一清如水
yī qīng rú shuǐ
-
1 lit. as clear as water (idiom)
-
2 fig. (of officials etc) honest and incorruptible
一碗水端平
yī wǎn shuǐ duān píng
-
1 lit. to hold a bowl of water level (idiom)
-
2 fig. to be impartial
一点水一个泡
yī diǎn shuǐ yī gè pào
-
1 honest and trustworthy (idiom)
三个和尚没水喝
sān gè hé shang méi shuǐ hē
-
1 lit. three monks have no water to drink (idiom)
-
2 fig. everybody's business is nobody's business
-
3 (If there is one monk, he will fetch water for himself. If there are two, they will fetch water together. But if there are three or more, none will take it upon himself to fetch water.)
不显山不露水
bù xiǎn shān bù lù shuǐ
-
1 lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
人不可貌相，海水不可斗量
rén bù kě mào xiàng , hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng
-
1 you can't judge a person by appearance, just as you can't measure the sea with a pint pot (idiom)
人往高处走，水往低处流
rén wǎng gāo chù zǒu , shuǐ wǎng dī chù liú
-
1 man seeks his way up just as water seeks its way down (idiom)
-
2 one should constantly strive to make progress
兵来将挡，水来土掩
bīng lái jiàng dǎng , shuǐ lái tǔ yǎn
-
1 counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom); different situations call for different action
-
2 to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation
兵来将敌，水来土堰
bīng lái jiàng dí , shuǐ lái tǔ yàn
-
1 counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom); different situations call for different action
-
2 to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation
出水芙蓉
chū shuǐ fú róng
-
1 as a lotus flower breaking the surface (idiom); surpassingly beautiful (of young lady's face or old gentleman's calligraphy)
刀子嘴，豆腐心
dāo zi zuǐ , dòu fu xīn
-
1 to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart (idiom)
十指不沾阳春水
shí zhǐ bù zhān yáng chūn shuǐ
-
1 to have no need to fend for oneself (idiom)
-
2 to lead a pampered life
半瓶水响叮当
bàn píng shuǐ xiǎng dīng dāng
-
1 lit. if you tap a half-empty bottle it makes a sound (idiom)
-
2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
-
3 one who has a little knowledge likes to show off, but one who is truly knowledgeable is modest
吃人家的嘴软，拿人家的手短
chī rén jiā de zuǐ ruǎn , ná rén jiā de shǒu duǎn
-
1 lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)
-
2 fig. one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted
吃水不忘掘井人
chī shuǐ bù wàng jué jǐng rén
-
1 Drinking the water of a well, one should never forget who dug it. (idiom)
君子之交淡如水
jūn zǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ
-
1 a gentleman's friendship, insipid as water (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[Zhuāng zǐ])
嘴快心直
zuǐ kuài xīn zhí
-
1 outspoken and frank (idiom)
嘴甜心苦
zuǐ tián xīn kǔ
-
1 sweet mouth, bitter heart (idiom); insincere flattery
垂涎欲滴
chuí xián yù dī
-
1 to drool with desire (idiom); to envy
-
2 to hunger for