1 complete change from the normal state (idiom); quite uncharacteristic
2 entirely outside the norm
3 out of character
三纲五常
sān gāng wǔ cháng
1 three principles and five virtues (idiom)
2 the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信)
人之常情
rén zhī cháng qíng
1 human nature (idiom)
2 a behavior that is only natural
全军覆没
quán jūn fù mò
1 total defeat of an army (idiom); fig. a complete wipeout
兵家常事
bīng jiā cháng shì
1 commonplace in military operations (idiom)
出尔反尔
chū ěr fǎn ěr
1 old: to reap the consequences of one's words (idiom, from Mencius); modern: to go back on one's word
2 to blow hot and cold
3 to contradict oneself
4 inconsistent
前车之覆，后车之鉴
qián chē zhī fù , hòu chē zhī jiàn
1 lit. the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart (idiom); fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor
2 learn from past mistake
3 once bitten twice shy
千里马常有，而伯乐不常有
qiān lǐ mǎ cháng yǒu , ér Bó Lè bù cháng yǒu
1 lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
2 fig. many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it
反唇相讥
fǎn chún xiāng jī
1 to answer back sarcastically (idiom)
2 to retort
反客为主
fǎn kè wéi zhǔ
1 lit. the guest acts as host (idiom); fig. to turn from passive to active behavior
反败为胜
fǎn bài wéi shèng
1 to turn defeat into victory (idiom); to turn the tide
反目成仇
fǎn mù chéng chóu
1 to become enemies (idiom); to fall out with sb
反脸无情
fǎn liǎn wú qíng
1 to turn one's face against sb and show no mercy (idiom); to turn against a friend
反裘负刍
fǎn qiú fù chú
1 lit. to wear one's coat inside out and carry firewood on one's back (idiom)
2 fig. to live a life of poverty and hard work
3 fig. to act stupidly
报本反始
bào běn fǎn shǐ
1 ensure that you pay debts of gratitude (idiom)
天翻地覆
tiān fān dì fù
1 sky and the earth turning upside down (idiom); fig. complete confusion
2 everything turned on its head
夫妻反目
fū qī fǎn mù
1 man and wife fall out (idiom, from Book of Changes); marital strife
官逼民反
guān bī mín fǎn
1 a government official drives the people to revolt (idiom); a minister provokes a rebellion by exploiting the people
易如反掌
yì rú fǎn zhǎng
1 easy as a hand's turn (idiom); very easy
2 no effort at all
欲益反损
yù yì fǎn sǔn
1 wishing for profit, but causing loss (idiom); good intentions that lead to disaster