好漢不吃眼前虧 hǎo hàn bù chī yǎn qián kuī

DEFINITIONS

  1. a wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him (idiom)

CHARACTERS

好 hǎo good, excellent, fine; well
漢 hàn the Chinese people, Chinese language
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
吃 chī eat; drink; suffer, endure, bear
眼 yǎn eye; eyelet, hole, opening
前 qián in front, forward; preceding
虧 kuī lose, fail; damage; deficient