上梁不正下梁歪
shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi
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1 lit. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiom); fig. subordinates imitate their superiors' vices
修心养性
xiū xīn yǎng xìng
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1 to cultivate the heart and nurture the character (idiom); to improve oneself by meditation
偏邪不正
piān xié bù zhèng
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1 biased
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2 prejudiced (idiom)
好记性不如烂笔头
hǎo jì xìng bù rú làn bǐ tóu
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1 the palest ink is better than the best memory (idiom)
就地正法
jiù dì zhèng fǎ
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1 to execute on the spot (idiom); summary execution
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2 to carry out the law on the spot
扶正压邪
fú zhèng yā xié
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1 to uphold good and suppress evil (idiom)
舍正从邪
shě zhèng cóng xié
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1 to be corrupted by evil influences (idiom)
改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
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1 to mend one's ways (idiom)
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2 to turn over a new leaf
本性难移
běn xìng nán yí
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1 It is hard to change one's essential nature (idiom). You can't change who you are.
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2 Can the leopard change his spots? (Jeremiah 13:23)
横正暴敛
héng zhèng bào liǎn
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1 to levy exorbitant taxes (idiom)
正中要害
zhèng zhòng yào hài
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1 to hit the nail on the head (idiom)
正襟危坐
zhèng jīn wēi zuò
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1 to sit upright and still (idiom)
正言厉色
zhèng yán lì sè
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1 solemn in word and countenance (idiom); strict and unsmiling
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2 also written 正顏厲色|正颜厉色
正颜厉色
zhèng yán lì sè
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1 solemn in countenance (idiom); strict and unsmiling
江山易改,本性难移
jiāng shān yì gǎi , běn xìng nán yí
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1 it is easier to change mountains and rivers than to alter one's character (idiom)
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2 you can't change who you are
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3 Can the leopard change his spots?
熏陶成性
xūn táo chéng xìng
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1 (idiom) nurture makes second nature
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2 good habits come by long assimilation
矫枉过正
jiǎo wǎng guò zhèng
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1 to overcorrect (idiom)
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2 to overcompensate
义正辞严
yì zhèng cí yán
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1 to speak forcibly out of a sense of righteousness (idiom)
脚正不怕鞋歪
jiǎo zhèng bù pà xié wāi
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1 lit. a straight foot has no fear of a crooked shoe
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2 an upright man is not afraid of gossip (idiom)
言归正传
yán guī zhèng zhuàn
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1 to return to the topic (idiom)
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2 to get back to the main point