1 complete change from the normal state (idiom); quite uncharacteristic
2 entirely outside the norm
3 out of character
三纲五常
sān gāng wǔ cháng
1 three principles and five virtues (idiom)
2 the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信)
不遑多让
bù huáng duō ràng
1 lit. to have no time for civilities (idiom)
2 fig. not to be outdone
3 not to yield to one's opponents
人之常情
rén zhī cháng qíng
1 human nature (idiom)
2 a behavior that is only natural
人多势众
rén duō shì zhòng
1 many men, a great force (idiom); many hands provide great strength
2 There is safety in numbers.
今非昔比
jīn fēi xī bǐ
1 things are very different now (idiom)
2 times have changed
以少胜多
yǐ shǎo shèng duō
1 using the few to defeat the many (idiom); to win from a position of weakness
似是而非
sì shì ér fēi
1 apparently right but actually wrong; specious (idiom)
似笑非笑
sì xiào fēi xiào
1 like a smile yet not a smile (idiom)
僧多粥少
sēng duō zhōu shǎo
1 lit. many monks and not much gruel (idiom)
2 fig. not enough to go around
3 demand exceeds supply
兵家常事
bīng jiā cháng shì
1 commonplace in military operations (idiom)
冰冻三尺,非一日之寒
bīng dòng sān chǐ , fēi yī rì zhī hán
1 three feet of ice does not form in a single day (idiom); Rome wasn't built in a day
凶多吉少
xiōng duō jí shǎo
1 everything bodes ill, no positive signs (idiom); inauspicious
2 everything points to disaster
千里马常有,而伯乐不常有
qiān lǐ mǎ cháng yǒu , ér Bó Lè bù cháng yǒu
1 lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
2 fig. many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it
博学多才
bó xué duō cái
1 erudite and multi-talented (idiom); versatile and able
博识多通
bó shí duō tōng
1 knowledgeable and perspicacious (idiom)
口是心非
kǒu shì xīn fēi
1 duplicity
2 hypocrisy (idiom)
名目繁多
míng mù fán duō
1 names of many kinds (idiom); items of every description
命途多舛
mìng tú duō chuǎn
1 to meet with many difficulties in one's life (idiom)
啼笑皆非
tí xiào jiē fēi
1 lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom)