只见树木不见森林

unable to see the wood for the trees / fig. only able to see isolated details, and not the bigger picture

only / merely / just / but

variant of 只[zhi3]

grain that has begun to ripen

variant of 只[zhi3]

classifier for birds and certain animals, one of a pair, some utensils, vessels etc

to see (the same thing) over and over again / to see, to one's surprise, (sth happen suddenly)

to see / to meet / to appear (to be sth) / to interview / opinion / view

to appear / also written 現|现[xian4]

tree / CL:棵[ke1] / to cultivate / to set up

tree

(bound form) tree / (bound form) wood / unresponsive; numb; wooden

no; not so / (bound form) not; un-

not to see / not to meet / to have disappeared / to be missing

forest

forest / CL:片[pian4]

woods / forest / CL:片[pian4] / circle(s) (i.e. specific group of people) / a collection (of similar things)