一唱一和
yī chàng yī hè
-
1 to echo one another (idiom)
一团和气
yī tuán hé qì
-
1 to keep on the right side of everyone (idiom)
-
2 warm and affable
一瓶子不响，半瓶子晃荡
yī píng zi bù xiǎng , bàn píng zi huàng dang
-
1 lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
-
2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
一知半解
yī zhī bàn jiě
-
1 lit. to know one and understand half (idiom); a smattering of knowledge
-
2 dilettante
-
3 amateur
一醉方休
yī zuì fāng xiū
-
1 to get thoroughly drunk (idiom)
-
2 to get plastered
一鳞半爪
yī lín bàn zhuǎ
-
1 lit. one scale and half a claw (idiom); only odd bits and pieces
丈二和尚，摸不着头脑
zhàng èr hé shang , mō bu zháo tóu nǎo
-
1 lit. like a three-meter high monk, you can't rub his head (idiom)
-
2 fig. at a total loss
三个和尚没水喝
sān gè hé shang méi shuǐ hē
-
1 lit. three monks have no water to drink (idiom)
-
2 fig. everybody's business is nobody's business
-
3 (If there is one monk, he will fetch water for himself. If there are two, they will fetch water together. But if there are three or more, none will take it upon himself to fetch water.)
不以规矩，不能成方圆
bù yǐ guī ju , bù néng chéng fāng yuán
-
1 without rules, nothing can be done (idiom, from Mencius); one must follow some rules
事半功倍
shì bàn gōng bèi
-
1 half the work, twice the effect (idiom); the right approach saves effort and leads to better results
-
2 a stitch in time saves nine
人不可貌相，海水不可斗量
rén bù kě mào xiàng , hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng
-
1 you can't judge a person by appearance, just as you can't measure the sea with a pint pot (idiom)
来日方长
lái rì fāng cháng
-
1 the future is long (idiom); there will be ample time for that later
-
2 We'll cross that bridge when we get there
侯门似海
hóu mén sì hǎi
-
1 lit. the gate of a noble house is like the sea
-
2 there is a wide gap between the nobility and the common people (idiom)
保驾护航
bǎo jià hù háng
-
1 (idiom) to safeguard (sth)
-
2 to protect (sth)
做一天和尚撞一天钟
zuò yī tiān hé shang zhuàng yī tiān zhōng
-
1 lit. as a monk for today, toll today's bell (idiom)
-
2 fig. to do one's job mechanically
-
3 to hold a position passively
传播四方
chuán bō sì fāng
-
1 to disseminate in every direction (idiom)
八仙过海，各显神通
Bā xiān guò hǎi , gè xiǎn shén tōng
-
1 lit. the Eight Immortals cross the sea, each showing his own special talent (idiom)
-
2 fig. (of each individual in a group) to give full play to one's unique capabilities
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
-
1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
-
2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
千方百计
qiān fāng bǎi jì
-
1 lit. thousand ways, a hundred plans (idiom); by every possible means
半推半就
bàn tuī bàn jiù
-
1 half willing and half unwilling (idiom); to yield after making a show of resistance