上贼船
shàng zéi chuán
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1 lit. to board a pirate ship (idiom)
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2 fig. to associate with criminals
久经考验
jiǔ jīng kǎo yàn
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1 well tested (idiom); seasoned
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2 veteran
察微知著
chá wēi zhī zhù
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1 to examine tiny clues to know general trends (idiom)
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2 to deduce the whole story from small traces
察言观色
chá yán guān sè
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1 to weigh up sb's words and observe their facial expression (idiom)
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2 to discern what sb thinks from his body language
明察暗访
míng chá àn fǎng
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1 open enquiries and secret search (idiom); to investigate openly and in secret
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2 taking information from all sides
明察秋毫
míng chá qiū háo
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1 lit. seeing clearly the downy feathers of autumn (idiom, from Mencius)
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2 fig. perceptive of even the finest detail
暗察明访
àn chá míng fǎng
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1 open enquiries and secret search (idiom); to investigate openly and in secret
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2 taking information from all sides
水涨船高
shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo
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1 the tide rises, the boat floats (idiom); fig. to change with the overall trend
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2 to develop according to the situation
水至清则无鱼，人至察则无徒
shuǐ zhì qīng zé wú yú , rén zhì chá zé wú tú
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1 water that is too clear has no fish, and one who is too severe has no friends (idiom)
脚踏两条船
jiǎo tà liǎng tiáo chuán
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1 lit. to stand with each foot in a different boat (idiom)
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2 fig. to have it both ways
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3 to run after two hares
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4 (especially) to have two lovers at the same time
船到桥门自会直
chuán dào qiáo mén zì huì zhí
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1 lit. when the ship arrives at the bridge we can deal with the problem
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2 no point in worrying about sth until it actually happens (idiom)
船到江心，补漏迟
chuán dào jiāng xīn , bǔ lòu chí
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1 It's too late to plug the leak once ship is in the middle of the river. (idiom)
船到码头，车到站
chuán dào mǎ tóu , chē dào zhàn
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1 The ship has docked, the carriage has reached the station.
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2 The job is over, it's time to relax. (idiom)
草船借箭
cǎo chuán jiè jiàn
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1 lit. using straw boats to borrow arrows (idiom, from 三國演義|三国演义[Sān guó Yǎn yì])
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2 fig. to use others' manpower and resources for one's own ends
车到山前必有路，船到桥头自然直
chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù , chuán dào qiáo tóu zì rán zhí
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1 lit. When we get to the mountain, there'll be a way through and when the boat gets to the pier-head, it will go straight with the current. (idiom)
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2 fig. Everything will turn out for the best.
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3 Let's worry about it when it happens.
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4 It will be all right on the night.
阴沟里翻船
yīn gōu lǐ fān chuán
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1 to meet with unexpected failure (idiom)
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2 to fail miserably (where failure was not expected)