好记性不如烂笔头 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
记 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
烂 làn rotten, spoiled, decayed
笔 bǐ writing brush; write; stroke
头 tóu head; top; chief, first; boss