一粒老鼠屎坏了一锅粥
yī lì lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō zhōu
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1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of congee (idiom)
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2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
一颗老鼠屎坏了一锅汤
yī kē lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō tāng
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1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of soup (idiom)
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2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
人生一世，草木一春
rén shēng yī shì , cǎo mù yī chūn
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1 Man has but one life, grass but one spring (idiom). fig. the brevity of human existence
兔子不吃窝边草
tù zi bù chī wō biān cǎo
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1 A rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow (idiom); One shouldn't do anything to harm one's neighbors.
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
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
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
吴头楚尾
Wú tóu Chǔ wěi
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1 lit. head in Wu and tail in Chu (idiom); fig. close together
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2 head-to-tail
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3 one thing starts where the other leaves off
天涯何处无芳草
tiān yá hé chù wú fāng cǎo
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1 there are plenty more fish in the sea (idiom)
奇花异草
qí huā yì cǎo
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1 very rarely seen, unusual (idiom)
好马不吃回头草
hǎo mǎ bù chī huí tóu cǎo
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1 lit. a good horse doesn't turn around and graze the same patch again (idiom)
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2 fig. once you've moved on, don't go back again (romantic relationship, job etc)
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3 leave the past behind
宁做鸡头，不做凤尾
nìng zuò jī tóu , bù zuò fèng wěi
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1 lit. would rather be a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail (idiom)
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2 fig. to prefer to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond
寸草不生
cùn cǎo bù shēng
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1 lit. not even a blade of grass grows (idiom)
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2 fig. barren
尾大不掉
wěi dà bù diào
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1 large tail obstructs action (idiom); bottom heavy
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2 fig. rendered ineffective by subordinates
彻头彻尾
chè tóu chè wěi
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1 lit. from head to tail (idiom); thoroughgoing
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2 through and through
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3 out and out
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4 from top to bottom
打草惊蛇
dǎ cǎo jīng shé
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1 lit. beat the grass to scare the snake (idiom)
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2 fig. to inadvertently alert an enemy
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3 to punish sb as a warning to others
投鼠忌器
tóu shǔ jì qì
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1 lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)
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2 to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents
抱头鼠窜
bào tóu shǔ cuàn
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1 to cover one's head and sneak away like a rat (idiom); to flee ignominiously
抱头鼠蹿
bào tóu shǔ cuān
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1 to cover one's head and sneak away like a rat (idiom); to flee ignominiously
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2 also written 抱頭鼠竄|抱头鼠窜
拈花惹草
niān huā rě cǎo
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1 lit. to pick the flowers and trample the grass (idiom)
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2 fig. to womanize
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3 to frequent brothels
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4 to sow one's wild oats