一失足成千古恨
yī shī zú chéng qiān gǔ hèn
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1 a single slip may cause everlasting sorrow (idiom)
一瓶子不响，半瓶子晃荡
yī píng zi bù xiǎng , bàn píng zi huàng dang
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1 lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
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2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
一知半解
yī zhī bàn jiě
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1 lit. to know one and understand half (idiom); a smattering of knowledge
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2 dilettante
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3 amateur
一鳞半爪
yī lín bàn zhuǎ
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1 lit. one scale and half a claw (idiom); only odd bits and pieces
事半功倍
shì bàn gōng bèi
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1 half the work, twice the effect (idiom); the right approach saves effort and leads to better results
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2 a stitch in time saves nine
人有失手，马有失蹄
rén yǒu shī shǒu , mǎ yǒu shī tí
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1 lit. just as humans make mistakes, so can a horse stumble (idiom)
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2 fig. everyone makes mistakes
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3 even the best fall down sometimes
北叟失马
běi sǒu shī mǎ
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1 lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)
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2 fig. a blessing in disguise
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3 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
千虑一失
qiān lu:4 yī shī
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1 reflect a thousand times and you can still make a mistake (idiom); to err is human
半推半就
bàn tuī bàn jiù
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1 half willing and half unwilling (idiom); to yield after making a show of resistance
半瓶水响叮当
bàn píng shuǐ xiǎng dīng dāng
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1 lit. if you tap a half-empty bottle it makes a sound (idiom)
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2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
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3 one who has a little knowledge likes to show off, but one who is truly knowledgeable is modest
半真半假
bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ
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1 (idiom) half true and half false
半途而废
bàn tú ér fèi
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1 to give up halfway (idiom); leave sth unfinished
半通不通
bàn tōng bù tōng
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1 to not fully understand (idiom)
因小失大
yīn xiǎo shī dà
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1 to save a little only to lose a lot (idiom)
坐失机宜
zuò shī jī yí
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1 to sit and waste a good opportunity (idiom); to lose the chance
坐失良机
zuò shī liáng jī
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1 to sit and waste a good opportunity (idiom); to lose the chance
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
塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
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1 lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)
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2 fig. a blessing in disguise
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3 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
塞翁失马安知非福
sài wēng shī mǎ ān zhī fēi fú
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1 the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
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2 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
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3 also written 塞翁失馬焉知非福|塞翁失马焉知非福
塞翁失马焉知非福
sài wēng shī mǎ yān zhī fēi fú
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1 the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
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2 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good