D%90%E4%BA%95%E8%A7%82%E5%A4%A9): 坐井观天 (zuò​jǐng​guān​tiān) lit. to view the sky from the bottom of a well (idiom); ignorant and narrow-minded

The origin of the above 成语 (idiom) is [reported to be](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%9D%90%E4%BA%95%E8%A7%82%E5%A4%A9) the line

> 坐井而观天，曰天小者，非天小也。

This comes from the username_1 dynasty essay [《原道》](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%8E%9F%E9%81%93/2373535) by [韩愈](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%9F%A9%E6%84%88/127407). I understand the above is Classical Chinese, which is new to me. Here's my attempt at understanding this sentence:

> 坐井而观天 to sit in a well and observe the sky  
> 曰天小者 and declare 曰 the sky is a small thing 小者  
> 非天小也 [but it is] not 非 the sky which is small

The 也 at the end seems to be the special character:

> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E4%B9%9F): 也 (yě​) (in Classical Chinese) final particle implying affirmation

Honestly, my understanding of this sentence is fairly flimsy, especially 曰, 小者, and 非.

**Question**: How do I precisely understand 坐井而观天，曰天小者，非天小也?

**Tags:** translation, meaning, classical-chinese

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 「之」「乎」「者」「也」都是常用文言虚词 -  "Zhi", "Hu", "Zhe" and "Ye" are all commonly used classical Chinese function words  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-07-25. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

You already have a good understanding on this idiom, with the words explained, you can help yourself.

坐井而观天，曰(說)天小者(人)，非(不是)天小也(啊)!

Note 曰天小者 are four separate words - "say", "sky", "small", and "person". There is no connection between the individual word like 天小, and 小者, but "天" "小" and "者".

In ancient Chinese writings, you will see many sentences end in one of these 4 letters - 之, 乎, 者, 也. In the past, they are very important for a person's education/knowledge level was exclusively judged by the proper use/handle of those letters. However, the meaning and use of these letters are not an easy task, and a lot of time people have to guess, either by reading the article several times, or using inference techniques. The difficulty in learning old writing style had been the barrier to the vast majority of Chinese in gaining an education, thus, the writing style that included using these letters was abolished right after overthrew of the Qing Dynasty.

In here, my interpretation 也 as 啊 may draw some objections, read on :)

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I agree with most of your opinions, but I think there is a better explanation for "者". "者" here should be a particle with no actual meaning; it is just a part of a 判断句, not "的人".  
> **username_2**: @username_3 反我者 殺之 :)  
> **username_3**: Afraid... :-) But I have an example too: "童寄者，郴州荛牧儿也。（柳宗元《童区寄传》）"  
> **username_2**: @username_3 Sorry, 古文到此不通 :)  
> **username_4**: 这里的者显然不是指示代词，还得多学习喔）这里，者……也合用是一个有音节停顿的判断句  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-07-25. Score: 1

井底之蛙

井底之蛙， 是一个汉语成语，意思是指井底的青蛙认为天只有井口那么大。

坐井而观天 if you sit at the bottom of a well and regard the sky  
曰天小者 you could say that the sky is small  
非天小也 but it is not the sky which is small yeah!

There is however a story about some ancient Egyptian astronomers who would do this at a certain time of year to regard a particular star during the day.

> The belief is an old one. Aristotle (384 BCE – 322 BCE) mentioned it
> in one of his essays, and Chapter 20 of Charles Dickens’ Pickwick
> Papers begins with it. Ancient or not, the belief doesn’t work in
> practice.

Croak!

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: This is one Idiom that may give rise to arguments as to its true national origin, like who learn from whom on noodle / spaghetti eating, not to mention the question why the poor harmless frog is so internationally malign. Among the nationalities are, (in no particular order of merit of course), Chinese, 井底之蛙, Katak di bawah tempurung, (Malay Proverb - Frog under a shell), Japanese, 井の中の蛙、大海を知らず, and English, The Frog in the Well. However, a "European" near equivalent Idiom is "To measure another’s corn by one’s own bushel" Here, at least the "frog" is respected, though frogs, wells are common.  
> **username_5**: I recently discovered some hitherto unknown sayings of Confucius. In this context: 孔子曰：“坐在井底人之屁股会被湿也！”  Now retranslate this one: Confucius spake: man who run in front of car get tired, but man who run behind car get exhausted!  
> **username_6**: BTW, I think we need someone around here, @username_2, maybe, who could do a good pun in Chinese on "tired" & "exhausted"? I certainly couldn't.  
> **username_6**: Here's an oft-quoted lost saying of Confucius -- "有性问题睡觉, 手头有解方也" Since I could not consult Confucius personally or any of his pupils, I consulted Mr. Google and he kindly translated it as "Sleep with sexual problems, and have solutions on hand", which though a bit limp, it does captures the essence of the saying?"  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2021-07-26. Score: -1

意思是坐在井里看天的人，说天小，并不是真的天小（是因为他就懂这么点，没见过外边的天）。

这个经常用于对某件事有不同的看法，某些人就会片面的认为xxxx，因为以他的阅历就懂这么多，他也只能说出这样的话。

夏虫不可语冰。

你问一个小学生，等他成为首富，他会做什么，他一定会说买吃不完的糖果，因为他就了解这些。


---

