zi2 soeng6 taam4 bing1紙上談兵纸上谈兵
Jyutpingzi2 soeng6 taam4 bing1
Yalejí seuhng tàahm bīng
Definition
To engage in idle theorizing or act as an armchair strategist; all talk and no action.
neutralother
How it's used
This idiom is used to criticize someone who offers grand plans or advice without any practical experience or intention to act. It carries a strong sense of frustration towards people who are all talk and no action. While it originates from classical literature, it is frequently used in modern professional and casual settings to call out unrealistic suggestions.
Examples
He is always theorizing on paper, he never thought about how to implement it.
Related words
Common phrases
only know how to be an armchair strategist
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
