一波未平,一波又起
yī bō wèi píng , yī bō yòu qǐ
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1 before the first wave subsides, a new wave rises (idiom); a new problem arises before the old is solved
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2 many twists and turns to a story
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3 one thing after another
一碗水端平
yī wǎn shuǐ duān píng
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1 lit. to hold a bowl of water level (idiom)
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2 fig. to be impartial
一醉方休
yī zuì fāng xiū
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1 to get thoroughly drunk (idiom)
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2 to get plastered
一马平川
yī mǎ píng chuān
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1 flat land one could gallop straight across (idiom); wide expanse of flat country
上有老下有小
shàng yǒu lǎo xià yǒu xiǎo
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1 lit. above are the elderly, below are the young (idiom)
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2 fig. to have to take care of both one's aging parents and one's children
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3 sandwich generation
不以规矩,不能成方圆
bù yǐ guī ju , bù néng chéng fāng yuán
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1 without rules, nothing can be done (idiom, from Mencius); one must follow some rules
不拘小节
bù jū xiǎo jié
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1 to not bother about trifles (idiom)
以小人之心,度君子之腹
yǐ xiǎo rén zhī xīn , duó jūn zǐ zhī fù
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1 to gauge the heart of a gentleman with one's own mean measure (idiom)
以小挤大
yǐ xiǎo jǐ dà
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1 minor projects eclipse major ones (idiom)
以言代法
yǐ yán dài fǎ
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1 to substitute one's words for the law (idiom); high-handedly putting one's orders above the law
以言代法,以权压法
yǐ yán dài fǎ , yǐ quán yā fǎ
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1 to substitute one's words for the law and abuse power to crush it (idiom); completely lawless behavior
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2 Might makes right.
以身试法
yǐ shēn shì fǎ
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1 to challenge the law (idiom)
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2 to knowingly violate the law
来日方长
lái rì fāng cháng
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1 the future is long (idiom); there will be ample time for that later
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2 We'll cross that bridge when we get there
传播四方
chuán bō sì fāng
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1 to disseminate in every direction (idiom)
千方百计
qiān fāng bǎi jì
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1 lit. thousand ways, a hundred plans (idiom); by every possible means
升斗小民
shēng dǒu xiǎo mín
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1 poor people (idiom)
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2 those who live from hand to mouth
和尚打伞,无法无天
hé shang dǎ sǎn , wú fǎ wú tiān
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1 lit. like a monk holding an umbrella — no hair, no sky (idiom) (punning on 髮|发[fà] vs 法[fǎ])
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2 fig. defying the law and the principles of heaven
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3 lawless
四平八稳
sì píng bā wěn
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1 everything steady and stable (idiom); overcautious and unimaginary
四海升平
sì hǎi shēng píng
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1 lit. all four oceans are peaceful
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2 worldwide peace (idiom)
因小失大
yīn xiǎo shī dà
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1 to save a little only to lose a lot (idiom)