一刀两断
yī dāo liǎng duàn
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1 lit. two segments with a single cut (idiom)
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2 fig. to make a clean break (idiom)
一刀切
yī dāo qiē
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1 lit. to cut all at one stroke (idiom); to impose uniformity
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2 one solution fits a diversity of problems
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3 one size fits all
一山不容二虎
yī shān bù róng èr hǔ
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1 lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
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2 fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us
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3 (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
不识泰山
bù shí Tài Shān
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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
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1 lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
人为刀俎，我为鱼肉
rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu
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1 lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
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2 fig. to be at sb's mercy
他山之石可以攻玉
tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù
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1 lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
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2 to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively
借刀杀人
jiè dāo shā rén
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1 to lend sb a knife to kill sb
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2 to get sb else to do one's dirty work
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3 to attack using the strength of another (idiom)
两肋插刀
liǎng lèi chā dāo
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1 lit. knifes piercing both sides (idiom)
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2 fig. to attach a great importance to friendship, up to the point of being able to sacrifice oneself for it
两面三刀
liǎng miàn sān dāo
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1 two-faced, three knives (idiom); double-cross
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2 double dealing and back stabbing
兵败如山倒
bīng bài rú shān dǎo
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1 troops in defeat like a landslide (idiom); a beaten army in total collapse
刀不磨要生锈，人不学要落后
dāo bù mó yào shēng xiù , rén bù xué yào luò hòu
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1 a blade will get rusty if it is not sharpened; a man will fall behind if he doesn't study (idiom)
刀子嘴，豆腐心
dāo zi zuǐ , dòu fu xīn
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1 to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart (idiom)
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
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1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
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2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
刀枪不入
dāo qiāng bù rù
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1 lit. impervious to sword or spear (idiom)
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2 fig. invulnerable
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3 untouchable
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4 thick-skinned
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5 impervious to criticism
刀锯斧钺
dāo jù fǔ yuè
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1 knife, saw, ax and hatchet (idiom); facing torture and execution
割鸡焉用牛刀
gē jī yān yòng niú dāo
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1 lit. why use a pole-ax to slaughter a chicken? (idiom)
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2 fig. to waste effort on a trifling matter
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3 also written 殺雞焉用牛刀|杀鸡焉用牛刀[shā jī yān yòng niú dāo]
名落孙山
míng luò Sūn Shān
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1 lit. to fall behind Sun Shan 孫山|孙山[Sūn Shān] (who came last in the imperial examination) (idiom)
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2 fig. to fail an exam
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3 to fall behind (in a competition)
单刀直入
dān dāo zhí rù
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1 to get straight to the point (idiom)
单刀赴会
dān dāo fù huì
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1 lit. to go among enemies with only one's sword (idiom)
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2 fig. to go alone into enemy lines