一个天南,一个地北
yī ge tiān nán , yī ge dì běi
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1 to live miles apart (idiom)
一败涂地
yī bài tú dì
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1 failed and wiped over the floor (idiom); to fail utterly
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2 a crushing defeat
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3 beaten and in a hopeless position
一瓶子不响,半瓶子晃荡
yī píng zi bù xiǎng , bàn píng zi huàng dang
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1 lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
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2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
一知半解
yī zhī bàn jiě
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1 lit. to know one and understand half (idiom); a smattering of knowledge
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2 dilettante
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3 amateur
一鳞半爪
yī lín bàn zhuǎ
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1 lit. one scale and half a claw (idiom); only odd bits and pieces
上天入地
shàng tiān rù dì
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1 lit. to go up to heaven or down to Hades (idiom)
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2 fig. to go to great lengths
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3 to search heaven and earth
上天无路,入地无门
shàng tiān wú lù , rù dì wú mén
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1 lit. there is no road to the sky, nor door into the earth (idiom)
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2 fig. to be at the end of one's rope
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3 to be trapped in a hopeless situation
事半功倍
shì bàn gōng bèi
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1 half the work, twice the effect (idiom); the right approach saves effort and leads to better results
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2 a stitch in time saves nine
五体投地
wǔ tǐ tóu dì
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1 to prostrate oneself in admiration (idiom); to adulate sb
人杰地灵
rén jié dì líng
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1 illustrious hero, spirit of the place (idiom); a place derives reflected glory from an illustrious son
人间地狱
rén jiān dì yù
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1 hell on earth (idiom); suffering the torments of Buddhist hell while still alive
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2 fig. having an uncomfortable time
仁民爱物
rén mín ài wù
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1 love to all creatures (idiom, from Mencius); universal benevolence
便民利民
biàn mín lì mín
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1 for the convenience and benefit of the people (idiom)
全民皆兵
quán mín jiē bīng
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1 to bring the entire nation to arms (idiom)
出人头地
chū rén tóu dì
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1 to stand out among one's peers (idiom)
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2 to excel
削职为民
xuē zhí wéi mín
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1 demotion to commoner (idiom)
勤俭建国
qín jiǎn jiàn guó
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1 to build up the country through thrift and hard work (idiom)
升斗小民
shēng dǒu xiǎo mín
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1 poor people (idiom)
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2 those who live from hand to mouth
半推半就
bàn tuī bàn jiù
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1 half willing and half unwilling (idiom); to yield after making a show of resistance
半瓶水响叮当
bàn píng shuǐ xiǎng dīng dāng
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1 lit. if you tap a half-empty bottle it makes a sound (idiom)
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2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
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3 one who has a little knowledge likes to show off, but one who is truly knowledgeable is modest