Dictionary › 舍本逐末

舍本逐末

shě běn zhú mò

4-character word Traditional 捨本逐末

What 舍本逐末 means

1. to neglect the root and pursue the tip (idiom)
2. to neglect fundamentals and concentrate on details

The characters in 舍本逐末

• 舍shěto give up; to abandon; to give alms
• 本běn(bound form) root; stem; (bound form) origin; source; (bound form) one's own; this
• 逐zhú(bound form) to pursue; to chase; to drive away; one by one; individually
• 末mòtip; end; final stage