纸上谈兵

zhǐshàng-tánbīng

armchair strategizing; empty theorizing

HSK 3.0 word list · Band 7trad. 紙上談兵
Dictionary entry

lit. military tactics on paper (idiom); fig. theoretical discussion that is worse than useless in practice; armchair strategist

Watch it being written

Every character draws itself stroke by stroke, then hands you the brush to trace it yourself.

纸
上
谈
兵

See it in sentences

别只会纸上谈兵。

Bié zhǐ huì zhǐshàng-tánbīng.

English

Do not just talk on paper.

纸上谈兵要不得。

Zhǐshàng-tánbīng yàobù de.

English

Armchair talk will not do.

Built with this character · 25 words

Chinese words snap together like bricks. Every word below shares a character with this one, so you are already halfway to knowing it.

纸
上
谈
兵

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