一刀两断
yī dāo liǎng duàn
-
1 lit. two segments with a single cut (idiom)
-
2 fig. to make a clean break (idiom)
一刀切
yī dāo qiē
-
1 lit. to cut all at one stroke (idiom); to impose uniformity
-
2 one solution fits a diversity of problems
-
3 one size fits all
一炮打响
yī pào dǎ xiǎng
-
1 to win instant success (idiom)
-
2 to start off successfully
一网打尽
yī wǎng dǎ jìn
-
1 lit. to catch everything in the one net (idiom)
-
2 fig. to scoop up the whole lot
-
3 to capture them all in one go
三天不打,上房揭瓦
sān tiān bù dǎ , shàng fáng jiē wǎ
-
1 three days without a beating, and a child will scale the roof to rip the tiles (idiom)
-
2 spare the rod, spoil the child
不打不成器
bù dǎ bù chéng qì
-
1 spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
不打不成才
bù dǎ bù chéng cái
-
1 spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
不打不成相识
bù dǎ bù chéng xiāng shí
-
1 don't fight, won't make friends (idiom); an exchange of blows may lead to friendship
不打不相识
bù dǎ bù xiāng shí
-
1 lit. don't fight, won't make friends (idiom); an exchange of blows may lead to friendship
-
2 no discord, no concord
干打雷,不下雨
gān dǎ léi , bù xià yǔ
-
1 all thunder but no rain (idiom)
-
2 a lot of noise but no action
人为刀俎,我为鱼肉
rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu
-
1 lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
-
2 fig. to be at sb's mercy
倒打一耙
dào dǎ yī pá
-
1 lit. to strike with a muckrake (idiom), cf Pigsy 豬八戒|猪八戒 in Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记; fig. to counterattack
-
2 to make bogus accusations (against one's victim)
借刀杀人
jiè dāo shā rén
-
1 to lend sb a knife to kill sb
-
2 to get sb else to do one's dirty work
-
3 to attack using the strength of another (idiom)
两肋插刀
liǎng lèi chā dāo
-
1 lit. knifes piercing both sides (idiom)
-
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
-
1 two-faced, three knives (idiom); double-cross
-
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
-
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
-
1 to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart (idiom)
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
-
1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
-
2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
刀枪不入
dāo qiāng bù rù
-
1 lit. impervious to sword or spear (idiom)
-
2 fig. invulnerable
-
3 untouchable
-
4 thick-skinned
-
5 impervious to criticism
刀锯斧钺
dāo jù fǔ yuè
-
1 knife, saw, ax and hatchet (idiom); facing torture and execution