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
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
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)
少女露笑脸,婚事半成全
shào nu:3 lù xiào liǎn , hūn shì bàn chéng quán
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1 When the girl smiles, the matchmaker's job is half done. (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
深更半夜
shēn gēng bàn yè
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1 in the dead of night (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.
行百里者半九十
xíng bǎi lǐ zhě bàn jiǔ shí
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1 lit. ninety li is merely a half of a hundred li journey (idiom)
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2 fig. the closer one is to completing a task, the tougher it gets
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3 a task is not done until it's done
话不投机半句多
huà bù tóu jī bàn jù duō
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1 when views are irreconcilable, it's a waste of breath to continue discussion (idiom)
马工枚速
Mǎ gōng Méi sù
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1 Sima Xiangru is meticulous and Mei Gao is fast (idiom)
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2 to each his good points