一手交钱，一手交货
yī shǒu jiāo qián , yī shǒu jiāo huò
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1 lit. one hand exchanges the cash, the other the goods (idiom)
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2 fig. to pay for what you want in cash
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3 simple and direct transaction
一言既出，驷马难追
yī yán jì chū , sì mǎ nán zhuī
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1 lit. once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it (idiom); a promise must be kept
一马平川
yī mǎ píng chuān
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1 flat land one could gallop straight across (idiom); wide expanse of flat country
三马同槽
sān mǎ tóng cáo
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1 three horses at the same trough (idiom, alluding to Sima Yi 司馬懿|司马懿[Sī mǎ Yì] and his two sons); conspirators under the same roof
中箭落马
zhòng jiàn luò mǎ
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1 lit. to be struck by an arrow and fall from one's horse
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2 to suffer a serious setback (idiom)
人仰马翻
rén yǎng mǎ fān
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1 to suffer a crushing defeat (idiom)
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2 in a pitiful state
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3 in a complete mess
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4 to roll (with laughter)
人喊马嘶
rén hǎn mǎ sī
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1 lit. people shouting and horses neighing (idiom)
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2 fig. tumultuous
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3 hubbub
人困马乏
rén kùn mǎ fá
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1 riders tired and horses weary (idiom)
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2 worn out
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3 exhausted
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4 spent
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5 fatigued
人有失手，马有失蹄
rén yǒu shī shǒu , mǎ yǒu shī tí
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1 lit. just as humans make mistakes, so can a horse stumble (idiom)
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2 fig. everyone makes mistakes
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3 even the best fall down sometimes
兵强马壮
bīng qiáng mǎ zhuàng
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1 lit. strong soldiers and sturdy horses (idiom)
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2 fig. a well-trained and powerful army
兵荒马乱
bīng huāng mǎ luàn
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1 soldiers munity and troops rebel (idiom); turmoil and chaos of war
兵马未动，粮草先行
bīng mǎ wèi dòng , liáng cǎo xiān xíng
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1 before the troops move, fodder and provisions go first (idiom); logistics comes before military maneuvers
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2 an army marches on its stomach
前车之覆，后车之鉴
qián chē zhī fù , hòu chē zhī jiàn
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1 lit. the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart (idiom); fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor
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2 learn from past mistake
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3 once bitten twice shy
前车之鉴
qián chē zhī jiàn
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1 to learn a lesson from the mistakes of one's predecessor (idiom)
北叟失马
běi sǒu shī mǎ
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1 lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)
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2 fig. a blessing in disguise
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3 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
匠心独运
jiàng xīn dú yùn
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1 original and ingenious (idiom)
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2 to show great creativity
千军万马
qiān jūn wàn mǎ
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1 magnificent army with thousands of men and horses (idiom); impressive display of manpower
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2 all the King's horses and all the King's men
千里马常有，而伯乐不常有
qiān lǐ mǎ cháng yǒu , ér Bó Lè bù cháng yǒu
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1 lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
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2 fig. many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it
又要马儿跑，又要马儿不吃草
yòu yào mǎ r5 pǎo , yòu yào mǎ r5 bù chī cǎo
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1 lit. you can't expect the horse to run fast but not let it graze (idiom)
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2 fig. you can't have your cake and eat it, too
司马昭之心路人皆知
Sī mǎ Zhāo zhī xīn lù rén jiē zhī
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1 lit. Sima Zhao's intentions are obvious to everyone (idiom)
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2 fig. an open secret