之乎者也
zhī hū zhě yě
-
1 lit. 之[zhī], 乎[hū], 者[zhě] and 也[yě] (four grammatical particles of Classical Chinese) (idiom); fig. archaic expressions
仁者见仁，智者见智
rén zhě jiàn rén , zhì zhě jiàn zhì
-
1 The benevolent sees benevolence, the wise sees wisdom.
-
2 Different views are admissible. (idiom)
来者不善，善者不来
lái zhě bù shàn , shàn zhě bù lái
-
1 He who comes is surely ill-intentioned, no-one well-meaning will come (idiom).
-
2 Be careful not to trust foreigners.
-
3 Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!
来者不拒
lái zhě bù jù
-
1 to refuse nobody (idiom)
-
2 all comers welcome
前不见古人，后不见来者
qián bù jiàn gǔ rén , hòu bù jiàn lái zhě
-
1 unique
-
2 unprecedented (idiom)
胜者王侯败者寇
shèng zhě wáng hóu bài zhě kòu
-
1 the winners become princes and marquises; the losers are vilified as bandits (idiom)
-
2 history is written by the victors
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
壁垒一新
bì lěi yī xīn
-
1 to have one's defenses in good order (idiom)
太公钓鱼，愿者上钩
tài gōng diào yú , yuàn zhě shàng gōu
-
1 Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose
始作俑者
shǐ zuò yǒng zhě
-
1 lit. the first person to bury funerary dolls (idiom)
-
2 fig. the originator of an evil practice
姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩
Jiāng tài gōng diào yú , yuàn zhě shàng gōu
-
1 Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want it, take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose
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
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)