一山不容二虎
yī shān bù róng èr hǔ
-
1 lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
-
2 fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us
-
3 (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
三个女人一台戏
sān ge nu:3 rén yī tái xì
-
1 three women are enough for a drama (idiom)
上不了台面
shàng bù liǎo tái miàn
-
1 better kept under the table (idiom)
-
2 not to be disclosed
-
3 too inferior to show in public
上不得台盘
shàng bù dé tái pán
-
1 too uncouth to appear in public (idiom)
-
2 unfit for a public role
不识泰山
bù shí Tài Shān
-
1 can't recognize Mt Taishan (idiom); fig. not to recognize a famous person
不显山不露水
bù xiǎn shān bù lù shuǐ
-
1 lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
他山之石可以攻玉
tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù
-
1 lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
-
2 to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively
任凭风浪起，稳坐钓鱼台
rèn píng fēng làng qǐ , wěn zuò diào yú tái
-
1 lit. sitting at ease in a fishing boat despite wind and storm (idiom); to stay calm during tense situation
-
2 a cool head in a crisis
债台高筑
zhài tái gāo zhù
-
1 lit. build a high desk of debt (idiom); heavily in debt
兵败如山倒
bīng bài rú shān dǎo
-
1 troops in defeat like a landslide (idiom); a beaten army in total collapse
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
-
1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
-
2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
名落孙山
míng luò Sūn Shān
-
1 lit. to fall behind Sun Shan 孫山|孙山[Sūn Shān] (who came last in the imperial examination) (idiom)
-
2 fig. to fail an exam
-
3 to fall behind (in a competition)
唱对台戏
chàng duì tái xì
-
1 to put on a rival show (idiom); to set oneself up against sb
-
2 to get into confrontation
地动山摇
dì dòng shān yáo
-
1 the earth quaked, the mountains shook (idiom); a tremendous battle
坐吃山空
zuò chī shān kōng
-
1 lit. just sitting and eating, one can deplete even a mountain of wealth (idiom)
-
2 fig. to spend one's money without generating any income
坐山观虎斗
zuò shān guān hǔ dòu
-
1 sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight
-
2 watch in safety whilst others fight then reap the rewards when both sides are exhausted (idiom)
执法如山
zhí fǎ rú shān
-
1 to maintain the law as firm as a mountain (idiom); to enforce the law strictly
堆积如山
duī jī rú shān
-
1 to pile up like a mountain (idiom)
-
2 a mountain of (paperwork etc)
-
3 a large number of sth
寿比南山
shòu bǐ Nán Shān
-
1 Live as long as the Zhongnan Mountains! (idiom)
-
2 Long may you live!
小山包包
xiǎo shān bāo bao
-
1 a landscape dotted with low hills and hillocks (idiom)