默默无闻 mòmò-wúwén unknown
(idiom) unknown; unrenowned
How to remember 默默无闻: 默 silent + 无 have not + 闻 hear = unknown.
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How it is used
- Idiom: obscure and unknown - toiling without recognition - 默默无闻地工作了一辈子 (mòmò wúwén de gōngzuò le yíbèizi) to have worked in obscurity all one's life.
- Often admiring: quietly dedicated without seeking fame.
- Contrast 大名鼎鼎 (dàmíng dǐngdǐng, famous); register: written/appreciative.