stand by a pond and long for fish; idle wishes without action
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesidiom
to long for fish while standing by a deep pond; to have idle wishes without taking practical action
formalUsed to criticize someone who merely envies or desires something but makes no effort to achieve it. Implies that one should focus on practical steps rather than useless yearning.
Yǔ与
qí其
lín临
yuān渊
xiàn羡
yú鱼
，
bù不
rú如
tuì退
ér而
jié结
wǎng网
。
Rather than standing by the pond longing for fish, one should go back and weave a net.
Tā他
zǒng总
shì是
xiàn羡
mù慕
bié别
rén人
de的
chéng成
gōng功
，
què却
cóng从
bù不
nǔ努
lì力
，
zhēn真
shì是
lín临
yuān渊
xiàn羡
yú鱼
。
He always envies others' success but never works hard himself—he's just standing by the pond longing for fish.
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Kōng空
yǒu有
lǐ理
xiǎng想
ér而
bù不
xíng行
dòng动
，
bù不
guò过
shì是
lín临
yuān渊
xiàn羡
yú鱼
bà罢
le了
。
Having ideals without taking action is nothing but idle wishes.
Gōng公
sī司
fā发
zhǎn展
xū需
yào要
shí实
gàn干
，
bù不
néng能
zhǐ只
shì是
lín临
yuān渊
xiàn羡
yú鱼
。
Company growth requires practical work, not just idle wishes.
Kàn看
dào到
bié别
rén人
huò获
jiǎng奖
，
tā他
lín临
yuān渊
xiàn羡
yú鱼
，
què却
wàng忘
le了
zì自
jǐ己
cóng从
wèi未
tóu投
gǎo稿
。
Seeing others win awards, he stood by the pond longing for fish, forgetting he had never submitted any work himself.