螳臂当车 táng bì dāng chē — overrating oneself; futile resistance

螳臂当车
táng bì dāng chē

Characters: 螳 · 臂 · 当 · 车

Definitions

  1. overrating oneself; futile resistance

More definitions

CC-CEDICT

  1. (lit.) a mantis trying to stop a chariot (idiom)
  2. (fig.) to overrate oneself and attempt sth impossible

ExtDict

  1. 当：阻挡。螳螂举起前肢企图阻挡车子前进。比喻做力量做不到的事情，必然失败。

Examples

  • 以他一人之力对抗公司，无异于螳臂当车。

    For one man to oppose the company is like a mantis raising its forelegs against a chariot.

  • '不自量力者，多落得螳臂当车的下场。

    Those who overrate themselves often end in futile resistance.