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纸上谈兵 (zhǐ shàng-tán bīng) — (idiom) to engage in empty theorizing or armchair strategy, without practical experience or realistic solutions

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'armchair strategy' — talking about tactics on paper while having no real experience. Criticizes plans or ideas that sound smart in theory but fail in practice.

idiom
to engage in empty theorizing or armchair strategy, without practical experience or realistic solutions

Examples

  • 纸上谈兵，。
    Tā zhǐ shì zhǐ shàng-tán bīng, gēn běn bù dǒng jī céng de qíng kuàng.
    He is just engaging in armchair strategy and doesn't understand the grassroots situation at all.
  • 纸上谈兵，。
    Zhè ge jì huà wán quán shì zhǐ shàng-tán bīng, méi yǒu kǎo lǜ yù suàn xiàn zhì.
    This plan is pure armchair strategy, with no consideration of budget constraints.
  • 纸上谈兵，。
    Zuò guǎn lǐ bù néng zhǐ shàng-tán bīng, bì xū shēn rù yī xiàn liǎo jiě wèn tí.
    When doing management, you can't just engage in armchair strategy; you must go to the front line to understand the problems.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紙; 纸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
氏
氏shì紙zhǐ
Same sound today

For 纸, the traditional form 紙 combines 糸 (silk) with 氏 (the sound part).

Open 纸 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 談; 谈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
炎
炎yán談tán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 谈, the traditional form 談 pairs 言 (speech) with 炎 (yán) as the sound part.

Open 谈 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 斤斤jīna short axe
  • 廾廾gǒng2 hands

兵 combines 斤, a short axe, with 廾, two hands, showing a pair of hands holding a weapon.

Open 兵 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set Phrases

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