三旬九食
sān xún jiǔ shí
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1 lit. to have only nine meals in thirty days (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a family) on the brink of starvation
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3 in dire straits
人为财死,鸟为食亡
rén wèi cái sǐ , niǎo wèi shí wáng
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1 lit. human beings will die for riches, just as birds will for food (idiom)
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2 fig. man will do anything in his means to become rich
人烟稀少
rén yān xī shǎo
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1 no sign of human habitation (idiom); desolate
以少胜多
yǐ shǎo shèng duō
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1 using the few to defeat the many (idiom); to win from a position of weakness
僧多粥少
sēng duō zhōu shǎo
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1 lit. many monks and not much gruel (idiom)
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2 fig. not enough to go around
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3 demand exceeds supply
俭则不缺
jiǎn zé bù quē
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1 frugality prevents destitution (idiom)
凶多吉少
xiōng duō jí shǎo
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1 everything bodes ill, no positive signs (idiom); inauspicious
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2 everything points to disaster
因噎废食
yīn yē fèi shí
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1 lit. not eating for fear of choking (idiom); fig. to cut off one's nose to spite one's face
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2 to avoid sth essential because of a slight risk
多一事不如少一事
duō yī shì bù rú shǎo yī shì
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1 it is better to avoid unnecessary trouble (idiom)
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2 the less complications the better
天衣无缝
tiān yī wú fèng
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1 lit. seamless heavenly clothes (idiom)
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2 fig. flawless
宵衣旰食
xiāo yī gàn shí
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1 to dress before light and not eat before dark (idiom)
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2 diligently attending to official matters
寡二少双
guǎ èr shǎo shuāng
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1 peerless
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2 second to none (idiom)
寝食难安
qǐn shí nán ān
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1 lit. cannot rest or eat in peace (idiom)
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2 fig. extremely worried and troubled
宁缺毋滥
nìng quē wú làn
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1 better to have nothing (than substandard choice) (idiom); would prefer to go without than accept shoddy option
少女露笑脸,婚事半成全
shào nu:3 lù xiào liǎn , hūn shì bàn chéng quán
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1 When the girl smiles, the matchmaker's job is half done. (idiom)
少成多
shǎo chéng duō
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1 Many little things add up to sth great (idiom); many a mickle makes a muckle
少见多怪
shǎo jiàn duō guài
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1 lit. rarely seen, very strange (idiom); to express amazement due to lack of experience
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2 naive expression of excitement due to ignorance
废寝忘食
fèi qǐn wàng shí
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1 to neglect sleep and forget about food (idiom)
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2 to skip one's sleep and meals
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3 to be completely wrapped up in one's work
弱肉强食
ruò ròu qiáng shí
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1 lit. the weak are prey to the strong (idiom); fig. predatory behavior
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2 the law of the jungle
抱残守缺
bào cán shǒu quē
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1 to cherish the outmoded and preserve the outworn (idiom); conservative
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2 stickler for tradition