"Building a cart behind closed doors" literally means making a cart with the door shut. It comes from The Doctrine of the Mean: "Building a cart behind closed doors, yet it fits the ruts outside." Originally it meant that as long as specifications and standards are unified, a cart made behind closed doors can still match the ruts on the road. Later, its meaning shifted and it is often used as a metaphor for acting on subjective imagination without considering objective circumstances, divorced from reality. The idiom carries a derogatory connotation and is mostly used to criticize those who make plans or proposals based on subjective assumptions without investigation or contact with reality. It is widely used in fields such as work, study, and management. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the emphasis in traditional Chinese culture on the unity of knowledge and action and on seeking truth from facts, and it opposes empty idealism and detachment from reality. In emotional coloring, it carries a clear sense of criticism and warning, reminding people to go deep into reality, pay attention to investigation and research, and avoid subjectivism.
📝 Example
1. When formulating policies, it is essential to conduct in-depth research at the grassroots level rather than working behind closed doors; otherwise, they will be difficult to implement. (A metaphor for acting on subjective imagination, divorced from reality.)
2. He shut himself away in the laboratory all day, working behind closed doors, and as a result, the product he designed did not meet market demand at all. (A metaphor for staying out of touch with reality and being divorced from actual conditions.)