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
一把屎一把尿
yī bǎ shǐ yī bǎ niào
-
1 to have endured all sorts of hardships (to raise one's children) (idiom)
一把眼泪一把鼻涕
yī bǎ yǎn lèi yī bǎ bí tì
-
1 with one's face covered in tears (idiom)
一把钥匙开一把锁
yī bǎ yào shi kāi yī bǎ suǒ
-
1 One key opens one lock.
-
2 There is a different solution for each problem. (idiom)
一是一,二是二
yī shì yī , èr shì èr
-
1 lit. one is one, two is two (idiom)
-
2 fig. things are (or ought to be) perfectly clear-cut
-
3 unequivocal
一身是胆
yī shēn shì dǎn
-
1 devoid of fear (idiom)
-
2 intrepid
不是一家人不进一家门
bù shì yī jiā rén bù jìn yī jiā mén
-
1 people who don't belong together, don't get to live together (idiom)
-
2 marriages are predestined
-
3 people marry because they share common traits
不是冤家不聚头
bù shì yuān jiā bù jù tóu
-
1 destiny will make enemies meet (idiom)
-
2 (often said about lovers who have a disagreement)
不是鱼死就是网破
bù shì yú sǐ jiù shì wǎng pò
-
1 lit. either the fish dies or the net gets torn (idiom)
-
2 fig. it's a life-and-death struggle
-
3 it's either him or me
五百年前是一家
wǔ bǎi nián qián shì yī jiā
-
1 five hundred years ago we were the same family (idiom) (said of persons with the same surname)
人是铁饭是钢
rén shì tiě fàn shì gāng
-
1 one can't function properly on an empty stomach (idiom)
-
2 an empty sack cannot stand upright
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
什么风把你吹来的
shén me fēng bǎ nǐ chuī lái de
-
1 What brings you here? (idiom)
似是而非
sì shì ér fēi
-
1 apparently right but actually wrong; specious (idiom)
俯拾皆是
fǔ shí jiē shì
-
1 lit. so numerous that one could just bend down and pick them up (idiom)
-
2 fig. extremely common
-
3 easily available
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)
偷鸡不成蚀把米
tōu jī bù chéng shí bǎ mǐ
-
1 lit. to try to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it (idiom)
-
2 fig. to try to gain an advantage only to end up worse off
-
3 to go for wool and come back shorn
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