不打不成器
bù dǎ bù chéng qì
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1 spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
人仰马翻
rén yǎng mǎ fān
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1 to suffer a crushing defeat (idiom)
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2 in a pitiful state
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3 in a complete mess
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4 to roll (with laughter)
大器晚成
dà qì wǎn chéng
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1 lit. it takes a long time to make a big pot (idiom); fig. a great talent matures slowly
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2 in the fullness of time a major figure will develop into a pillar of the state
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3 Rome wasn't built in a day
天翻地覆
tiān fān dì fù
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1 sky and the earth turning upside down (idiom); fig. complete confusion
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2 everything turned on its head
工欲善其事，必先利其器
gōng yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
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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
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1 lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)
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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
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1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
翻天覆地
fān tiān fù dì
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1 sky and the earth turning upside down (idiom); fig. complete confusion
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2 everything turned on its head
翻山越岭
fān shān yuè lǐng
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1 to pass over mountains ridges (idiom); fig. hardships of the journey
翻手为云覆手变雨
fān shǒu wéi yún fù shǒu biàn yǔ
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1 lit. turning his hand palm up he gathers the clouds, turning his hand palm down he turns them to rain
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2 very powerful and capable (idiom)
翻江倒海
fān jiāng dǎo hǎi
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1 lit. overturning seas and rivers (idiom)
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2 fig. overwhelming
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3 earth-shattering
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4 in a spectacular mess
翻空出奇
fān kōng chū qí
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1 to overturn empty convention, and display originality (idiom); new and different ideas
翻箱倒柜
fān xiāng dǎo guì
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1 to overturn trunks and boxes
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2 to make a thorough search (idiom)
翻箱倒箧
fān xiāng dǎo qiè
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1 to overturn trunks and boxes
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2 to make a thorough search (idiom)
翻老皇历
fān lǎo huáng lì
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1 to look to the past for guidance (idiom)
翻云覆雨
fān yún fù yǔ
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1 to produce clouds with one turn of the hand and rain with another (idiom); fig. to shift one's ground
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2 tricky and inconstant
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3 to make love
薰莸不同器
xūn yóu bù tóng qì
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1 lit. fragrant herbs and foul herbs do not go into the same vessel (idiom)
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2 bad people and good people do not mix
藏器待时
cáng qì dài shí
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1 to conceal one's abilities and wait (idiom); to lie low and await the opportune moment
阴沟里翻船
yīn gōu lǐ fān chuán
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1 to meet with unexpected failure (idiom)
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2 to fail miserably (where failure was not expected)
咸鱼翻身
xián yú fān shēn
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1 lit. the salted fish turns over (idiom)
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2 fig. to experience a reversal of fortune