裹足不前 (guǒ zú bù qián) | Meaning: to stand still without advancing (idiom); to hesitate and hold back | Chinese Idiom with Pinyin & Origin

to spin a cocoon around oneself (idiom); enmeshed in a trap of one's own devising · hoist by his own petard作茧自缚zuò jiǎn zì fù

stuck in the old ways (idiom); refusing to acknowledge new ideas · stagnating and conservative故步自封gù bù zì fēng

to hesitate犹豫yóu yù

to hold back one's troops without moving (idiom); to bide one's time按兵不动àn bīng bù dòng

to hesitate to move forward · to hesitate · to hold back踌躇不前chóu chú bù qián

to stand still without advancing (idiom); to hesitate and hold back