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
一粒老鼠屎坏了一锅粥
yī lì lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō zhōu
-
1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of congee (idiom)
-
2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
不入虎穴，焉得虎子
bù rù hǔ xué , yān dé hǔ zǐ
-
1 How do you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair? (idiom); Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
不见兔子不撒鹰
bù jiàn tù zi bù sā yīng
-
1 you don't release the hawk until you've seen the hare (idiom)
-
2 one doesn't act without some incentive
不遑多让
bù huáng duō ràng
-
1 lit. to have no time for civilities (idiom)
-
2 fig. not to be outdone
-
3 not to yield to one's opponents
乱臣贼子
luàn chén zéi zǐ
-
1 rebels and traitors (idiom)
-
2 general term for scoundrel
人多势众
rén duō shì zhòng
-
1 many men, a great force (idiom); many hands provide great strength
-
2 There is safety in numbers.
仁人君子
rén rén jūn zǐ
-
1 people of good will (idiom); charitable person
以子之矛，攻子之盾
yǐ zǐ zhī máo , gōng zǐ zhī dùn
-
1 lit. use sb's spear to attack his shield (idiom, derived from Han Feizi 韓非子|韩非子); turning a weapon against its owner
-
2 fig. to attack an opponent using his own devices
-
3 hoist with his own petard
以小人之心，度君子之腹
yǐ xiǎo rén zhī xīn , duó jūn zǐ zhī fù
-
1 to gauge the heart of a gentleman with one's own mean measure (idiom)
以少胜多
yǐ shǎo shèng duō
-
1 using the few to defeat the many (idiom); to win from a position of weakness
佳人才子
jiā rén cái zǐ
-
1 beautiful lady, gifted scholar (idiom)
-
2 pair of ideal lovers
僧多粥少
sēng duō zhōu shǎo
-
1 lit. many monks and not much gruel (idiom)
-
2 fig. not enough to go around
-
3 demand exceeds supply
兔子不吃窝边草
tù zi bù chī wō biān cǎo
-
1 A rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow (idiom); One shouldn't do anything to harm one's neighbors.
凶多吉少
xiōng duō jí shǎo
-
1 everything bodes ill, no positive signs (idiom); inauspicious
-
2 everything points to disaster
刀子嘴，豆腐心
dāo zi zuǐ , dòu fu xīn
-
1 to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart (idiom)
包子有肉不在褶上
bāo zi yǒu ròu bù zài zhě shàng
-
1 a book is not judged by its cover (idiom)
博学多才
bó xué duō cái
-
1 erudite and multi-talented (idiom); versatile and able
博识多通
bó shí duō tōng
-
1 knowledgeable and perspicacious (idiom)
又想当婊子又想立牌坊
yòu xiǎng dāng biǎo zi yòu xiǎng lì pái fāng
-
1 lit. to lead the life of a whore but still want a monument put up to one's chastity (idiom)
-
2 fig. to have bad intentions but still want a good reputation
-
3 to want to have one's cake and eat it too