一刀两断
yī dāo liǎng duàn
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1 lit. two segments with a single cut (idiom)
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2 fig. to make a clean break (idiom)
一刀切
yī dāo qiē
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1 lit. to cut all at one stroke (idiom); to impose uniformity
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2 one solution fits a diversity of problems
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3 one size fits all
不敢自专
bù gǎn zì zhuān
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1 not daring to act for oneself (idiom)
不由自主
bù yóu zì zhǔ
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1 can't help; involuntarily (idiom)
不言自明
bù yán zì míng
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1 self-evident; needing no explanation (idiom)
不说自明
bù shuō zì míng
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1 self-explanatory
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2 self-evident (idiom)
人为刀俎,我为鱼肉
rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu
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1 lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
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2 fig. to be at sb's mercy
任其自然
rèn qí zì rán
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1 to let things take their course (idiom)
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2 to leave it to nature
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3 laissez-faire
作茧自缚
zuò jiǎn zì fù
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1 to spin a cocoon around oneself (idiom); enmeshed in a trap of one's own devising
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2 hoist by his own petard
借刀杀人
jiè dāo shā rén
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1 to lend sb a knife to kill sb
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2 to get sb else to do one's dirty work
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3 to attack using the strength of another (idiom)
优游自得
yōu yóu zì dé
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1 free and at leisure (idiom); unfettered
儿孙自有儿孙福
ér sūn zì yǒu ér sūn fú
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1 younger generations will do all right on their own (idiom)
两肋插刀
liǎng lèi chā dāo
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1 lit. knifes piercing both sides (idiom)
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2 fig. to attach a great importance to friendship, up to the point of being able to sacrifice oneself for it
两面三刀
liǎng miàn sān dāo
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1 two-faced, three knives (idiom); double-cross
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2 double dealing and back stabbing
冰炭不言,冷热自明
bīng tàn bù yán , lěng rè zì míng
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1 ice or coals, whether hot or cold goes without saying (idiom); fig. sincerity is not expressed in words
出自肺腑
chū zì fèi fǔ
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1 from the bottom of one's heart (idiom)
刀不磨要生锈,人不学要落后
dāo bù mó yào shēng xiù , rén bù xué yào luò hòu
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1 a blade will get rusty if it is not sharpened; a man will fall behind if he doesn't study (idiom)
刀子嘴,豆腐心
dāo zi zuǐ , dòu fu xīn
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1 to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart (idiom)
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
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1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
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2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
刀枪不入
dāo qiāng bù rù
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1 lit. impervious to sword or spear (idiom)
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2 fig. invulnerable
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3 untouchable
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4 thick-skinned
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5 impervious to criticism