# 见仁见智

jiàn rén jiàn zhì

Different people see it differently

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** See according to one’s own understanding

**Traditional Chinese:** 見仁見智

**Register:** Neutral · conversational

[Perspective](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/perspective)

## When to use it

Use when reasonable people form different judgments.

It does not make every factual claim equally accurate.

## Behind the words

The Book of Changes describes people seeing different qualities in the same principle. The expression came to acknowledge differing perspectives.

The expression recognizes that different people perceive or evaluate the same thing differently. It fits taste, interpretation, and judgments where more than one reasonable view is possible. It is less suitable for dismissing a factual question that evidence can settle. In discussion, it can create room for disagreement without declaring every interpretation equally well supported.

## Examples

这部电影好不好看，见仁见智。

### Traditional Chinese

這部電影好不好看，見仁見智。

zhè bù diàn yǐng hǎo bu hǎo kàn ， jiàn rén jiàn zhì 。

Whether this film is good is a matter of individual judgment.

这部电影的结尾好不好，恐怕见仁见智。

### Traditional Chinese

這部電影的結尾好不好，恐怕見仁見智。

zhè bù diàn yǐng de jié wěi hǎo bu hǎo ， kǒng pà jiàn rén jiàn zhì 。

Whether the film's ending works is probably a matter of perspective.

对什么算是理想生活，大家往往见仁见智。

### Traditional Chinese

對什麼算是理想生活，大家往往見仁見智。

duì shén me suàn shì lǐ xiǎng shēng huó ， dà jiā wǎng wǎng jiàn rén jiàn zhì 。

People often differ in what they consider an ideal life.

这个设计的美感见仁见智，安全标准却不能含糊。

### Traditional Chinese

這個設計的美感見仁見智，安全標準卻不能含糊。

zhè ge shè jì de měi gǎn jiàn rén jiàn zhì ， ān quán biāo zhǔn què bù néng hán hu 。

The design's beauty is a matter of opinion, but its safety standards need to be clear.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1242&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%A6%8B%E4%BB%81%E8%A6%8B%E6%99%BA)

## Keep exploring

- [矫揉造作 jiǎo róu zào zuò Be affected and unnatural ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jiao-rou-zao-zuo)

- [津津有味 jīn jīn yǒu wèi With lively interest or enjoyment ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jin-jin-you-wei)

- [井底之蛙 jǐng dǐ zhī wā A narrow view of the world ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jing-di-zhi-wa)

- [镜花水月 jìng huā shuǐ yuè Be beautiful but unattainable or illusory ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jing-hua-shui-yue)

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