The ruler is shorter and the inch is longer.
The ruler is shorter and the inch is longer. It is a metaphor that each person or thing has its own strengths and weaknesses. From "Chu Ci Bu Ju": "The ruler is short, the inch is long, the things are insufficient, the wisdom is unclear, the numbers are not grasped, and the spirit is blocked." "Historical Records: Biography of Bai Qi and Wang Jian" : "Idiom No. 2: 'A ruler is short, an inch is long.' Bai Qi expected the enemy to combine and change, and his surprises were endless. His voice shook the world, but he could not save Ying Hou.