临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网
lín​yuān​xiàn​yú​bù​rú​tuì'ér​jié​wǎng

take practical steps to achieve a goal

lín​yuān​xiàn​yú​bù​rú​tuì'ér​jié​wǎng take practical steps to achieve a goal
  1. 临渊羡鱼 臨淵羡魚 lín​yuān​xiàn​yú
    to take action rather than idle wishing
    To stand on the edge of a pond and long for the fish; suggests that it is better to take practical steps than to indulge in wishful thinking.
  2. ， bù
    non-Chinese
  3. 不如 bù​rú verbpreposition
    not as good as
    not equal to; inferior to; to be not as good as
  4. 退 tuì verb
    to retreat
    to move backward; to withdraw or pull back
  5. 而 ér particleconjunction
    [adverbial linker]
    Connects an adverb-like description to the following verb to show the manner, cause, or basis of an action.
  6. 结网 結網 jié​wǎng
    to weave a net
    to weave or make a net, such as for fishing; to spin a web, as a spider does

lín​yuān​xiàn​yú​bù​rú​tuì'ér​jié​wǎng action is better than idle longing · taking action is better than idling
  1. 临渊羡鱼 臨淵羡魚 lín​yuān​xiàn​yú
    to take action rather than idle wishing
    To stand on the edge of a pond and long for the fish; suggests that it is better to take practical steps than to indulge in wishful thinking.
  2. ， bù
    non-Chinese
  3. 不如 bù​rú adverbverb
    it would be better to
    used to indicate a preferred alternative, often in the pattern 与其 yǔ​qí ... bù rú
  4. 退 tuì verb
    to retreat
    to move backward; to withdraw or pull back
  5. 而 ér particleconjunction
    [adverbial linker]
    Connects an adverb-like description to the following verb to show the manner, cause, or basis of an action.
  6. 结网 結網 jié​wǎng
    to weave a net
    to weave or make a net, such as for fishing; to spin a web, as a spider does