只见树木不见森林

只见树木不见森林:

Literally means:

fail to see theforest for the trees

Actually means:

树木, the tree; 森林, the forest.

This phrase figuratively means a partial perspective from which one sees only the parts instead of the whole. Often metaphorically to describe a person who is too short-sighted to see the whole of something. Derogatory.

树木，一棵棵树；森林，许多树。

只见树木不见森林，比喻看问题片面，只看到事物的个别或局部，没看到整体或全部。常用来比喻人眼光短浅，看不见事物。