偷工减料
tōu gōng jiǎn liào
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1 to skimp on the job and stint on materials (idiom)
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2 jerry-building
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3 sloppy work
光天化日
guāng tiān huà rì
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1 the full light of day (idiom)
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2 fig. peace and prosperity
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3 in broad daylight
出神入化
chū shén rù huà
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1 to reach perfection (idiom); a superb artistic achievement
化干戈为玉帛
huà gān gē wéi yù bó
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1 lit. to exchange weapons of war for gifts of jade and silk (idiom)
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2 fig. to turn hostility into friendship
化整为零
huà zhěng wéi líng
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1 to break up the whole into pieces (idiom); dealing with things one by one
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2 divide and conquer
化敌为友
huà dí wéi yǒu
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1 to convert an enemy into a friend (idiom)
化为泡影
huà wéi pào yǐng
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1 to come to nothing (idiom)
化腐朽为神奇
huà fǔ xiǔ wéi shén qí
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1 lit. to change something rotten into something magical (idiom)
化险为夷
huà xiǎn wéi yí
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1 to turn peril into safety (idiom); to avert disaster
大事化小,小事化了
dà shì huà xiǎo , xiǎo shì huà liǎo
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1 to turn big problems into small ones, and small problems into no problems at all (idiom)
工欲善其事,必先利其器
gōng yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
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1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
春风化雨
chūn fēng huà yǔ
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1 lit. spring wind and rain (idiom); fig. the long-term influence of a solid education
泥古不化
nì gǔ bù huà
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1 conservative and unable to adapt (idiom)
异曲同工
yì qǔ tóng gōng
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1 different tunes played with equal skill (idiom)
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2 different methods leading to the same result
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3 different approach but equally satisfactory outcome
磨刀不误砍柴工
mó dāo bù wù kǎn chái gōng
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1 lit. sharpening the axe won't make the wood-splitting take longer (idiom)
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2 fig. time invested in preparations is not lost
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3 a beard well lathered is half shaved
神工鬼斧
shén gōng guǐ fǔ
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1 supernaturally fine craft (idiom); the work of the Gods
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2 uncanny workmanship
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3 superlative craftsmanship
良工心苦
liáng gōng xīn kǔ
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1 expert craft from hard practice (idiom); hard-won skill
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2 A masterpiece demands suffering.
蜕化变质
tuì huà biàn zhì
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1 to degenerate (morally) (idiom)
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2 to become depraved
逢凶化吉
féng xiōng huà jí
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1 misfortune turns to blessing (idiom); to turn an inauspicious start to good account
食古不化
shí gǔ bù huà
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1 to swallow ancient learning without digesting it (idiom)
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2 to be pedantic without having a mastery of one's subject