一无所有
yī wú suǒ yǒu
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1 not having anything at all (idiom); utterly lacking
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2 without two sticks to rub together
三人行,必有我师
sān rén xíng , bì yǒu wǒ shī
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1 lit. if three walk together, one can be my teacher (idiom, from the Analects of Confucius)
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2 you have sth to learn from everyone
三生有幸
sān shēng yǒu xìng
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1 the blessing of three lifetimes (idiom)
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2 (courteous language) it's my good fortune...
上有天堂,下有苏杭
shàng yǒu tiān táng , xià yǒu Sū Háng
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1 lit. there is heaven above, and there is 蘇杭|苏杭[Sū Háng] below (idiom)
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2 fig. the beauty and affluence of Suzhou and Hangzhou is comparable with heaven
上有政策,下有对策
shàng yǒu zhèng cè , xià yǒu duì cè
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1 The higher ups have policies while the lower downs have their own ways of getting around them. (idiom)
上有老下有小
shàng yǒu lǎo xià yǒu xiǎo
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1 lit. above are the elderly, below are the young (idiom)
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2 fig. to have to take care of both one's aging parents and one's children
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3 sandwich generation
不是一家人不进一家门
bù shì yī jiā rén bù jìn yī jiā mén
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1 people who don't belong together, don't get to live together (idiom)
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2 marriages are predestined
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3 people marry because they share common traits
不是冤家不聚头
bù shì yuān jiā bù jù tóu
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1 destiny will make enemies meet (idiom)
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2 (often said about lovers who have a disagreement)
不求有功,但求无过
bù qiú yǒu gōng , dàn qiú wú guò
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1 lit. not aiming to achieve the best possible result, but rather trying to avoid making mistakes (idiom)
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2 fig. to take a risk-averse approach
不当家不知柴米贵
bù dāng jiā bù zhī chái mǐ guì
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1 a person who doesn't manage a household would not be aware how expensive it is (idiom)
世上无难事,只怕有心人
shì shàng wú nán shì , zhǐ pà yǒu xīn rén
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1 there is nothing the determined person can't accomplish (idiom)
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2 persistence will overcome
事怕行家
shì pà háng jiā
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1 an expert always produces the best work (idiom)
二虎相斗,必有一伤
èr hǔ xiāng dòu , bì yǒu yī shāng
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1 lit. when two tigers fight, one is sure to be wounded (idiom)
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2 fig. if it comes to a fight, someone will get hurt
互通有无
hù tōng yǒu wú
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1 mutual exchange of assistance (idiom)
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2 to benefit from each other's strengths and make up each other's shortfalls
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3 to reciprocate with material assistance
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4 scratch each other's back
五百年前是一家
wǔ bǎi nián qián shì yī jiā
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1 five hundred years ago we were the same family (idiom) (said of persons with the same surname)
井井有条
jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo
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1 everything clear and orderly (idiom); neat and tidy
井然有序
jǐng rán yǒu xù
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1 everything clear and in good order (idiom); neat and tidy
人外有人,天外有天
rén wài yǒu rén , tiān wài yǒu tiān
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1 in the wider world there are people more talented than oneself (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
人无远虑,必有近忧
rén wú yuǎn lu:4 , bì yǒu jìn yōu
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1 He who gives no thought to far-flung problems soon finds suffering nearby (idiom, from Analects).
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2 Smug concentration on the here and now will lead to future sorrow.