# 目中无人

mù zhōng wú rén

Treat others as beneath one's notice

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Have no one in one's eyes

**Traditional Chinese:** 目中無人

**Register:** Critical · general

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Criticize arrogance shown through disregard for others.

More than confidence; it implies disrespect toward other people.

## Understanding the expression

The eyes normally acknowledge the people around them. Here, those people seem absent from the arrogant person's field of attention. The expression criticizes conduct such as dismissing colleagues, ignoring greetings, or assuming others have nothing worthwhile to contribute. It is not a complaint about poor eyesight or harmless concentration. The core problem is social disrespect, especially when someone uses achievement or status to justify treating others as insignificant.

## Examples

他得奖后目中无人，连同事的建议也不听。

### Traditional Chinese

他得獎後目中無人，連同事的建議也不聽。

tā dé jiǎng hòu mù zhōng wú rén ， lián tóng shì de jiàn yì yě bù tīng 。

After winning an award, he became arrogant and ignored colleagues' advice.

别因成绩好就目中无人。

### Traditional Chinese

別因成績好就目中無人。

bié yīn chéng jì hǎo jiù mù zhōng wú rén 。

Do not look down on others because you have good grades.

那位客人目中无人，对服务员呼来喝去。

### Traditional Chinese

那位客人目中無人，對服務員呼來喝去。

nà wèi kè rén mù zhōng wú rén ， duì fú wù yuán hū lái hè qù 。

That customer behaved arrogantly and ordered the servers around.

她能力强，却从不目中无人，总愿意听新人意见。

### Traditional Chinese

她能力強，卻從不目中無人，總願意聽新人意見。

tā néng lì qiáng ， què cóng bù mù zhōng wú rén ， zǒng yuàn yì tīng xīn rén yì jiàn 。

She is capable but never dismisses others and always hears newcomers' views.

## 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%E4%B8%AD%E7%84%A1%E4%BA%BA)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=399&webMd=1&la=0)

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