不以为然 (bù yǐ wéi rán)

Character breakdown

• 不 (bù) · 4 strokes

  Pictograph of sepals of a flower. The modern meaning "no" is a phonetic loan.

• 以 (yǐ) · 4 strokes

  Depicts a person (人) carrying something.

• 为 (wéi) · 4 strokes

  Simplified form of 為. Pictograph of a hand (又) guiding an elephant (象) to do work (in ancient China elephants were tamed to do work). Based on the meaning "to work; to do".

• 然 (rán) · 12 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 灬 represents the meaning and 肰 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "burn", now written as 燃. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Usage

对于他的建议，大家都表示不以为然。

not to accept as correct (idiom); to object; to disapprove; to take exception to

duì yú tā de jiàn yì ， dà jiā dōu biǎo shì bù yǐ wéi rán 。