臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網

Chinese

to stand on the edge of a pool and idly long for fish; to wish for something good but take no action to obtain it; irresoluteness
 
to be not like; to be not equal to; to be not as good as; cannot compare to; to be inferior to
 
retreat; to decline; to move back; to withdraw
 
and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)
 
knot; sturdy; to bear (fruit); bond; to tie; to bind
 net; network
trad. (臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網) 臨淵羨魚 ， 不如 退 而 結 網
simp. (临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网) 临渊羡鱼 ， 不如 退 而 结 网
Literally: “Rather than long for fish next to a pool, it would be better to go home and weave a net.”

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lín yuān xiàn yú, bù rú tuì ér jié wǎng
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄩㄢ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄩˊ, ㄅㄨˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄊㄨㄟˋ ㄦˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄨㄤˇ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Pinyin: lín yuān xiàn yú, bù rú tuì ér jié wǎng
      • Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄩㄢ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄩˊ, ㄅㄨˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄊㄨㄟˋ ㄦˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄨㄤˇ
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: lin iuan shiann yu, bu4 ru tuey elr jye woang
      • IPA (key): /lin³⁵ y̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ y³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ u̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

Proverb

臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網

  1. One should take practical steps to achieve one's aim.
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