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
不打不成器
bù dǎ bù chéng qì
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1 spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
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
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
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.
吃粮不管事
chī liáng bù guǎn shì
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1 to eat without working (idiom)
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2 to take one's pay and not care about the rest
各人自扫门前雪，莫管他家瓦上霜
gè rén zì sǎo mén qián xuě , mò guǎn tā jiā wǎ shàng shuāng
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1 sweep the snow from your own door step, don't worry about the frost on your neighbor's roof (idiom)
呆若木鸡
dāi ruò mù jī
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1 lit. dumb as a wooden chicken (idiom); fig. dumbstruck
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)
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
大器晚成
dà qì wǎn chéng
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1 lit. it takes a long time to make a big pot (idiom); fig. a great talent matures slowly
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2 in the fullness of time a major figure will develop into a pillar of the state
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3 Rome wasn't built in a day
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)
工欲善其事，必先利其器
gōng yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
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1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
投鼠忌器
tóu shǔ jì qì
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1 lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)
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2 to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents
撒手不管
sā shǒu bù guǎn
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1 to stand aside and do nothing (idiom)
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2 to take no part in
木人石心
mù rén shí xīn
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1 lit. body made of wood, heart made of stone (idiom)
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2 fig. heartless
木已成舟
mù yǐ chéng zhōu
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1 lit. the timber has been turned into a boat already (idiom)
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2 fig. what is done cannot be undone