1 to use an opponent's own methods to obtain retribution (idiom, from Song dynasty neo-Confucianist Zhu Xi 朱熹); to get revenge by playing sb back at his own game
2 to give sb a taste of his own medicine
以眼还眼
yǐ yǎn huán yǎn
1 an eye for an eye (idiom); fig. to use the enemy's methods against him
2 to give sb a taste of his own medicine
以眼还眼，以牙还牙
yǐ yǎn huán yǎn , yǐ yá huán yá
1 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (idiom)
2 fig. to use the enemy's methods against him
3 to give sb a taste of his own medicine
仰屋著书
yǎng wū zhù shū
1 lit. to stare at the ceiling while writing a book (idiom); to put one's whole body and soul into a book
借尸还魂
jiè shī huán hún
1 lit. reincarnated in sb else's body (idiom); fig. a discarded or discredited idea returns in another guise
八字还没一撇
bā zì hái méi yī piě
1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
3 no sign of success yet
八字还没一撇儿
bā zì hái méi yī piě r5
1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
3 no sign of success yet
打狗还得看主人
dǎ gǒu hái děi kàn zhǔ rén
1 lit. when one beats a dog, one must answer to its master (idiom)
2 fig. before punishing sb, one should consider how that would affect others associated with him
折节读书
zhé jié dú shū
1 to start reading furiously, contrary to previous habit (idiom)
掉书袋
diào shū dài
1 lit. to wave around one's bookbag (idiom)
2 fig. to show off one's erudition
3 a person who does so
书不尽言
shū bù jìn yán
1 I have much more to say than can be written in this letter (conventional letter ending) (idiom)
书香门第
shū xiāng mén dì
1 family with a literary reputation (idiom); literary family
有借有还，再借不难
yǒu jiè yǒu huán , zài jiè bù nán
1 return what you borrowed on time, you may borrow again next time (idiom)
比登天还难
bǐ dēng tiān hái nán
1 lit. even harder than reaching the sky (idiom)
2 fig. extremely difficult
3 far from an easy task
牛角挂书
niú jiǎo guà shū
1 lit. to hang one's books on cow horns (idiom)
2 fig. to be diligent in one's studies
白面书生
bái miàn shū shēng
1 lit. pale-faced scholar (idiom); young and inexperienced person without practical experience
2 still wet behind the ears
知书达理
zhī shū dá lǐ
1 educated and well-balanced (idiom)
罄竹难书
qìng zhú nán shū
1 so many that the bamboo slats have been exhausted
2 innumerable crimes (idiom)
3 see also 罄筆難書|罄笔难书[qìng bǐ nán shū]
罄笔难书
qìng bǐ nán shū
1 too numerous to be cited (of atrocities or misdeeds) (idiom)