| 临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网 |
lín yuān xiàn yú , bù rú tuì ér jié wǎng |
better to go home and weave a net than to stand by the pond longing for fish (idiom) / one should take practical steps to achieve one's aim |
| 临 |
lín |
to face / to overlook / to arrive / to be (just) about to / just before |
| 临渊羡鱼 |
lín yuān xiàn yú |
see 临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网 |
| 渊 |
yuān |
deep pool / deep / profound |
| 羡 |
xiàn |
to envy |
| 鱼 |
Yú |
surname Yu |
| 鱼 |
yú |
fish (CL:条,尾) / used in the names of various aquatic animals that are not fish (including abalone 鲍鱼, alligators and crocodiles 鳄鱼 and octopi 章鱼) |
| 不 |
bù |
no; not so / (bound form) not; un- |
| 不如 |
bù rú |
not equal to; not as good as; inferior to / it would be better to |
| 如 |
rú |
as / as if / such as |
| 退 |
tuì |
to retreat; to withdraw / to reject; to return (sth) / to decline |
| 而 |
ér |
and / as well as / and so / but (not) / yet (not) / (indicates causal relation) / (indicates change of state) / (indicates contrast) |
| 结 |
jiē |
(of a plant) to produce (fruit or seeds) / Taiwan pr. [jie2] |
| 结 |
jié |
knot / sturdy / bond / to tie / to bind / to check out (of a hotel) |
| 结网 |
jié wǎng |
to spin a web (spider) / to weave a net (e.g. for fishing) |
| 网 |
wǎng |
net; web / network / to net; to catch with a net |