一代不如一代

to be getting worse with each generation

one / single / a (article) / as soon as / entire; whole; all; throughout / "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) / also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit

generation

to substitute / to act on behalf of others / to replace / generation / dynasty / age / period / (historical) era / (geological) eon

no; not so / (bound form) not; un-

not equal to / not as good as / inferior to / it would be better to

as / as if / such as

consistent / the same / unvarying