mò默silentmò默silentwú无nowén闻fame
Unknown to the public; obscure; without fame or recognition.
Literal meaning
silent (默) — silent (默) — no (无) — fame (闻)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase describing a lack of recognition or fame.
Examples
tā他mò默mò默wú无wén闻de地gōng工zuò作le了yí一bèi辈zi子。
He worked his whole life without recognition.
suī虽rán然tā他mò默mò默wú无wén闻，dàn但tā他zuò做chū出le了hěn很dà大de的gòng贡xiàn献。
Although he is unknown, he has made a great contribution.
Usage & nuances
Often used to describe someone who works hard without seeking recognition.
Learn idioms by speaking them
Idioms are most useful when they land in a real conversation. Practice them out loud in Kango — get instant feedback on tone and timing.
Download Kango on iOS