纸上谈兵
纸上谈兵 (zhǐ shàng tán bīng) literally means “discuss war on paper” and expresses “all theory no practice”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: zhi shang tan bing, zhi shang tan bing,纸上谈兵 meaning, 纸上谈兵 in english
All theory no practice
Pronunciation: zhǐ shàng tán bīng
Literal meaning: Discuss war on paper
Origin & Usage
This critique emerged from the story of Zhao Kuo, a general who was well-versed in military texts but failed catastrophically in actual battle. His expertise in discussing (谈) warfare (兵) remained purely on paper (纸上). The idiom appears in historical texts describing the Battle of Changping (260 BCE), where Zhao Kuo's theoretical knowledge proved useless against practical experience. The devastating defeat of 400,000 Zhao soldiers became a lasting lesson in the limitations of pure book learning. Modern usage extends beyond military contexts to criticize those who have theoretical knowledge but lack practical experience, particularly relevant in professional training and education reform.
Examples
English: "The consultant's theories proved useless when faced with real business challenges"
Chinese: 顾问的理论在面对实际商业挑战时证明毫无用处
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 纸上谈兵 mean in English?
纸上谈兵 (zhǐ shàng tán bīng) literally translates to “Discuss war on paper” and is used to express “All theory no practice”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 纸上谈兵 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving all theory no practice.
What is the pinyin for 纸上谈兵?
The pinyin pronunciation for 纸上谈兵 is “zhǐ shàng tán bīng”.