Hanzi
CharactersIdiomsChinese ZodiacChinese Name
Tools
  • Chinese Word CounterCount characters, words and sentences in Chinese text
  • Pinyin GeneratorConvert Chinese text to pinyin with tone marks
  • Chinese Text Image GeneratorRender Chinese text as a downloadable image
  • Chinese Text to SpeechRead Chinese aloud with karaoke highlighting
  • Stroke Order AnimatorTurn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4
  • Writing WorksheetsPrintable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion
View all tools →
Blogs
眼高手低
眼高手低
眼高手低
眼高手低
眼高手低
眼高手低
眼高手低
眼高手低
眼高手低
眼高手低

眼高手低 — “Eyes high, hands low”

眼高手低 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to have high standards or ambitions but lack the practical ability or skill to achieve them; to be fastidious but incompetent”. Literally, “Eyes high, hands low”.

Frequency

眼高手低 Pronunciation and Pinyin

  • 眼yǎn
  • 高gāo
  • 手shǒu
  • 低dī

眼高手低 Character Breakdown

CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
眼
yǎn11eye, insight, hole, crucial point
高
gāo10high, tall, elevated
手
shǒu4hand, skill, person, handy
低
dī7low, lower, or humble

Example Sentence with 眼高手低

他总是抱怨自己的画不够好,但又不肯多加练习,真是眼高手低。
He always complains that his paintings are not good enough, yet he refuses to practice more; he truly has high standards but low ability.

Idioms Related to 眼高手低

Synonyms of 眼高手低

  • bù不zì自liàng量lì力overestimate one's own abilities
  • hào好gāo高wù骛yuǎn远reach for the stars
  • zhì志dà大cái才shū疏ambitious but lacking in talent

Antonyms of 眼高手低

  • shí实shì事qiú求shì是seek truth from facts
  • liàng量lì力ér而xíng行act according to one's capabilities

More idioms starting with 眼

  • yǎn眼bù不jiāo交jié睫sleepless with anxiety
  • yǎn眼bù不huí回jīng睛to gaze intently, completely absorbed
  • yǎn眼bù不zhù著shā砂Cannot tolerate any wrongdoing
  • yǎn眼bù不jiàn见wéi为jìng净Out of sight, out of mind
  • yǎn眼bù不jiàn见,,xīn心bù不fán烦Out of sight, out of mind
  • yǎn眼bù不shí识dīng丁completely illiterate
  • yǎn眼bù不zhuàn转jīng睛gaze fixedly without blinking
  • yǎn眼zhōng中zhī之dīng钉a thorn in one's eye
  • yǎn眼zhōng中cì刺a thorn in one's eye
  • yǎn眼zhōng中bá拔dīng钉remove a hated person or nuisance
  • yǎn眼zhōng中yǒu有tiě铁resolute and disciplined look
  • yǎn眼zhōng中dīng疔,,ròu肉zhōng中cì刺a thorn in the flesh

Questions about 眼高手低

What does 眼高手低 mean?
眼高手低 (yǎn gāo shǒu dī) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to have high standards or ambitions but lack the practical ability or skill to achieve them; to be fastidious but incompetent”.
How do you pronounce 眼高手低?
眼高手低 is pronounced yǎn gāo shǒu dī in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 眼高手低 literally mean?
Literally, 眼高手低 means “Eyes high, hands low”. It is used to mean “to have high standards or ambitions but lack the practical ability or skill to achieve them; to be fastidious but incompetent”.
What is the Chinese definition of 眼高手低?
眼力过高,手法过低。指要求的标准很高(甚至不切实际),但实际上自己也做不到。
Copy the pinyin for 眼高手低 →Choose tone marks or tone numbers and copy the complete four-character reading.Read Chinese vocabulary and idiom guides →Continue with words, phrases, and idioms explained through natural examples.

© 2026 hanzi.now

Contact Us