之乎者也
zhī hū zhě yě
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1 lit. 之[zhī], 乎[hū], 者[zhě] and 也[yě] (four grammatical particles of Classical Chinese) (idiom); fig. archaic expressions
仁者见仁，智者见智
rén zhě jiàn rén , zhì zhě jiàn zhì
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1 The benevolent sees benevolence, the wise sees wisdom.
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2 Different views are admissible. (idiom)
来者不善，善者不来
lái zhě bù shàn , shàn zhě bù lái
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1 He who comes is surely ill-intentioned, no-one well-meaning will come (idiom).
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2 Be careful not to trust foreigners.
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3 Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!
来者不拒
lái zhě bù jù
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1 to refuse nobody (idiom)
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2 all comers welcome
侯门似海
hóu mén sì hǎi
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1 lit. the gate of a noble house is like the sea
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2 there is a wide gap between the nobility and the common people (idiom)
前不见古人，后不见来者
qián bù jiàn gǔ rén , hòu bù jiàn lái zhě
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1 unique
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2 unprecedented (idiom)
胜者王侯败者寇
shèng zhě wáng hóu bài zhě kòu
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1 the winners become princes and marquises; the losers are vilified as bandits (idiom)
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2 history is written by the victors
大水冲了龙王庙
dà shuǐ chōng le Lóng Wáng miào
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1 lit. surging waters flooded the Dragon King temple (idiom)
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2 fig. to fail to recognize a familiar person
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3 a dispute between close people who fail to recognize each other
太公钓鱼，愿者上钩
tài gōng diào yú , yuàn zhě shàng gōu
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1 Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose
始作俑者
shǐ zuò yǒng zhě
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1 lit. the first person to bury funerary dolls (idiom)
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2 fig. the originator of an evil practice
姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩
Jiāng tài gōng diào yú , yuàn zhě shàng gōu
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1 Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want it, take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose
成则为王，败则为寇
chéng zé wéi wáng , bài zé wéi kòu
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1 lit. called a king if successful, called a bandit if defeated (idiom)
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2 fig. losers are always in the wrong
擒贼擒王
qín zéi qín wáng
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1 to defeat the enemy by capturing their chief (idiom)
旁观者清
páng guān zhě qīng
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1 The person on the spot is baffled, the onlooker sees clear (idiom). The spectator sees more of the game.
智者千虑，必有一失
zhì zhě qiān lu:4 , bì yǒu yī shī
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1 lit. a wise person reflecting a thousand times can still make a mistake (idiom); fig. nobody is infallible
有志者事竟成
yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng
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1 a really determined person will find a solution (idiom); where there's a will, there's a way
混世魔王
hùn shì mó wáng
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1 devil incarnate (idiom)
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2 fiend in human form
王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸
wáng pó mài guā , zì mài zì kuā
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1 every potter praises his own pot (idiom)
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2 all one's geese are swans
王顾左右而言他
wáng gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā
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1 the king looked left and right and then talked of other things
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2 to digress from the topic of discussion (idiom)