ChinesePod

1 lit. use others' strengths to make up for one's weak points (idiom from Mencius)
2 to use this in place of that
3 what you lose on the swings, you win on the roundabouts

吃人家的嘴软，拿人家的手短

chī rén jiā de zuǐ ruǎn , ná rén jiā de shǒu duǎn

1 lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)
2 fig. one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted

张家长，李家短

Zhāng jiā cháng , Lǐ jiā duǎn

1 lit. the Zhangs are better off than the Lis (idiom); to gossip about the neighbors

截长补短

jié cháng bǔ duǎn

1 take from the long to supplement the short (idiom)
2 to offset each other's deficiencies
3 to complement each other

扬长避短

yáng cháng bì duǎn

1 to foster strengths and avoid weaknesses (idiom)
2 to play to one's strengths

Sample Sentences

我觉得这个故事很好，可惜电影太短，应该很多细节都被砍了，不够过瘾，我想读读原著。

wǒ juéde zhège gùshi hěn hǎo ，kěxī diànyǐng tài duǎn ，yīnggāi hěnduō xìjié dōu bèi kǎn le ，bùgòu guòyǐn ，wǒ xiǎng dú dú yuánzhù 。

I think it’s great story but a pity the movie was too short with a lot of details probably cut away. I want to read the original novel as watching it wasn’t gratifying enough.

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十四日披露的最新数据显示，尽管部分指标短期波动，但生产需求平稳，就业物价稳定，中国经济延续稳中向好。

shísìrì pīlù de zuìxīn shùjù xiǎnshì ，jǐnguǎn bùfen zhǐbiāo duǎnqī bōdòng ，dàn shēngchǎn xūqiú píngwěn ，jiùyè wùjià wěndìng ，Zhōngguó jīngjì yánxù wěn zhōng xiàng hǎo 。

... The latest data disclosed on the 14th shows that although some indicators fluctuate in the short term, production demand is stable, employment prices are stable, and the Chinese economy continues to be stable.

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盘活了闲置的床位资源，为养老院增添了活力和人气，还有助于补上养老服务的短板。

pánhuó le xiánzhì de chuángwèi zīyuán ，wèi yǎnglǎoyuàn zēngtiān le huólì hé rénqì ，hái yǒuzhùyú bǔ shàng yǎnglǎo fúwù de duǎnbǎn 。

Revitalise idle beds, liven up nursing home and also help to relieve the shortcomings of nursing home services.

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此外，还有助于补上养老服务的短板。

cǐwài ，hái yǒuzhùyú bǔ shàng yǎnglǎo fúwù de duǎnbǎn 。

In addition, it also helps to fill the shortcomings of the aged care service.

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要想补上养老服务的短板，需要人力、财力的大量投入，但是对于民办养老院来说，前期投入大，利润很微薄，护理费用提高不上去，自然招不到人来做养老服务。

yào xiǎng bǔ shàng yǎnglǎo fúwù de duǎnbǎn ，xūyào rénlì 、cáilì de dàliàng tóurù ，dànshì duìyú mínbàn yǎnglǎoyuàn láishuō ，qiánqī tóurù dà ，lìrùn hěn wēibó ，hùlǐ fèiyòng tígāo bù shàngqù ，zìrán zhāo bùdào rén lái zuò yǎnglǎo fúwù 。

To make up for the shortcomings of the old-age services industry would require large investments in manpower and financial resources. However, for private nursing homes, while the initial investment is large, the profits are very small. And if salaries for nursing personnel are not improved, naturally no one can recruit workers for the the aged care industry.

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如何满足老年人的护理需求和精神需求，杭州这家养老院通过整合现有资源，优化配置，补齐短板，实现互利共赢，为养老事业的发展进行了有益的探索，值得点赞。

rúhé mǎnzú lǎoniánrén de hùlǐ xūqiú hé jīngshén xūqiú ，Hángzhōu zhè jiā yǎnglǎoyuàn tōngguò zhěnghé xiànyǒu Zīyuán ，yōuhuà pèizhì ，bǔqí duǎnbǎn ，shíxiàn hùlì gòngyíng ，wèi yǎnglǎo shìyè de fāzhǎn jìnxíng le yǒuyì de tànsuǒ ，zhíde diǎnzàn 。

The nursing home in Hangzhou had achieved mutual benefit and win-win for the old folks and themselves by addressing integration and optimisation of existing resources. They had explored meaningful solutions to improve the old age services industry not just in nursing care but spiritual needs of the elderly. Their work is worthy of praise.

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我在发短信给老板。

wǒ zài fāduǎnxìn gěi lǎobǎn 。

I am sending a text message to my boss.

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我昨天发短信给你。

wǒ zuótiān fā duǎnxìn gěi nǐ 。

I texted you yesterday.

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你常发短信吗？

nǐ cháng fā duǎnxìn ma ？

Do you often send messages?

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发短信

fā duǎnxìn

to send messages

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