三十而立
sān shí ér lì
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1 thirty years old and therefore independent (idiom, from Confucius)
价廉物美
jià lián wù měi
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1 inexpensive and of good quality (idiom)
两全其美
liǎng quán qí měi
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1 to satisfy rival demands (idiom)
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2 to get the best of both worlds
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3 to have it both ways
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4 to have one's cake and eat it too
势不两立
shì bù liǎng lì
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1 the two cannot exist together (idiom); irreconcilable differences
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2 incompatible standpoints
十全十美
shí quán shí měi
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1 complete and beautiful
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2 to be perfect (idiom)
又想当婊子又想立牌坊
yòu xiǎng dāng biǎo zi yòu xiǎng lì pái fāng
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1 lit. to lead the life of a whore but still want a monument put up to one's chastity (idiom)
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2 fig. to have bad intentions but still want a good reputation
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3 to want to have one's cake and eat it too
坐立不安
zuò lì bù ān
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1 lit. agitated sitting or standing (idiom)
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2 restless
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3 fidgety
坐立难安
zuò lì nán ān
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1 unable to sit or stand still (out of nervousness etc) (idiom)
大破大立
dà pò dà lì
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1 to destroy the old and establish the new (idiom)
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2 radical transformation
天公不作美
tiān gōng bù zuò měi
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1 Heaven is not cooperating (idiom)
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2 the weather is not favorable for the planned activity
天公作美
tiān gōng zuò měi
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1 Heaven is cooperating (idiom)
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2 the weather is favorable for the planned activity (a variation of 天公不作美|天公不作美[tiān gōng bù zuò měi])
安家立业
ān jiā lì yè
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1 stable household, established profession (idiom); settled and comfortably off
专美于前
zhuān měi yú qián
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1 to monopolize the limelight (idiom)
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2 to get all the glory
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3 to rank highest
巍然屹立
wēi rán yì lì
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1 to stand tall and rock-solid (idiom)
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2 towering majestically
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3 (of a person) to stand up against sb
巧立名目
qiǎo lì míng mù
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1 to fabricate excuses (idiom)
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2 to concoct various items (e.g. to pad an expense account)
爱美之心,人皆有之
ài měi zhī xīn , rén jiē yǒu zhī
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1 everyone loves beauty (idiom)
应机立断
yìng jī lì duàn
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1 to act on an opportunity (idiom); to take prompt advantage of a situation
成家立业
chéng jiā lì yè
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1 to get married and start a career (idiom)
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2 to settle down
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3 to establish oneself
放下屠刀,立地成佛
fàng xià tú dāo , lì dì chéng fó
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1 lay down butcher's knife, become a Buddha on the spot (idiom); instant rehabilitation
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2 to repent and be absolved of one's crimes