上梁不正下梁歪
shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi
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1 lit. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiom); fig. subordinates imitate their superiors' vices
不打不成器
bù dǎ bù chéng qì
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1 spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
偏邪不正
piān xié bù zhèng
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1 biased
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2 prejudiced (idiom)
周游列国
zhōu yóu liè guó
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1 to travel around many countries (idiom); peregrinations
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2 refers to the travels of Confucius
大器晚成
dà qì wǎn chéng
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1 lit. it takes a long time to make a big pot (idiom); fig. a great talent matures slowly
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2 in the fullness of time a major figure will develop into a pillar of the state
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3 Rome wasn't built in a day
就地正法
jiù dì zhèng fǎ
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1 to execute on the spot (idiom); summary execution
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2 to carry out the law on the spot
工欲善其事,必先利其器
gōng yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
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1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
扶正压邪
fú zhèng yā xié
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1 to uphold good and suppress evil (idiom)
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
舍正从邪
shě zhèng cóng xié
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1 to be corrupted by evil influences (idiom)
改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
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1 to mend one's ways (idiom)
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2 to turn over a new leaf
横正暴敛
héng zhèng bào liǎn
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1 to levy exorbitant taxes (idiom)
欲善其事,必先利其器
yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
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1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
正中要害
zhèng zhòng yào hài
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1 to hit the nail on the head (idiom)
正襟危坐
zhèng jīn wēi zuò
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1 to sit upright and still (idiom)
正言厉色
zhèng yán lì sè
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1 solemn in word and countenance (idiom); strict and unsmiling
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2 also written 正顏厲色|正颜厉色
正颜厉色
zhèng yán lì sè
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1 solemn in countenance (idiom); strict and unsmiling
矫枉过正
jiǎo wǎng guò zhèng
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1 to overcorrect (idiom)
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2 to overcompensate
义正辞严
yì zhèng cí yán
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1 to speak forcibly out of a sense of righteousness (idiom)
脚正不怕鞋歪
jiǎo zhèng bù pà xié wāi
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1 lit. a straight foot has no fear of a crooked shoe
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2 an upright man is not afraid of gossip (idiom)