葦よしの髄ずいから天てん井じょうのぞく

expression, godan verb (-ku)

have a narrow view of things; look at the ceiling through a reed (lit.)

Proverbial expression meaning to have a limited perspective, like trying to see a whole ceiling through a thin reed. Often used critically of someone who judges a large matter from a tiny viewpoint.

• 彼かれの意い見けんは葦よしの髄ずいから天てん井じょうのぞくようなものだ。

  His opinion is like looking at the ceiling through a reed—a very narrow view.

• 葦よしの髄ずいから天てん井じょうのぞくでは、全ぜん体たい像ぞうはつかめない。

  You can't grasp the big picture if you're looking at the ceiling through a reed.