Tánpàn shí búyào huàndé-huànshī, yào kànzhǔn shíjī guǒduàn chūshǒu.
In negotiations, don't fret over every gain and loss - seize the right moment and act decisively.
Tips
history
From the Analects (《论语·阳货》), where Confucius criticizes the 'petty man' (鄙夫): before getting a post he worries about not getting it; once he has it he worries about losing it - and will stop at nothing to keep it. A diagnosis of anxious self-interest.
usage
Pejorative. Describes someone too focused on personal stakes to act clearly. Often paired with 畏首畏尾 (cowering front and back) or 瞻前顾后 (looking before and behind).
