high standards but low ability; fastidious but incompetent
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to have high standards but low ability; to be fastidious but incompetent
Often used to criticize someone who is overly ambitious or critical of others' work while lacking the practical skills to execute tasks themselves. Can function as predicate, attributive, or object.
Zuò做
shè设
jì计
bù不
néng能
yǎn眼
gāo高
shǒu手
dī低
，
yào要
jiǎo脚
tà踏
shí实
dì地
。
You cannot have high standards without the skill in design; you must be down-to-earth.
Tā他
suī虽
rán然
lǐ理
lùn论
hěn很
hǎo好
，
dàn但
shì是
yǎn眼
gāo高
shǒu手
dī低
，
shí实
jiàn践
néng能
lì力
chà差
。
Although his theory is good, he has high standards but low ability, and poor practical skills.
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Nián年
qīng轻
rén人
róng容
yì易
yǎn眼
gāo高
shǒu手
dī低
，
xū需
yào要
duō多
duàn锻
liàn炼
。
Young people easily have high ambitions but insufficient ability, and need more practice.
Yǎn眼
gāo高
shǒu手
dī低
de的
rén人
hěn很
nán难
chéng成
gōng功
。
People with high standards but low ability find it hard to succeed.