掩耳盜鈴 yǎn ěr dào líng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. to cover one's ears whilst stealing a bell
  2. to deceive oneself
  3. to bury one's head in the sand (idiom)

CHARACTERS

掩 yǎn to cover (with the hand); shut, conceal; ambush
耳 ěr ear; merely, only; handle
盜 dào rob, steal; thief, bandit
鈴 líng bell