不打不成器
bù dǎ bù chéng qì
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1 spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
不见棺材不落泪
bù jiàn guān cai bù luò lèi
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1 lit. not to shed a tear until one sees the coffin (idiom)
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2 fig. refuse to be convinced until one is faced with grim reality
偷工减料
tōu gōng jiǎn liào
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1 to skimp on the job and stint on materials (idiom)
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2 jerry-building
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3 sloppy work
出乎意料
chū hū yì liào
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1 beyond expectation (idiom); unexpected
出乎预料
chū hū yù liào
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1 beyond expectation (idiom); unexpected
出人意料
chū rén yì liào
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1 unexpected (idiom)
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2 surprising
因材施教
yīn cái shī jiào
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1 (idiom) to teach in line with the student's ability
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
大材小用
dà cái xiǎo yòng
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1 using a talented person in an insignificant position (idiom)
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2 a sledgehammer to crack a nut
天差地別
tiān chā dì bié
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1 poles apart (idiom)
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2 as different as can be
始料未及
shǐ liào wèi jí
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1 not expected at the outset (idiom)
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2 unforeseen
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3 to be surprised by the turn of events
孔武有力
kǒng wǔ yǒu lì
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1 courageous and strong (idiom)
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2 Herculean (physique etc)
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
才兼文武
cái jiān wén wǔ
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1 talent in both military and civil field (idiom)
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
文武合一
wén wǔ hé yī
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1 civilians and the military (working) hand in hand (idiom)
文武双全
wén wǔ shuāng quán
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1 well versed in letters and military technology (idiom); fine scholar and soldier
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2 master of pen and sword
文治武功
wén zhì wǔ gōng
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1 political and military achievements (idiom)
料事如神
liào shì rú shén
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1 to prophesy with supernatural accuracy (idiom)
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2 to have an incredible foresight
欲善其事,必先利其器
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