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
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
retreat; to decline; to move back; to withdraw
 
and; as well as; but (not)
and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)
 
knot; sturdy; to bear (fruit)
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)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: lín yuān xiàn yú, bù rú tuì ér jié wǎng
      • Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄩㄢ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄩˊ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄊㄨㄟˋ ㄦˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄨㄤˇ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: lín yuan siàn yú, bù rú tuèi ér jié wǎng
      • Wade–Giles: lin2 yüan1 hsien4 yü2, pu4 ju2 tʻui4 êrh2 chieh2 wang3
      • Yale: lín ywān syàn yú-, bù rú twèi ér jyé wǎng
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: lin iuan shiann yu, bu ru tuey erl jye woang
      • Palladius: линь юань сянь юй, бу жу туй эр цзе ван (linʹ juanʹ sjanʹ juj, bu žu tuj er cze van)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /lin³⁵ ɥɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ y³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵⁻⁵⁵ wɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽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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