Lingaku- lit. military tactics on paper (idiom)
- fig. theoretical discussion that is worse than useless in practice
- armchair strategist
- idle theorizing
- cf Zhao Kuo 趙括|赵括[Zhao4 Kuo4] leading an army of 400,000 to total annihilation at battle of Changping 長平之戰|长平之战[Chang2 ping2 zhi1 Zhan4] in 260 BC
Generated definitions (experimental)
- theoretical discussion that is worse than useless in practice
- armchair strategist
- idle theorizing
This idiom is used to criticize discussions or plans that sound good in theory but are impractical and unhelpful in real situations.
They are just armchair strategists and have not truly implemented these plans.
zài在zhè ge这个xiàng mù项目shǎng上，wǒ men我们bù néng不能zài再zhǐ shàng tán bīng纸上谈兵le了，bì xū必须fù zhū付诸shí jiàn实践。
In this project, we can no longer just theorize; we must put it into practice.
This expression is used to refer to someone who offers advice or strategies without actual experience or knowledge about the situation.
tā他zǒng shì总是zài在páng biān旁边píng lùn评论，dàn但shí jì shàng实际上tā他zhǐ shì只是gě个zhǐ shàng tán bīng纸上谈兵de的rén人。
He is always commenting from the sidelines, but in reality, he is just an armchair strategist.
zuò wéi作为yī一gě个zhǐ shàng tán bīng纸上谈兵de的rén人，quē fá缺乏shí jiàn实践jīng yàn经验shǐ使tā他de的guān diǎn观点háo wú毫无jià zhí价值。
As an armchair strategist, his lack of practical experience makes his views worthless.
This term refers to discussions that do not lead to practical outcomes or solutions, often criticized for their lack of realistic application.
tíng zhǐ停止zhǐ shàng tán bīng纸上谈兵，wǒ men我们xū yào需要zhǎo dào找到zhēn zhèng真正kě xíng可行de的jiě jué解决fāng àn方案。
Stop the idle theorizing; we need to find real, feasible solutions.
tā men他们de的zhǐ shàng tán bīng纸上谈兵zhī只huì会làng fèi浪费shí jiān时间，ér而bù shì不是bāng zhù帮助jiě jué解决wèn tí问题。
Their idle theorizing will only waste time instead of helping to solve the problem.
Generated collocations (experimental)
zhǐ shàng tán bīng纸上谈兵theoretical discussion that is worse than useless in practicezhǐ shàng tán bīng纸上谈兵de的lǐ lùn理论the theory of idle theorizingkōng tán空谈lǐ lùn理论empty talk about theoryzhǐ纸shǎng上dìng定jì huà计划planning on paperzhǐ纸shǎng上fāng àn方案a plan made on paperzuò ér lùn dào坐而论道to sit and talk about theorieslǐ lùn理论yú与shí jiàn实践theory and practicelǐ lùn jiā理论家theoreticianzhǐ shàng tán bīng纸上谈兵de的jiào xun教训the lesson of theoretical discussionscè lüè策略lǐ lùn理论strategic theorykòng xián空闲zhàn lüè战略idle strategyzhǐ纸shǎng上jūn shì军事military tactics on paper