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
不求有功,但求无过
bù qiú yǒu gōng , dàn qiú wú guò
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1 lit. not aiming to achieve the best possible result, but rather trying to avoid making mistakes (idiom)
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2 fig. to take a risk-averse approach
不求甚解
bù qiú shèn jiě
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1 lit. not requiring a detailed understanding (idiom); only looking for an overview
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2 not bothered with the details
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3 superficial
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4 content with shallow understanding
刨根问底
páo gēn wèn dǐ
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1 to dig up roots and inquire at the base (idiom); to get to the bottom of sth
刻舟求剑
kè zhōu qiú jiàn
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1 lit. a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom); fig. an action made pointless by changed circumstances
剪草除根
jiǎn cǎo chú gēn
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1 lit. cut grass and pull out roots (idiom); fig. to destroy root and branch
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2 to eradicate
千军易得,一将难求
qiān jūn yì dé , yī jiàng nán qiú
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1 Easy to raise an army of one thousand, but hard to find a good general. (idiom)
可遇不可求
kě yù bù kě qiú
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1 can be discovered but not sought (idiom)
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2 one can only come across such things serendipitously
吹毛求疵
chuī máo qiú cī
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1 lit. to blow apart the hairs upon a fur to discover any defect (idiom); fig. to be fastidious
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2 nitpick
梦寐以求
mèng mèi yǐ qiú
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1 to yearn for sth even in one's dreams (idiom)
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2 to long for sth day and night
孜孜以求
zī zī yǐ qiú
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1 diligent and tireless (idiom)
守株待兔,缘木求鱼
shǒu zhū dài tù , yuán mù qiú yú
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1 to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits, and climb a tree to catch fish (idiom); without any practical course of action
实事求是
shí shì qiú shì
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1 to seek truth from facts (idiom)
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2 to be practical and realistic
寻根问底
xún gēn wèn dǐ
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1 lit. to examine roots and inquire at the base (idiom); to get to the bottom of sth
左右逢源
zuǒ yòu féng yuán
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1 lit. to strike water right and left (idiom)
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2 fig. to turn everything into gold
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3 to have everything going one's way
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4 to benefit from both sides
急于求成
jí yú qiú chéng
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1 anxious for quick results (idiom); to demand instant success
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2 impatient for result
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3 impetuous
舍身求法
shě shēn qiú fǎ
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1 to abandon one's body in the search for Buddha's truth (idiom)
斩草除根
zhǎn cǎo chú gēn
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1 to cut weeds and eliminate the roots (idiom); to destroy root and branch
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2 to eliminate completely
根深叶茂
gēn shēn yè mào
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1 deep roots and vigorous foliage (idiom)
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2 (fig.) well established and growing strongly
死中求生
sǐ zhōng qiú shēng
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1 to seek life in death (idiom); to fight for one's life