Hanzi Now
CharactersIdiomsChinese NameFlashcards
Tools

Visual content

  • Chinese Text Image GeneratorCreate PNGs with pinyin, highlight character parts or remove strokes
  • Stroke Order AnimatorTurn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4
  • Character Highlight AnimatorChoose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order
  • Chinese Text Morph AnimatorTurn one Chinese character, word or phrase into another; download SVG, MP4 or WebM

Audio content

  • Chinese Text to SpeechRead Chinese aloud with karaoke highlighting

Teaching materials

  • Writing WorksheetsPrintable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion
  • Bingo CardsPicture and word Bingo for your class
  • Picture WorksheetsChinese and English fill-in vocabulary worksheets

Other

  • Pinyin GeneratorConvert Chinese text to pinyin with tone marks
  • Chinese Zodiac CalculatorFind your animal sign from your birth date and make a zodiac card.
  • Chinese Word CounterCount characters, words and sentences in Chinese text
View all tools →
比上不足,比下有余
比上不足,比下有余
比上不足,比下有余
比上不足,比下有余
比上不足,比下有余
比上不足,比下有余
比上不足,比下有余
比上不足,比下有余
比上不足,比下有余

比上不足,比下有余 — “Not as good as the best, but better than the worst”

比上不足,比下有余 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “not as good as the best, but better than the worst”. Falling short of the best but exceeding the average; to be content with one's current state, often implying a lack of ambition or a call for contentment. Literally, “Inferior to those above, superior to those below”.

Frequency

比上不足,比下有余 Pronunciation and Pinyin

比上不足,比下有余 Character Breakdown

CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
比
bǐ4compare, compete, or ratio
上
shàng3up, above, on, previous, ascend
不
bù4not
足
zú7foot, sufficient, full
,,—
比
bǐ4compare, compete, or ratio
下
xià3below, down, next, to descend
有
yǒu6to have or to exist
余
yú7I, me, remaining, after

Example Sentence with 比上不足,比下有余

他对待生活总是保持着比上不足,比下有余的心态,所以很少感到焦虑。
He always maintains a 'not as good as the best, but better than the worst' mindset towards life, so he rarely feels anxious.

Idioms Related to 比上不足,比下有余

Synonyms of 比上不足,比下有余

  • bù不shàng上bù不xià下stuck in an awkward position
  • bù不qiú求yǒu有gōng功,,dàn但qiú求wú无guò过avoid mistakes, not seek merit

Antonyms of 比上不足,比下有余

  • lì力zhēng争shàng上yóu游strive for the best
  • bǎi百chǐ尺gān竿tóu头,,gèng更jìn进yí一bù步Strive for further improvement

More idioms starting with 比

  • bǐ比xià下yǒu有yú余better than some, so content
  • bǐ比zhòng众bù不tóng同distinctly different from the rest
  • bǐ比wū屋kě可fēng封virtuous households everywhere
  • bǐ比wū屋kě可zhū诛Widespread wickedness deserving punishment
  • bǐ比wū屋ér而fēng封Every household is honored
  • bǐ比wū屋lián连méng甍houses densely packed, roofs almost touching
  • bǐ比suì岁bù不dēng登Repeated years of poor harvests
  • bǐ比nián年bù不dēng登successive years of poor harvests
  • bǐ比zhāng张bǐ比lǐ李compare from many angles
  • bǐ比hù户kě可fēng封Every household is worthy of ennoblement
  • bǐ比shǒu手huà划jiǎo脚talk with lively hand gestures
  • bǐ比shǒu手huà画jiǎo脚talk with hands and gestures

Recommended tools

Character Highlight Animator

Choose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order

Open the tool →

Bingo Cards

Picture and word Bingo for your class

Open the tool →

Stroke Order Animator

Turn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4

Open the tool →

Writing Worksheets

Printable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion

Open the tool →

Questions about 比上不足,比下有余

What does 比上不足,比下有余 mean?

比上不足,比下有余 (bǐ shàng bù zú , bǐ xià yǒu yú) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “not as good as the best, but better than the worst”.

How do you pronounce 比上不足,比下有余?

比上不足,比下有余 is pronounced bǐ shàng bù zú , bǐ xià yǒu yú in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 比上不足,比下有余 literally mean?

Literally, 比上不足,比下有余 means “Inferior to those above, superior to those below”. It is used to mean “not as good as the best, but better than the worst”.

What is the Chinese definition of 比上不足,比下有余?

赶不上前面的,却超过了后面的。这是满足现状,不努力进取的人安慰自己的话。有时也用来劝人要知足。

Hanzi Now

Explore the charm of Chinese language

Explore

  • Characters
  • Idioms
  • Chinese Names
  • Flashcards

Tools

  • Chinese Text Image Generator
  • Stroke Order Animator
  • Character Highlight Animator
  • Bingo Cards
  • Picture Worksheets
  • All Tools

More

  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
© 2026 Hanzi NowContact Us