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
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
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
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
以子之矛,攻子之盾
yǐ zǐ zhī máo , gōng zǐ zhī dùn
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1 lit. use sb's spear to attack his shield (idiom, derived from Han Feizi 韓非子|韩非子); turning a weapon against its owner
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2 fig. to attack an opponent using his own devices
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3 hoist with his own petard
倾国倾城
qīng guó qīng chéng
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1 lit. capable of causing the downfall of a city or state (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a woman) devastatingly beautiful
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3 also written 傾城傾國|倾城倾国[qīng chéng qīng guó]
倾城倾国
qīng chéng qīng guó
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1 lit. capable of causing the downfall of a city or state (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a woman) devastatingly beautiful
兵临城下
bīng lín chéng xià
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1 soldiers at the city walls (idiom); fig. at a critical juncture
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
出其不意,攻其不备
chū qí bù yì , gōng qí bù bèi
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1 to catch an enemy off guard with a surprise attack (idiom, from Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sūn zǐ Bīng fǎ])
唱空城计
chàng kōng chéng jì
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1 lit. to sing “The Empty City Stratagem” (idiom)
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2 fig. to put up a bluff to conceal one's weakness
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3 (jocularly) (of a place etc) to be empty
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4 (of one's stomach) to be rumbling
因地制宜
yīn dì zhì yí
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1 (idiom) to use methods in line with local circumstances
围城打援
wéi chéng dǎ yuán
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1 to besiege and strike the relief force (idiom); strategy of surrounding a unit to entice the enemy to reinforce, then striking the new troops
地久天长
dì jiǔ tiān cháng
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1 enduring while the world lasts (idiom, from Laozi); eternal
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2 for ever and ever (of friendship, hate etc)
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3 also written 天長地久|天长地久
地利人和
dì lì rén hé
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1 favorable geographical and social conditions (idiom); good location and the people satisfied
地动山摇
dì dòng shān yáo
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1 the earth quaked, the mountains shook (idiom); a tremendous battle