一本万利
yī běn wàn lì
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1 small capital, huge profit (idiom); to put in a little and get a lot out
一瓶子不响,半瓶子晃荡
yī píng zi bù xiǎng , bàn píng zi huàng dang
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1 lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
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2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
三句话不离本行
sān jù huà bù lí běn háng
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1 to talk shop all the time (idiom)
不入虎穴,焉得虎子
bù rù hǔ xué , yān dé hǔ zǐ
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1 How do you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair? (idiom); Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
不见兔子不撒鹰
bù jiàn tù zi bù sā yīng
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1 you don't release the hawk until you've seen the hare (idiom)
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2 one doesn't act without some incentive
乱臣贼子
luàn chén zéi zǐ
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1 rebels and traitors (idiom)
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2 general term for scoundrel
仁人君子
rén rén jūn zǐ
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1 people of good will (idiom); charitable person
以其人之道,还治其人之身
yǐ qí rén zhī dào , huán zhì qí rén zhī shēn
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1 to use an opponent's own methods to obtain retribution (idiom, from Song dynasty neo-Confucianist Zhu Xi 朱熹); to get revenge by playing sb back at his own game
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2 to give sb a taste of his own medicine
以子之矛,攻子之盾
yǐ zǐ zhī máo , gōng zǐ zhī dùn
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1 lit. use sb's spear to attack his shield (idiom, derived from Han Feizi 韓非子|韩非子); turning a weapon against its owner
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2 fig. to attack an opponent using his own devices
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3 hoist with his own petard
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)
佳人才子
jiā rén cái zǐ
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1 beautiful lady, gifted scholar (idiom)
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2 pair of ideal lovers
兔子不吃窝边草
tù zi bù chī wō biān cǎo
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1 A rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow (idiom); One shouldn't do anything to harm one's neighbors.
刀子嘴,豆腐心
dāo zi zuǐ , dòu fu xīn
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1 to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart (idiom)
初出茅庐
chū chū máo lú
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1 venturing from one's thatched hut for the first time (idiom)
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2 young and inexperienced
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3 novice
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4 greenhorn
初生之犊不畏虎
chū shēng zhī dú bù wèi hǔ
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1 lit. a new-born calf has no fear of the tiger (idiom)
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2 fig. the fearlessness of youth
初生牛犊不怕虎
chū shēng niú dú bù pà hǔ
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1 lit. newborn calves do not fear tigers (idiom)
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2 fig. the young are fearless
初露头角
chū lù tóu jiǎo
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1 lit. to first show one's horns (idiom); fig. a first show of emerging talent
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2 first sign of emerging talent
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3 budding genius
勤俭为服务之本
qín jiǎn wéi fú wù zhī běn
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1 hardwork and thriftiness are the foundations of service (idiom)
包子有肉不在褶上
bāo zi yǒu ròu bù zài zhě shàng
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1 a book is not judged by its cover (idiom)
又想当婊子又想立牌坊
yòu xiǎng dāng biǎo zi yòu xiǎng lì pái fāng
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1 lit. to lead the life of a whore but still want a monument put up to one's chastity (idiom)
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2 fig. to have bad intentions but still want a good reputation
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3 to want to have one's cake and eat it too