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Home / Idiom / 比上不足，比下有余

neither the best nor the worst; not too bad; better than some

比上不足，比下有余
bǐ shàng bù zú，bǐ xià yǒu yú
Idiom
Chain
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Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
lit. not aiming to achieve the best possible result, but rather trying to avoid making mistakes (idiom) · fig. to take a risk-averse approach不求有功，但求无过bù qiú yǒu gōng , dàn qiú wú guòin a fix · suspended in midair不上不下bù shàng bù xià
Antonyms
to strive for mastery (idiom); aiming for the best result · to have high ambitions力争上游lì zhēng shàng yóulit. after climbing a hundred feet up a pole, one should go even further (idiom) · fig. even if one has achieved a measure of success, one should strive to do even better百尺竿头，更进一步bǎi chǐ gān tóu , gèng jìn yī bù
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