ChinesePod

1 lit. it takes a long time to make a big pot (idiom); fig. a great talent matures slowly
2 in the fullness of time a major figure will develop into a pillar of the state
3 Rome wasn't built in a day

工欲善其事，必先利其器

gōng yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì

1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job

投鼠忌器

tóu shǔ jì qì

1 lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)
2 to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents

欲善其事，必先利其器

yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì

1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job

Sample Sentences

每绕着四台机器转一圈，都要反复做相同的动作，

měi rào zhe sì tái jīqì zhuàn yī juān ，dōu yào fǎnfù zuò xiāngtóng de dòngzuò ，

Every time he makes a circle around the machines, he repeats the exact same movement.

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在卡尔维诺小说《车间里的母鸡》里的皮埃德罗，患哮喘的他一个人操纵四台机器，

zài kǎi\'ěrwéinuò xiǎoshuō 《chējiān lǐ de mǔjī 》lǐ de píāidéluó ，huàn xiàochuǎn de tā yī ge rén cāozòng sì tái jīqì ，

In Calvino's novel "The Workshop Hen", Pietro, with his asthma, operates four machines at the same time.

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可是，有没有考虑过工人皮埃德罗的感受，作为一个熟练的技术工人，与其说他在享受操纵、控制机器的快感，

kěshì ，yǒuméiyǒu kǎolǜ guò gōngrén píāidéluó de gǎnshòu ，zuòwéi yī ge shúliàn de jìshù gōngrén ，yǔqí shuō tā zài xiǎngshòu cāozòng 、kòngzhì jīqì de kuàigǎn ，

If we consider the feelings of Pietro, as an experienced technician, instead of saying he gains happiness from manipulating a machine,

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不如说，与人类相比，他也许更愿意和机器打交道，

bùrú shuō ，yǔ rénlèi xiāngbǐ ，tā yěxǔ gèng yuànyì hé jīqì dǎjiāodào ，

it's more appropriate to say that he would rather befriend his machines than his fellow humans.

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遇到像小咪一样的机器人，外型甜美，伶牙俐齿，态度冰冷，不说人话用一大坨程序化语言把你绕进去，用语言碾压你的智商，用表情刺激你的神经，

yùdào xiàng xiǎo mī yīyàng de jīqìrén ，wàixíng tiánměi ，língyálìchǐ ，tàidu bīnglěng ，bùshuō rénhuà yòng yīdà tuó chéngxùhuà yǔyán bǎ nǐ rào jìnqù ，yòng yǔyán niǎnyā nǐ de zhìshāng ，yòng biǎoqíng cìjī nǐ de shénjīng ，

Or meeting a person who is like a "robot" like Xiaomi. She has a sweet appearance, a glib tongue, a cold attitude, and she speaks nonsense, using a lot of programmed language to draw you in, and using words to crush your IQ, and using her expression to agitate your nerves.

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哦...你汗好像流得不够多要不要帮你洒点水，背心掀高一点，不然看不到你完美的腹肌......好了这台机器让你吧，我去拉单杠。

é ...nǐ hàn hǎoxiàng liú de bùgòu duō yào bùyào bāng nǐ sǎ diǎn shuǐ ，bèixīn xiān gāo yìdiǎn ，bùrán kàn bùdào nǐ wánměi de fùjī ......hǎole zhè tái jīqì ràng nǐ ba ，wǒ qù lā dāngàng 。

Oh… You don’t seem to be sweating enough, should I sprinkle some water on you? Pull your vest up a little, otherwise I can’t see your beautiful abs… OK, I’ll give you this machine, I’m going to the pull-up bar.

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哎，中国学生一直被诟病的就是经过十几年的训练都成了考试的机器，考试成绩没有最高只有更高，却是生活上的无能者，艺术情怀上的无知者。

āi ，Zhōngguó xuésheng yīzhí bèi gòubìng de jiùshì jīngguò shíjǐ nián de xùnliàn dōu chéng le kǎoshì de jīqì ，kǎoshì chéngjì méiyǒu zuì gāo zhǐyǒu gènggāo ，què shì shēnghuó shàng de wúnéng zhě ，yìshù qínghuái shàng de wúzhī zhě 。

Agh, Chinese students are always criticized as being turned into examination machines after over a dozen years of training. There's no such thing as a top mark anymore as there is always the next height to reach, but they are completely unable to get along in life and completely bereft of artistic sensibilities.

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对了，这台机器使用的是一般电池吗？

duìle ，zhè tái jīqì shǐyòng de shì yìbān diànchí ma ？

Oh, by the way, does this machine use normal batteries?

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这台机器目前无法使用。

zhè tái jīqì mùqián wúfǎ shǐyòng 。

This machine is current out of use.

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这台机器现在没办法用。

zhè tái jīqì xiànzài méi bànfǎ yòng 。

You can't use this machine at the moment.

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