小時了了，大未必佳

being bright at an early age does not necessarily bring success upon growing up (proverb)

small / tiny / few / young

hour / CL:個|个[ge4]

o'clock / time / when / hour / season / period

(completed action marker) / (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) / (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)

to finish / to achieve / variant of 瞭|了[liao3] / to understand clearly

(of eyes) bright / clear-sighted / to understand clearly

unofficial variant of 瞭[liao4]

to realize clearly / to settle a matter / to get it over with

see 大夫[dai4 fu5]

big; large; great / older (than another person) / eldest (as in 大姐[da4 jie3]) / greatly; freely; fully / (dialect) father / (dialect) uncle (father's brother)

not yet / did not / have not / not / 8th earthly branch: 1-3 p.m., 6th solar month (7th July-6th August), year of the Sheep / ancient Chinese compass point: 210°

not necessarily / maybe not

certainly / must / will / necessarily

surname Jia

beautiful / fine / good