之乎者也
zhī hū zhě yě
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1 lit. 之[zhī], 乎[hū], 者[zhě] and 也[yě] (four grammatical particles of Classical Chinese) (idiom); fig. archaic expressions
冥思苦想
míng sī kǔ xiǎng
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1 to consider from all angles (idiom); to think hard
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2 to rack one's brains
又想当婊子又想立牌坊
yòu xiǎng dāng biǎo zi yòu xiǎng lì pái fāng
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1 lit. to lead the life of a whore but still want a monument put up to one's chastity (idiom)
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2 fig. to have bad intentions but still want a good reputation
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3 to want to have one's cake and eat it too
左思右想
zuǒ sī yòu xiǎng
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1 to turn over in one's mind (idiom); to think through from different angles
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2 to ponder
思前想后
sī qián xiǎng hòu
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1 to consider past cause and future effect (idiom); to think over the past and future
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2 to ponder over reasons and connection
想入非非
xiǎng rù fēi fēi
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1 to indulge in fantasy (idiom); to let one's imagination run wild
想方设法
xiǎng fāng shè fǎ
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1 to think up every possible method (idiom); to devise ways and means
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2 to try this, that and the other
成也萧何,败也萧何
chéng yě Xiāo Hé , bài yě Xiāo Hé
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1 lit. raised up by Xiao He, cast down by Xiao He (idiom), alluding to Han Xin 韓信|韩信[Hán Xìn] being made Grand General 大將軍|大将军[dà jiāng jūn]
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2 fig. a situation where one's success and failure are both due to the same factor
朝思暮想
zhāo sī mù xiǎng
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1 to yearn for sth day and night (idiom)
痴心妄想
chī xīn wàng xiǎng
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1 to be carried away by one's wishful thinking (idiom)
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2 to labor under a delusion
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3 wishful thinking
癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉
lài há ma xiǎng chī tiān é ròu
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1 lit. the toad wants to eat swan meat (idiom)
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2 fig. to try to punch above one's weight
空空如也
kōng kōng rú yě
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1 as empty as anything (idiom); completely bereft
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2 to have nothing
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3 vacuous
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4 hollow
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5 empty (argument, head etc)
突发奇想
tū fā qí xiǎng
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1 suddenly have a thought (idiom)
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2 suddenly be inspired to do something
穷思苦想
qióng sī kǔ xiǎng
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1 to think hard (idiom)
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2 to give sth much thought
胡思乱想
hú sī luàn xiǎng
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1 to indulge in flights of fancy (idiom)
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2 to let one's imagination run wild
苦思冥想
kǔ sī míng xiǎng
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1 to consider from all angles (idiom); to think hard
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2 to rack one's brains
丑媳妇早晚也得见公婆
chǒu xí fù zǎo wǎn yě děi jiàn gōng pó
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1 lit. the ugly daughter-in-law must sooner or later meet her parents-in-law (idiom)
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2 fig. it's not something you can avoid forever