好記性不如爛筆頭 hǎo jì xìng bù rú làn bǐ tóu

DEFINITIONS

  1. the palest ink is better than the best memory (idiom)

CHARACTERS

好 hǎo good, excellent, fine; well
記 jì record; keep in mind, remember
性 xìng nature, character, sex
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
如 rú if, supposing; as if; like, as
爛 làn rotten, spoiled, decayed
筆 bǐ writing brush; write; stroke
頭 tóu head; top; chief, first; boss