一反常态
yī fǎn cháng tài
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1 complete change from the normal state (idiom); quite uncharacteristic
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2 entirely outside the norm
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3 out of character
一山不容二虎
yī shān bù róng èr hǔ
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1 lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
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2 fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us
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3 (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
三纲五常
sān gāng wǔ cháng
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1 three principles and five virtues (idiom)
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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)
不识泰山
bù shí Tài Shān
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1 can't recognize Mt Taishan (idiom); fig. not to recognize a famous person
不显山不露水
bù xiǎn shān bù lù shuǐ
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1 lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
人之常情
rén zhī cháng qíng
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1 human nature (idiom)
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2 a behavior that is only natural
他山之石可以攻玉
tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù
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1 lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
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2 to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively
兵家常事
bīng jiā cháng shì
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1 commonplace in military operations (idiom)
兵败如山倒
bīng bài rú shān dǎo
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1 troops in defeat like a landslide (idiom); a beaten army in total collapse
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
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1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
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2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
千里马常有,而伯乐不常有
qiān lǐ mǎ cháng yǒu , ér Bó Lè bù cháng yǒu
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1 lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
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2 fig. many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it
名落孙山
míng luò Sūn Shān
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1 lit. to fall behind Sun Shan 孫山|孙山[Sūn Shān] (who came last in the imperial examination) (idiom)
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2 fig. to fail an exam
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3 to fall behind (in a competition)
地动山摇
dì dòng shān yáo
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1 the earth quaked, the mountains shook (idiom); a tremendous battle
坐吃山空
zuò chī shān kōng
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1 lit. just sitting and eating, one can deplete even a mountain of wealth (idiom)
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2 fig. to spend one's money without generating any income
坐山观虎斗
zuò shān guān hǔ dòu
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1 sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight
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2 watch in safety whilst others fight then reap the rewards when both sides are exhausted (idiom)
执法如山
zhí fǎ rú shān
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1 to maintain the law as firm as a mountain (idiom); to enforce the law strictly
堆积如山
duī jī rú shān
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1 to pile up like a mountain (idiom)
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2 a mountain of (paperwork etc)
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3 a large number of sth
寿比南山
shòu bǐ Nán Shān
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1 Live as long as the Zhongnan Mountains! (idiom)
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2 Long may you live!
小山包包
xiǎo shān bāo bao
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1 a landscape dotted with low hills and hillocks (idiom)
山外有山,天外有天
shān wài yǒu shān , tiān wài yǒu tiān
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1 (idiom) however good sth is, there is always sth better
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2 in the wider world there are people more talented than oneself