不由自主
bù yóu zì zhǔ
-
1 can't help; involuntarily (idiom)
六神无主
liù shén wú zhǔ
-
1 out of one's wits (idiom)
-
2 distracted
-
3 stunned
冤有头,债有主
yuān yǒu tóu , zhài yǒu zhǔ
-
1 for every grievance someone is responsible, for every debt there is a debtor (idiom)
-
2 when settling disputes one should not involve third parties
反客为主
fǎn kè wéi zhǔ
-
1 lit. the guest acts as host (idiom); fig. to turn from passive to active behavior
名花有主
míng huā yǒu zhǔ
-
1 the girl is already taken (idiom)
吐故纳新
tǔ gù nà xīn
-
1 lit. to breathe out stale air and breathe in fresh (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子); fig. to get rid of the old and bring in the new
咸与维新
xián yù wéi xīn
-
1 everyone participates in reforms (idiom)
-
2 to replace the old with new
-
3 to reform and start afresh
喜新厌旧
xǐ xīn yàn jiù
-
1 lit. to like the new, and hate the old (idiom); fig. enamored with new people (e.g. new girlfriend), bored with the old
喧宾夺主
xuān bīn duó zhǔ
-
1 lit. the voice of the guest overwhelms that of the host (idiom)
-
2 fig. a minor player upstages the main attraction
-
3 minor details obscure the main point
-
4 the sauce is better than the fish
壁垒一新
bì lěi yī xīn
-
1 to have one's defenses in good order (idiom)
小别胜新婚
xiǎo bié shèng xīn hūn
-
1 reunion after an absence is sweeter than being newlyweds (idiom)
-
2 absence makes the heart grow fonder
悔过自新
huǐ guò zì xīn
-
1 to repent and start afresh (idiom); to turn over a new leaf
打狗还得看主人
dǎ gǒu hái děi kàn zhǔ rén
-
1 lit. when one beats a dog, one must answer to its master (idiom)
-
2 fig. before punishing sb, one should consider how that would affect others associated with him
拉大旗作虎皮
lā dà qí zuò hǔ pí
-
1 lit. to wave a banner as if it were a tiger skin (idiom)
-
2 fig. to borrow sb's prestige
-
3 to take the name of a great cause as a shield
拉家带口
lā jiā dài kǒu
-
1 to bear the burden of a household (idiom); encumbered by a family
-
2 tied down by family obligations
推陈布新
tuī chén bù xīn
-
1 to push out the old and bring in the new (idiom); to innovate
-
2 to go beyond old ideas
-
3 advancing all the time
推陈出新
tuī chén chū xīn
-
1 to push out the old and bring in the new (idiom); to innovate
改过自新
gǎi guò zì xīn
-
1 to reform and start afresh (idiom); to turn over a new leaf
新官上任三把火
xīn guān shàng rèn sān bǎ huǒ
-
1 (of a newly appointed official) to make bold changes on assuming office (idiom)