以小人之心度君子之腹

以小人之心度君子之腹 [yǐ xiǎo rén zhī xīn duó jūn zǐ zhī fù]

1. ■ measure the stature of great men by the yardstick of small men; A knave thinks of others in terms of his own desires.; gauge [guess] the heart of a gentle man with one's own mean measure; He has no idea of what the princely man aspires.; like a knave who uses his own yardstick to measure the motive of an upright man; try to estimate what's in the heart of the great with the heart of the mean