脚踏实地jiǎo tà shí dìto have one's feet firmly planted on the ground (idiom); realistic without flights of fancy

1. 1.

   to have one's feet firmly planted on the ground (idiom); realistic without flights of fancyidiom

2. 2.

   steady and serious characteridiom

Figurative meaning

Realistic without flights of fancy; steady and serious.

Literal meaning

Feet treading on solid ground.

• 脚foot
• 踏to tread
• 实solid
• 地ground

No attested origin story

脚踏实地 can work as an adverbial with 地 before a verb such as 工作 or 学习, or as a predicate describing a person.

1. HSK 3

   学习语言要脚踏实地，每天练习一点。

   Xuéxí yǔyán yào jiǎo tà shí dì, měitiān liànxí yìdiǎn.

   Learning a language takes a realistic, steady approach: practice a little every day.

2. HSK 5

   他是一个脚踏实地的人，从不说空话。

   Tā shì yí ge jiǎo tà shí dì de rén, cóng bù shuō kōnghuà.

   He has a steady and serious character and never talks empty words.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   我想一个月就学会开公司。

   Wǒ xiǎng yí ge yuè jiù xuéhuì kāi gōngsī.

   I want to learn how to run a company in one month.

2. 
   Speaker B:

   别着急，还是脚踏实地比较好。

   Bié zháojí, háishi jiǎo tà shí dì bǐjiào hǎo.

   Don't rush; it's better to keep your feet on the ground.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   那我先从小事做起。

   Nà wǒ xiān cóng xiǎo shì zuò qǐ.

   Then I'll start with small things.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   对，一步一步来。

   Duì, yí bù yí bù lái.

   Right, one step at a time.

1. 1.What does 脚踏实地 mean?

   ARealistic without flights of fancyBRepeating continuouslyCImminent
2. 2.Which sentence uses 脚踏实地 correctly?

   A她工作脚踏实地，大家都很信任她。B他脚踏实地地做白日梦。C天上的鸟脚踏实地地飞。
3. 3.Which idiom fits best? 想成功不能只靠想，要____地努力。 (You can't succeed just by dreaming; you have to work steadily and realistically.)

   A脚踏实地B此起彼伏C迫在眉睫

• Free HSK 3 level testSee which HSK 3.0 level your vocabulary matches.
• HSK 7–9 word listEvery word at this level, with examples.
• HSK 3.0 guideHow the nine levels and three bands work.

Related idioms

• 名副其实míng fù qí shínot just in name only, but also in realityHSK 7–9
• 因地制宜yīn dì zhì yí(idiom) to use methods in line with local circumstancesHSK 7–9
• 实事求是shí shì qiú shìfig. to be practical and realisticHSK 7–9
• 一举两得yì jǔ liǎng détwo birds with one stoneHSK 7–9
• 一如既往yì rú jì wǎng(idiom) just as in the past; as before; continuing as alwaysHSK 7–9
• 一目了然yí mù liǎo ránobvious at a glance (idiom)HSK 7–9

Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.