Chinese Idiom: 少见多怪 (Shao Jian Duo Guai)
English Translation: Little experience, much surprise
pīn yīn: shǎo jiàn duō guài
Idiom Meaning: This idiom is used to mock people who have limited knowledge or experience and, as a result, are easily surprised by ordinary things. It describes someone who overreacts to common occurrences simply because they are unfamiliar with them.
Historical Source: Eastern Han Dynasty, Mouzi (《牟子》) by Mou Rong (牟融)
Idiom Story:
There was once a man who had never seen a camel before and was completely unaware of the existence of such an animal. One day, he happened to see a creature with two large humps on its back. Astonished, he exclaimed loudly, “Oh my, everyone, come and see! Look at this horse with such a swollen back!” In reality, what he was looking at was just a camel, a creature that wasn’t unusual at all. The camel itself wasn’t strange; it was only the man’s lack of experience that made him think it was.
Later, in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Mou Rong recorded this anecdote in his book Mouzi (《牟子》). He wrote, “There is a saying: ‘Little experience leads to much surprise, like seeing a camel and thinking it’s a horse with a swollen back.'” This story illustrates how a lack of experience can cause someone to be easily astonished by things that are actually quite ordinary.
