自不量力 (zì bú liàng lì) — to overestimate one's own abilities; to bite off more than one can chew

Definition

A four-character idiom: 'to overestimate one's own ability, to bite off more than one can chew.' Often used to warn someone that a task is beyond them.

idiom
to overestimate one's own abilitiesto bite off more than one can chew

Examples

  • ，自不量力。
    Tā jū rán xiǎng yí gè rén bān dòng nà ge dà xiāng zi, zhēn shì zì bú liàng lì.
    He actually thought he could move that big box alone — he really overestimated himself.
  • ，自不量力。
    Wǒ dāng chū xiǎng sān gè yuè xué huì zhōng wén, xiàn zài kàn lái shì zì bú liàng lì le.
    I originally thought I could learn Chinese in three months; now it seems I was overestimating myself.
  • 自不量力，。
    Bié zì bú liàng lì le, zhè ge rèn wu xū yào tuán duì hé zuò.
    Don't overestimate yourself — this task requires teamwork.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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

  • 日日rìsun
  • 東東dōngbag; east

量 has 日 (sun) over 東 (bag; east). Some explanations suggest measuring under the sun or the sun rising in the east, but the exact origin is unclear.

Open 量 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →

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