📖 Meaning
To engage in empty theorizing about military strategy without practical experience. It describes someone who discusses things abstractly but cannot apply them in real situations.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the historical Records of the Grand Historian (史记·廉颇蔺相如列传) by Sima Qian. During the Warring States period, Zhao Kuo, son of the famous Zhao general Zhao She, was well-versed in military texts and could discuss strategy fluently on paper. King of Zhao appointed him commander to replace the ailing general Lian Po, but at the Battle of Changping (260 BC), Zhao Kuo's rigid book knowledge led to a catastrophic defeat and the loss of 400,000 Zhao soldiers.
💡 Example Usage
光靠书本知识纸上谈兵是解决不了实际问题的，必须深入基层调查研究。
Relying solely on book knowledge and empty talk won't solve practical problems — you must go deep into the grassroots and conduct real investigations.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 纸上谈兵
- Pinyin: zhǐ shàng tán bīng
- Literal Translation: on paper, talk soldiers
- Category: Knowledge
- Characters: 4