事无巨细
shì wú jù xì
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1 lit. things are not separated according to their size (idiom)
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2 fig. to deal with any matter, regardless of its importance
刀子嘴,豆腐心
dāo zi zuǐ , dòu fu xīn
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1 to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart (idiom)
创巨痛深
chuāng jù tòng shēn
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1 untold pain and suffering (idiom); deeply scarred for life
取长补短
qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn
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1 lit. use others' strengths to make up for one's weak points (idiom from Mencius)
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2 to use this in place of that
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3 what you lose on the swings, you win on the roundabouts
吃人家的嘴软,拿人家的手短
chī rén jiā de zuǐ ruǎn , ná rén jiā de shǒu duǎn
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1 lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)
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2 fig. one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted
嘴快心直
zuǐ kuài xīn zhí
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1 outspoken and frank (idiom)
嘴甜心苦
zuǐ tián xīn kǔ
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1 sweet mouth, bitter heart (idiom); insincere flattery
展翅高飞
zhǎn chì gāo fēi
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1 to spread one's wings and soar (idiom)
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2 to develop one's abilities freely
弄嘴弄舌
nòng zuǐ nòng shé
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1 to cause a dispute through boastful gossip (idiom)
张家长,李家短
Zhāng jiā cháng , Lǐ jiā duǎn
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1 lit. the Zhangs are better off than the Lis (idiom); to gossip about the neighbors
截长补短
jié cháng bǔ duǎn
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1 take from the long to supplement the short (idiom)
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2 to offset each other's deficiencies
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3 to complement each other
拙嘴笨舌
zhuō zuǐ bèn shé
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1 lit. clumsy mouth and broken tongue (idiom); awkward speaker
插翅难飞
chā chì nán fēi
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1 lit. even given wings, you couldn't fly (idiom); fig. impossible to escape
扬长避短
yáng cháng bì duǎn
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1 to foster strengths and avoid weaknesses (idiom)
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2 to play to one's strengths
昼短夜长
zhòu duǎn yè cháng
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1 the winter days are short and the nights long (idiom)
东家长西家短
dōng jiā cháng xī jiā duǎn
樱桃小嘴
yīng táo xiǎo zuǐ
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1 lit. cherry mouth (idiom)
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2 fig. a delicate, ruby-lipped mouth
残年短景
cán nián duǎn jǐng
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1 at the end of the year (idiom)
满嘴跑火车
mǎn zuǐ pǎo huǒ chē
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1 (idiom) to have a glib tongue
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2 to talk big
争长论短
zhēng cháng lùn duǎn
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1 lit. to argue who is right and wrong (idiom); to quibble
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2 a storm in a teacup