声声中国语:比上不足，比下有余 to fall short of the best but be better than the worst

比上不足，比下有余(bǐ shàng bù zú，bǐ xià yǒu yú)

to fall short of the best but be better than the worst

Explanation

“比上不足，比下有余”指水平赶不上前面的，却超过了后面的。这是满足现状、不努力进取的人安慰自己的话，有时也用来劝人要知足。
“比上不足，比下有余” refers to people cannot keep up with the front runners but are ahead of those in the back. Someone who is satisfied with the status and does not work hard will use this phrase to comfort oneself. Sometimes it is used to persuade people to be content.
Words:

房子fánɡzi:house;
辛苦xīnkǔ:hard.

Sentences

1. Jiǎ：Nǐ bù néng huàn ge dàdiǎnr de fángzi ma? Zhèlǐ tài jǐ le.
甲：你不能换个大点儿的房子吗？这里太挤了。
A: Can’t you move to a bigger house? It is too crowded here.

Yǐ：Bǐ shàng bù zú，bǐ xià yǒu yú, wǒ zhè ge fángzi tǐnghǎode.
乙：比上不足，比下有余，我这个房子挺好的。
B: I fall short of the best but I am better than the worst. My house is ok.

2. Jiǎ：Tā yìzhí xiǎng nǔlì zhuàn gèngduō de qián.
甲：他一直想努力赚更多的钱。
A: He is always trying to earn more money.

Yǐ：Bǐ shàng bù zú，bǐ xià yǒu yú, ràng tā bié tài xīnkǔ.
乙：比上不足，比下有余，让他别太辛苦。
B: He falls short of the best but is better than the worst. Tell him not to work too hard.