一木难支
yī mù nán zhī
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1 lit. a single post cannot prop up a falling house (idiom)
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2 fig. one is helpless alone
人生一世，草木一春
rén shēng yī shì , cǎo mù yī chūn
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1 Man has but one life, grass but one spring (idiom). fig. the brevity of human existence
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
以子之矛，攻子之盾
yǐ zǐ zhī máo , gōng zǐ zhī dùn
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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
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2 fig. to attack an opponent using his own devices
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3 hoist with his own petard
你走你的阳关道，我过我的独木桥
nǐ zǒu nǐ de Yáng guān Dào , wǒ guò wǒ de dú mù qiáo
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1 lit. you hit the high road, I'll cross the log bridge (idiom)
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2 fig. you go your way, I'll go mine
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3 you do it your way, I'll do it mine
倾国倾城
qīng guó qīng chéng
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1 lit. capable of causing the downfall of a city or state (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a woman) devastatingly beautiful
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3 also written 傾城傾國|倾城倾国[qīng chéng qīng guó]
倾城倾国
qīng chéng qīng guó
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1 lit. capable of causing the downfall of a city or state (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a woman) devastatingly beautiful
兵临城下
bīng lín chéng xià
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1 soldiers at the city walls (idiom); fig. at a critical juncture
出其不意，攻其不备
chū qí bù yì , gōng qí bù bèi
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1 to catch an enemy off guard with a surprise attack (idiom, from Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sūn zǐ Bīng fǎ])
刚毅木讷
gāng yì mù nè
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1 resolute and taciturn (idiom)
十年树木，百年树人
shí nián shù mù , bǎi nián shù rén
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1 It takes ten years to nurture a tree, but a hundred years to train a man (idiom). A good education program takes a long time to develop.
呆若木鸡
dāi ruò mù jī
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1 lit. dumb as a wooden chicken (idiom); fig. dumbstruck
唱空城计
chàng kōng chéng jì
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1 lit. to sing “The Empty City Stratagem” (idiom)
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2 fig. to put up a bluff to conceal one's weakness
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3 (jocularly) (of a place etc) to be empty
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4 (of one's stomach) to be rumbling
单丝不成线，独木不成林
dān sī bù chéng xiàn , dú mù bù chéng lín
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1 one strand does not make a thread, one tree does not make a forest (idiom)
围城打援
wéi chéng dǎ yuán
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1 to besiege and strike the relief force (idiom); strategy of surrounding a unit to entice the enemy to reinforce, then striking the new troops
土木形骸
tǔ mù xíng hái
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1 earth and wood framework (idiom); plain and undecorated body
土牛木马
tǔ niú mù mǎ
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1 clay ox, wooden horse (idiom); shape without substance
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2 worthless object
城门失火，殃及池鱼
chéng mén shī huǒ , yāng jí chí yú
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1 a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiom); the bystander will also suffer
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2 fig. you can't escape responsibility for your actions
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3 ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee
守株待兔，缘木求鱼
shǒu zhū dài tù , yuán mù qiú yú
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1 to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits, and climb a tree to catch fish (idiom); without any practical course of action
山颓木坏
shān tuí mù huài
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1 lit. the mountains crumble and the trees lie ruined
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2 a great sage has died (idiom)