Meanings
- 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]{ziu6 kut3} 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]{coeng4 ping4 zi1 zin3} in 260 BC
Written Forms
紙上談兵Traditional · Main Form
纸上谈兵Alternate Form