一山不容二虎
yī shān bù róng èr hǔ
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1 lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
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2 fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us
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3 (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
不成功便成仁
bù chéng gōng biàn chéng rén
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1 to succeed or die trying (idiom)
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
不识泰山
bù shí Tài Shān
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1 can't recognize Mt Taishan (idiom); fig. not to recognize a famous person
不显山不露水
bù xiǎn shān bù lù shuǐ
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1 lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
事半功倍
shì bàn gōng bèi
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1 half the work, twice the effect (idiom); the right approach saves effort and leads to better results
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2 a stitch in time saves nine
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
兵败如山倒
bīng bài rú shān dǎo
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1 troops in defeat like a landslide (idiom); a beaten army in total collapse
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
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1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
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2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
前功尽弃
qián gōng jìn qì
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1 to waste all one's previous efforts (idiom)
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2 all that has been achieved goes down the drain
功不可没
gōng bù kě mò
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1 one's contributions cannot go unnoticed (idiom)
功到自然成
gōng dào zì rán chéng
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1 effort will undoubtedly lead to success (idiom)
功名利禄
gōng míng lì lù
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1 position and wealth (idiom); rank, fame and fortune
功完行满
gōng wán xíng mǎn
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1 to fully achieve one's ambitions (idiom)
功德圆满
gōng dé yuán mǎn
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1 virtuous achievements come to their successful conclusion (idiom)
功德无量
gōng dé wú liàng
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1 no end of virtuous achievements (idiom); boundless beneficence
功成不居
gōng chéng bù jū
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1 not to claim personal credit for achievement (idiom)
功成名就
gōng chéng míng jiù
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1 to win success and recognition (idiom)
功败垂成
gōng bài chuí chéng
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1 to fail within sight of success (idiom); last-minute failure
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2 to fall at the last hurdle
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3 snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
功亏一篑
gōng kuī yī kuì
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1 lit. to ruin the enterprise for the sake of one basketful
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2 to fail through lack of a final effort
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3 to spoil the ship for a ha'penny worth of tar (idiom)