臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網 lín yuān xiàn yú ， bù rú tuì ér jié wǎng

DEFINITIONS

  1. better to go home and weave a net than to stand by the pond longing for fish (idiom)
  2. one should take practical steps to achieve one's aim

CHARACTERS

臨 lín draw near, approach; descend
淵 yuān gulf, abyss, deep
羨 xiàn envy, admire; praise; covet
魚 yú fish; surname; KangXi radical 195
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
如 rú
HSK 3
if, supposing; as if; like, as
退 tuì
HSK 5
step back, retreat, withdraw
而 ér
HSK 3
and; and then; and yet; but
結 jié knot, tie; join, connect
網 wǎng net, web; network