In the Spring and Autumn period (chūn qiū 春秋时期,770-476 BC), a thief had stolen a bell and intended to carry it away on his back, but the bell was too bulky and heavy to be carried, so he tried to break it into pieces with a hammer to make it easier for carrying. On his first hit, however, the bell made a loud noise. He thus feared that the ringing sound might be heard by someone, who would come to rob him of his bell. His fright made him plug his own ears, while hitting the bell with the hammer. The bell sound was, nevertheless, audible to others and therefore to stuff his ears for the purpose of stealing a bell was a stupid action it is as foolish as burying one's head in the sand.

在春秋战国时期，有一个小偷偷了一只钟。他准备把钟扛在背上带走。可是钟又大又沉，很难扛走。因此他想用锤子把钟敲成碎片，这样运起来就能多了。可是，他敲了一下，那只钟发出巨大的响声。他怕别人听到了钟声会来抢他的钟，于是他在锤子敲钟时捂上了自己的耳朵。不过，即使他这样做，别人还是听得到钟声的。所以掩耳盗铃是非常愚蠢的行为，就像把头埋在沙子中一样(淮南子著)。

掩耳盗铃(yǎn ěr dào líng)
【翻译】Plug one's ears while stealing a bell.
【释义】掩：遮蔽，遮盖；盗：偷。偷铃铛怕别人听见而捂住自己的耳朵。比喻自己欺骗自己，明            明掩盖不住的事情偏要想法子掩盖。
【例句】我们不能总是逃避现实掩耳盗铃，我们必须学会面对现实。
【反义词】开诚布公
【近义词】自欺欺人、弄巧成拙、盗铃掩耳