# 目光如豆

mù guāng rú dòu

Have a narrow, short-sighted outlook

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Vision as small as a bean

**Register:** Critical · expressive

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

## When to use it

Criticize focus on small immediate concerns.

Not about physical eyesight.

## Understanding the expression

A bean makes the field of vision seem tiny. The expression describes a person who sees only immediate gains or a narrow part of a larger situation. It is a critical judgment about perspective, not a medical description of sight. A clear example shows what important consequence was overlooked. Paying attention to details can be valuable; the fault arises when those details crowd out a wider view needed for a sound decision.

## Examples

他目光如豆，只顾本月利润。

### Traditional Chinese

他目光如豆，只顧本月利潤。

tā mù guāng rú dòu ， zhǐ gù běn yuè lì rùn 。

He is short-sighted and cares only about this month’s profit.

别目光如豆，忽略长期成本。

### Traditional Chinese

別目光如豆，忽略長期成本。

bié mù guāng rú dòu ， hū lüè cháng qī chéng běn 。

Do not be so short-sighted that you ignore long-term costs.

她批评管理者目光如豆，不肯培训员工。

### Traditional Chinese

她批評管理者目光如豆，不肯培訓員工。

tā pī píng guǎn lǐ zhě mù guāng rú dòu ， bù kěn péi xùn yuán gōng 。

She criticized the managers’ short-sighted refusal to train staff.

节省小钱却污染河流，实在目光如豆。

### Traditional Chinese

節省小錢卻汙染河流，實在目光如豆。

jié shěng xiǎo qián què wū rǎn hé liú ， shí zài mù guāng rú dòu 。

Saving a little money while polluting the river is profoundly short-sighted.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%9B%AE%E5%85%89%E5%A6%82%E8%B1%86)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=984&webMd=1&la=0)

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