每天成语
background texture
< 竹篮打水意料之外 >

脚踏实地

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: jiǎo tà shí dì
  • English Translation: To have one's feet on solid ground (down-to-earth)
  • Idiom Composition: 「脚」（Foot）＋「踏」（To step on or tread）＋「实」（Solid, real, or substantial）＋「地」（Ground or earth）
  • Meaning: Literally meaning 'to step on solid ground,' this idiom describes an attitude of being realistic, steady, and earnest in work or study, rather than chasing unrealistic dreams or vanity.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「脚踏实地」 contains the following nuances:

  • Realistic Attitude: Emphasizes facing reality and dealing with achievable tasks rather than chasing high-reaching or unrealistic dreams.
  • Steady Effort: Describes a diligent and hardworking manner that focuses on building a solid foundation and progressing one step at a time.

3. Usage

「脚踏实地」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Attitude towards work or study: Used to praise those who work diligently and step-by-step, or to recommend such a steady approach.
    • Example:「要想取得好成绩，必须脚踏实地，不能总想着走捷径。」
      （If you want to get good grades, you must work steadily and not always look for shortcuts.)
  • Character evaluation: A standard phrase for describing a reliable person who is not flighty or superficial.
    • Example:「老板很欣赏他那种脚踏实地的工作作风。」
      （The boss really appreciates his down-to-earth working style.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 年轻人创业要脚踏实地，先从小事做起。
    （When young people start a business, they should be down-to-earth and start with small things first.）
  2. 与其整天做白日梦，不如脚踏实地去学一门技术。
    （Instead of daydreaming all day, it is better to earnestly learn a skill.）
  3. 我们需要的是脚踏实地的行动，而不是空洞的口号。
    （What we need is practical action, not empty slogans.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The idiom originates from the Song Dynasty (宋朝) historical record Shao Shi Wen Jian Qian Lu (邵氏闻见前录). It was used to describe the character of the famous historian Sima Guang (司马光), who was praised as a man who 'steps on solid ground.'
  • In modern society, this value remains highly esteemed as an antidote to 'get-rich-quick' mentalities. It is frequently used in educational settings and corporate slogans to encourage diligence, integrity, and long-term planning.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

脚踏实地 (jiǎo tà shí dì) is a highly positive idiom used to describe someone who is practical and works hard in a steady, step-by-step manner. It is one of the highest forms of praise for a person's character, suggesting they are reliable and grounded rather than superficial or overly ambitious without substance.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

jiǎo tà shí dì
脚踏实地
Down to Earth
yǒu shí hòu有时候，wǒ men我们huì会yǒu有zhè zhǒng这种gǎn jué感觉：nǎo zi脑子lǐ里xiǎng fǎ想法hěn很duō多，xiǎng想zuò做zhè ge这个，yòu又xiǎng想zuò做nà ge那个；huò zhě或者kàn dào看到bié rén别人chéng gōng成功le了，zì jǐ自己xīn lǐ心里hěn很zháo jí着急，hèn bù dé恨不得mǎ shàng马上fēi飞guò qù过去。

Sometimes, we have this feeling: our minds are full of ideas, wanting to do this and that; or seeing others succeed, we feel anxious and wish we could fly there immediately.

zhè zhǒng这种shí hòu时候，rén人jiù就xiàng像shì是piāo飘zài在kōng zhōng空中de的。

At such times, a person is like floating in the air.

suī rán虽然kàn qǐ lái看起来fēi飞dé得hěn很gāo高，dàn但xīn lǐ心里qí shí其实shì是xū虚de的，yīn wèi因为méi yǒu没有zhuó lì diǎn着力点。

Although you seem to be flying high, your heart is actually empty because there is no point of support.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来zhì yù治愈zhè zhǒng这种“piāo飘”de的gǎn jué感觉，jiào叫“jiǎo tà shí dì脚踏实地”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to heal this feeling of floating, called 脚踏实地.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感fēi cháng非常qiáng强。

This phrase has a very strong sense of imagery.

“jiǎo脚”，jiù shì就是nǐ你de的shuāng jiǎo双脚；“tà踏”，shì是yòng lì用力cǎi踩xià qù下去；“shí dì实地”，jiù shì就是jiān shí坚实de的tǔ dì土地。

脚 means your feet; 踏 means to step down firmly; 实地 means solid ground.

hé qǐ lái合起来，jiù shì就是bǎ把jiǎo脚wěn wěn稳稳dì地cǎi踩zài在zhēn shí真实de的dì miàn地面shàng上。

Combined, it means planting your feet firmly on real ground.

zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语zuì最zǎo早shì是sòng cháo宋朝de的yī wèi一位xué zhě学者yòng lái用来kuā jiǎng夸奖tā他de的péng yǒu朋友de的。

This idiom was first used by a scholar in the Song Dynasty to praise his friend.

tā他shuō说zhè ge这个rén人bù不wán玩xū虚de的，měi每yī bù一步dōu都zǒu走dé得hěn很wěn稳。

He said this person didn't play around with empty things and took every step steadily.

zài在xiàn dài现代hàn yǔ汉语lǐ里，wǒ men我们yòng用tā它lái来xíng róng形容yī zhǒng一种zuò shì做事de的tài dù态度。

In modern Chinese, we use it to describe an attitude toward work.

yí gè一个“jiǎo tà shí dì脚踏实地”de的rén人，bìng并bú shì不是méi yǒu没有mèng xiǎng梦想，yě也bú shì不是bù xiǎng不想fēi飞。

A 脚踏实地 person is not someone without dreams or someone who doesn't want to fly.

zhǐ shì只是xiāng bǐ相比yú于kàn看zhe着yáo yuǎn遥远de的mù biāo目标fā dāi发呆，tā他gèng更zài yì在意yǎn qián眼前zhè这yī bù一步yǒu méi yǒu有没有zǒu走wěn稳。

It's just that instead of staring blankly at a distant goal, they care more about whether the step in front of them is steady.

xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下，bǐ rú比如xué学zhōng wén中文。

Imagine, for example, learning Chinese.

rú guǒ如果nǐ你zǒng shì总是xiǎng想zhe着“wǒ我shén me shí hòu什么时候cái néng才能xiàng像mǔ yǔ zhě母语者yī yàng一样liú lì流利”，nà那nǐ你kě néng可能huì会gǎn dào感到jiāo lǜ焦虑，shèn zhì甚至xiǎng想fàng qì放弃。

If you are always thinking, "When will I be as fluent as a native speaker?" you might feel anxious or even want to give up.

zhè这jiào叫“hào gāo wù yuǎn好高骛远”。

This is called 好高骛远.

dàn但rú guǒ如果nǐ你bù xiǎng不想nà me那么duō多，zhǐ只guān zhù关注jīn tiān今天：jīn tiān今天xué huì学会le了wǔ gè五个shēng cí生词，jīn tiān今天dú dǒng读懂le了yī duàn一段huà话。

But if you don't think so much and just focus on today: learning five new words today, understanding a paragraph today.

zhè这jiù shì就是“jiǎo tà shí dì脚踏实地”。

This is 脚踏实地.

zhè zhǒng这种gǎn jué感觉shì是hěn很ān xīn安心de的。

This feeling is very reassuring.

yīn wèi因为nǐ你zhī dào知道，zhǐ yào只要zhè这yī bù一步cǎi踩wěn稳le了，xià yī bù下一步zì rán自然jiù就huì会lái来。

Because you know that as long as this step is steady, the next step will naturally follow.

zài在chōng mǎn充满yòu huò诱惑hé和jiāo lǜ焦虑de的xiàn dài现代shēng huó生活lǐ里，“jiǎo tà shí dì脚踏实地”qí shí其实shì是yī zhǒng一种hěn很nán dé难得de的néng lì能力。

In modern life full of temptation and anxiety, 脚踏实地 is actually a rare ability.

hěn很duō多rén人dōu都xiǎng想zǒu走jié jìng捷径，xiǎng想yī yè zhī jiān一夜之间fā shēng发生gǎi biàn改变。

Many people want to take shortcuts and change overnight.

dàn但zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们：zhēn zhèng真正de的jìn bù进步，wǎng wǎng往往shì是bù qǐ yǎn不起眼de的。

But this idiom reminds us: true progress is often inconspicuous.

tā它bù不xū yào需要nǐ你yī bù一步kuà跨dé得hěn很dà大，zhǐ只xū yào需要nǐ你měi yī bù每一步dōu都cǎi踩zài在shí实chù处。

It doesn't require you to take a huge leap, only that every step you take is on solid ground.

suǒ yǐ所以，dāng当nǐ你jué de觉得mí máng迷茫，huò zhě或者xīn lǐ心里fā huāng发慌de的shí hòu时候，bù fáng不妨dī tóu低头kàn kàn看看zì jǐ自己de的jiǎo xià脚下。

So, when you feel lost or panicked, you might as well look down at your feet.

bù yòng不用jí zhe急着qù去zhuā抓tiān shàng天上de的yún云，xiān先shì zhe试着cǎi踩wěn稳jiǎo xià脚下de的dì地。

Don't rush to catch the clouds in the sky; try to step firmly on the ground beneath you first.

zhè这jiù shì就是“jiǎo tà shí dì脚踏实地”dài gěi带给wǒ men我们de的lì liàng力量。

This is the power that 脚踏实地 brings to us.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

Try creating sentences using '脚踏实地'!

0/50