眼高手低

yǎngāo-shǒudī

idiom #56,817

Meanings

1 high standards but low ability
2 eyes too high, hands too low
3 more talk than skill

Characters

Examples

他眼高手低，看别人的作品都不顺眼，自己却做不出什么来。

Tā yǎngāoshǒudī, kàn biérén de zuòpǐn dōu bù shùnyǎn, zìjǐ què zuò bù chū shénme lái.

He's all high standards and low skill — picks apart everyone else's work but can't produce anything himself.

刚毕业的学生容易眼高手低，得慢慢磨练。

Gāng bìyè de xuésheng róngyì yǎngāoshǒudī, děi mànmàn móliàn.

Fresh graduates often have high expectations and low skill; they need gradual practice.

Tips

usage

Classic critique of someone who criticizes widely but can't deliver. Near-synonym of English 'all talk, no action,' though 眼高手低 specifically targets the mismatch between judgment and execution, not just effort.

Stroke Order

眼 yǎn

高 gāo

手 shǒu

低 dī