Chinese word

眼高手低

Pronunciation

Pinyinyǎn gāo shǒu dī

Meaning

  • idiomhigh hopes but low ability

Example

眼高手低的人做事总是达不到目标。yǎn gāo shǒu dī de rén zuò shì zǒng shì dá bú dào mù biāo

People with high hopes but low ability always fail to reach their goals.

Illustration for 眼高手低 (high hopes but low ability)

More examples

要想升职，先改掉眼高手低的毛病。yào xiǎng shēng zhí xiān gǎi diào yǎn gāo shǒu dī de máo bìng

If you want a promotion, first get rid of the bad habit of having high hopes but low ability.

Core concept

The eyes set the target high while the hands cannot yet carry the work that far.

Common phrases

  • 眼高手低的毛病yǎn gāo shǒu dī de máo bìng

    the bad habit of having high hopes but low ability

  • 有眼高手低的倾向yǒu yǎn gāo shǒu dī de qīng xiàng

    a tendency to aim high despite low ability

  • 克服眼高手低kè fú yǎn gāo shǒu dī

    overcome the habit of aiming high despite low ability

Similar words

好高骛远hào gāo wù yuǎn: Pursuing distant ambitions that do not fit reality and leaving practical work undone.
纸上谈兵zhǐ shàng tán bīng: Relying on talk and plans while lacking the ability to put them into practice.
不自量力bú zì liàng lì: Failing to judge personal limits accurately and trying to do what is beyond one's power.

Definition in Chinese

理想或要求很高，但实际操作能力或技能较低，难以达到期望。lí xiǎng huò yāo qiú hěn gāo dàn shí jì cāo zuò néng lì huò jì néng jiào dī nán yǐ dá dào qī wàng

Word origin

眼 (yǎn, "eye") + 高 (gāo, "high") represents lofty aims, while 手 (shǒu, "hand") + 低 (dī, "low") represents the practical skill that falls short.

Usage tips

  • The idiom comments on a gap between plans and performance, so it suits a specific situation but can sound harsh as a broad judgment of someone's character.

Other meanings

  • overambitiousidiom

Opposites

Word lists with this word