3 (If there is one monk, he will fetch water for himself. If there are two, they will fetch water together. But if there are three or more, none will take it upon himself to fetch water.)
上天无路，入地无门
shàng tiān wú lù , rù dì wú mén
1 lit. there is no road to the sky, nor door into the earth (idiom)
2 fig. to be at the end of one's rope
3 to be trapped in a hopeless situation
不是一家人不进一家门
bù shì yī jiā rén bù jìn yī jiā mén
1 people who don't belong together, don't get to live together (idiom)
2 marriages are predestined
3 people marry because they share common traits
侯门似海
hóu mén sì hǎi
1 lit. the gate of a noble house is like the sea
2 there is a wide gap between the nobility and the common people (idiom)
光耀门楣
guāng yào mén méi
1 splendor shines on the family's door (idiom)
2 fig. to bring honor to one's family
儿孙自有儿孙福
ér sūn zì yǒu ér sūn fú
1 younger generations will do all right on their own (idiom)
全军覆没
quán jūn fù mò
1 total defeat of an army (idiom); fig. a complete wipeout
八字没一撇
bā zì méi yī piě
1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
3 no sign of success yet
八字还没一撇
bā zì hái méi yī piě
1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
3 no sign of success yet
八字还没一撇儿
bā zì hái méi yī piě r5
1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
3 no sign of success yet
前门打虎，后门打狼
qián mén dǎ hǔ , hòu mén dǎ láng
1 to beat a tiger from the front door, only to have a wolf come in at the back (idiom); fig. facing one problem after another
前门拒虎，后门进狼
qián mén jù hǔ , hòu mén jìn láng
1 to beat a tiger from the front door, only to have a wolf come in at the back (idiom); fig. facing one problem after another
功不可没
gōng bù kě mò
1 one's contributions cannot go unnoticed (idiom)
千里搭长棚，没有不散的宴席
qiān lǐ dā cháng péng , méi yǒu bù sàn de yàn xí
1 even if you build a thousand-league awning for it, every banquet must come to an end (idiom)
又要马儿跑，又要马儿不吃草
yòu yào mǎ r5 pǎo , yòu yào mǎ r5 bù chī cǎo
1 lit. you can't expect the horse to run fast but not let it graze (idiom)