一刀两断
yī dāo liǎng duàn
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1 lit. two segments with a single cut (idiom)
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2 fig. to make a clean break (idiom)
一刀切
yī dāo qiē
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1 lit. to cut all at one stroke (idiom); to impose uniformity
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2 one solution fits a diversity of problems
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3 one size fits all
不到火候不揭锅
bù dào huǒ hòu bù jiē guō
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1 don't act until the time is ripe (idiom)
人为刀俎，我为鱼肉
rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu
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1 lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
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2 fig. to be at sb's mercy
借刀杀人
jiè dāo shā rén
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1 to lend sb a knife to kill sb
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2 to get sb else to do one's dirty work
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3 to attack using the strength of another (idiom)
两肋插刀
liǎng lèi chā dāo
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1 lit. knifes piercing both sides (idiom)
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2 fig. to attach a great importance to friendship, up to the point of being able to sacrifice oneself for it
两面三刀
liǎng miàn sān dāo
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1 two-faced, three knives (idiom); double-cross
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2 double dealing and back stabbing
刀不磨要生锈，人不学要落后
dāo bù mó yào shēng xiù , rén bù xué yào luò hòu
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1 a blade will get rusty if it is not sharpened; a man will fall behind if he doesn't study (idiom)
刀子嘴，豆腐心
dāo zi zuǐ , dòu fu xīn
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1 to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart (idiom)
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
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1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
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2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
刀枪不入
dāo qiāng bù rù
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1 lit. impervious to sword or spear (idiom)
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2 fig. invulnerable
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3 untouchable
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4 thick-skinned
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5 impervious to criticism
刀锯斧钺
dāo jù fǔ yuè
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1 knife, saw, ax and hatchet (idiom); facing torture and execution
割鸡焉用牛刀
gē jī yān yòng niú dāo
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1 lit. why use a pole-ax to slaughter a chicken? (idiom)
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2 fig. to waste effort on a trifling matter
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3 also written 殺雞焉用牛刀|杀鸡焉用牛刀[shā jī yān yòng niú dāo]
厝火积薪
cuò huǒ jī xīn
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1 lit. to put a fire under a pile of firewood (idiom)
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2 fig. hidden danger
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3 imminent danger
单刀直入
dān dāo zhí rù
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1 to get straight to the point (idiom)
单刀赴会
dān dāo fù huì
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1 lit. to go among enemies with only one's sword (idiom)
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2 fig. to go alone into enemy lines
城门失火，殃及池鱼
chéng mén shī huǒ , yāng jí chí yú
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1 a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiom); the bystander will also suffer
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2 fig. you can't escape responsibility for your actions
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3 ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee
天上下刀子
tiān shàng xià dāo zi
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1 lit. knives rain down from the sky (idiom)
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2 fig. (even if) the sky crumbles
如火如荼
rú huǒ rú tú
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1 like wildfire (idiom)
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2 unstoppable
宝刀不老
bǎo dāo bù lǎo
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1 lit. a good sword always remains sharp (idiom)
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2 fig. (of one's skills etc) to be as good as ever
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3 the old man still has it