一刀两断
yī dāo liǎng duàn
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1 lit. two segments with a single cut (idiom)
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2 fig. to make a clean break (idiom)
一刀切
yī dāo qiē
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1 lit. to cut all at one stroke (idiom); to impose uniformity
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2 one solution fits a diversity of problems
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3 one size fits all
一手交钱,一手交货
yī shǒu jiāo qián , yī shǒu jiāo huò
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1 lit. one hand exchanges the cash, the other the goods (idiom)
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2 fig. to pay for what you want in cash
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3 simple and direct transaction
七手八脚
qī shǒu bā jiǎo
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1 (idiom) with everyone lending a hand (eagerly but somewhat chaotically)
上下其手
shàng xià qí shǒu
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1 to raise and lower one's hand (idiom); to signal as conspiratorial hint
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2 fig. conspiring to defraud
不怕神一样的对手,就怕猪一样的队友
bù pà shén yī yàng de duì shǒu , jiù pà zhū yī yàng de duì yǒu
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1 a boneheaded teammate can do you more harm than the most formidable opponent (idiom)
人有失手,马有失蹄
rén yǒu shī shǒu , mǎ yǒu shī tí
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1 lit. just as humans make mistakes, so can a horse stumble (idiom)
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2 fig. everyone makes mistakes
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3 even the best fall down sometimes
人为刀俎,我为鱼肉
rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu
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1 lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
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2 fig. to be at sb's mercy
伸手不见五指
shēn shǒu bù jiàn wǔ zhǐ
借刀杀人
jiè dāo shā rén
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1 to lend sb a knife to kill sb
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2 to get sb else to do one's dirty work
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3 to attack using the strength of another (idiom)
先下手为强
xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng
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1 strike first and gain the upper hand (idiom, martial arts term); Making the first move is an advantage.
两手空空
liǎng shǒu kōng kōng
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1 empty-handed (idiom); fig. not receiving anything
两肋插刀
liǎng lèi chā dāo
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1 lit. knifes piercing both sides (idiom)
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2 fig. to attach a great importance to friendship, up to the point of being able to sacrifice oneself for it
两面三刀
liǎng miàn sān dāo
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1 two-faced, three knives (idiom); double-cross
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2 double dealing and back stabbing
刀不磨要生锈,人不学要落后
dāo bù mó yào shēng xiù , rén bù xué yào luò hòu
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1 a blade will get rusty if it is not sharpened; a man will fall behind if he doesn't study (idiom)
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)
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)
刀枪不入
dāo qiāng bù rù
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1 lit. impervious to sword or spear (idiom)
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2 fig. invulnerable
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3 untouchable
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4 thick-skinned
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5 impervious to criticism
刀锯斧钺
dāo jù fǔ yuè
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1 knife, saw, ax and hatchet (idiom); facing torture and execution
割鸡焉用牛刀
gē jī yān yòng niú dāo
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1 lit. why use a pole-ax to slaughter a chicken? (idiom)
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2 fig. to waste effort on a trifling matter
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3 also written 殺雞焉用牛刀|杀鸡焉用牛刀[shā jī yān yòng niú dāo]