不由自主
bù yóu zì zhǔ
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1 can't help; involuntarily (idiom)
六神无主
liù shén wú zhǔ
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1 out of one's wits (idiom)
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2 distracted
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3 stunned
冤有头，债有主
yuān yǒu tóu , zhài yǒu zhǔ
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1 for every grievance someone is responsible, for every debt there is a debtor (idiom)
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2 when settling disputes one should not involve third parties
反客为主
fǎn kè wéi zhǔ
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1 lit. the guest acts as host (idiom); fig. to turn from passive to active behavior
名花有主
míng huā yǒu zhǔ
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1 the girl is already taken (idiom)
喧宾夺主
xuān bīn duó zhǔ
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1 lit. the voice of the guest overwhelms that of the host (idiom)
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2 fig. a minor player upstages the main attraction
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3 minor details obscure the main point
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4 the sauce is better than the fish
围魏救赵
wéi Wèi jiù Zhào
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1 lit. to besiege 魏[Wèi] and rescue 趙|赵[Zhào] (idiom)
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2 fig. to relieve a besieged ally by attacking the home base of the besiegers
从井救人
cóng jǐng jiù rén
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1 to jump into a well to rescue sb else (idiom); fig. to help others at the risk to oneself
打狗还得看主人
dǎ gǒu hái děi kàn zhǔ rén
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1 lit. when one beats a dog, one must answer to its master (idiom)
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2 fig. before punishing sb, one should consider how that would affect others associated with him
抱薪救火
bào xīn jiù huǒ
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1 lit. to carry firewood to put out a fire (idiom); fig. to make a problem worse by inappropriate action
舍己救人
shě jǐ jiù rén
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1 to abandon self for others (idiom); to sacrifice oneself to help the people
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2 altruism
抢险救灾
qiǎng xiǎn jiù zāi
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1 to provide relief during times of emergency and disaster (idiom)
救人一命胜造七级浮屠
jiù rén yī mìng shèng zào qī jí fú tú
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1 saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-floor pagoda (idiom)
救场如救火
jiù chǎng rú jiù huǒ
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1 the show must go on (idiom)
救急不救穷
jiù jí bù jiù qióng
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1 help the starving but not the poor (idiom)
救焚益薪
jiù fén yì xīn
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1 add firewood to put out the flames (idiom); fig. ill-advised action that only makes the problem worse
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2 to add fuel to the fire
无可救药
wú kě jiù yào
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1 lit. no antidote is possible (idiom); incurable
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2 incorrigible
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3 beyond redemption
物各有主
wù gè yǒu zhǔ
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1 everything has a rightful owner (idiom)
独立自主
dú lì zì zhǔ
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1 independent and autonomous (idiom); self-determination
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2 to act independently
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3 to maintain control over one's own affairs