偷工减料
tōu gōng jiǎn liào
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1 to skimp on the job and stint on materials (idiom)
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2 jerry-building
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3 sloppy work
取长补短
qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn
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1 lit. use others' strengths to make up for one's weak points (idiom from Mencius)
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2 to use this in place of that
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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
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1 lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)
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2 fig. one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted
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
张家长，李家短
Zhāng jiā cháng , Lǐ jiā duǎn
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1 lit. the Zhangs are better off than the Lis (idiom); to gossip about the neighbors
截长补短
jié cháng bǔ duǎn
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1 take from the long to supplement the short (idiom)
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2 to offset each other's deficiencies
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3 to complement each other
扬长避短
yáng cháng bì duǎn
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1 to foster strengths and avoid weaknesses (idiom)
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2 to play to one's strengths
昼短夜长
zhòu duǎn yè cháng
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1 the winter days are short and the nights long (idiom)
东家长西家短
dōng jiā cháng xī jiā duǎn
残年短景
cán nián duǎn jǐng
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1 at the end of the year (idiom)
争长论短
zhēng cháng lùn duǎn
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1 lit. to argue who is right and wrong (idiom); to quibble
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2 a storm in a teacup
异曲同工
yì qǔ tóng gōng
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1 different tunes played with equal skill (idiom)
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2 different methods leading to the same result
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3 different approach but equally satisfactory outcome
短中抽长
duǎn zhōng chōu cháng
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1 to make the best of a bad job
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2 to make the best use of limited resources (idiom)
短兵相接
duǎn bīng xiāng jiē
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1 lit. short-weaponed soldiery fight one another (idiom); fierce hand-to-hand infantry combat
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2 to fight at close quarters
短小精悍
duǎn xiǎo jīng hàn
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1 (of a person) short but plucky (idiom)
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2 (of an article) concise and forceful
磨刀不误砍柴工
mó dāo bù wù kǎn chái gōng
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1 lit. sharpening the axe won't make the wood-splitting take longer (idiom)
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2 fig. time invested in preparations is not lost
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3 a beard well lathered is half shaved
神工鬼斧
shén gōng guǐ fǔ
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1 supernaturally fine craft (idiom); the work of the Gods
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2 uncanny workmanship
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3 superlative craftsmanship
良工心苦
liáng gōng xīn kǔ
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1 expert craft from hard practice (idiom); hard-won skill
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2 A masterpiece demands suffering.
说长道短
shuō cháng dào duǎn
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1 lit. to discuss sb's merits and demerits (idiom); to gossip
论长道短
lùn cháng dào duǎn
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1 lit. to discuss sb's merits and demerits (idiom); to gossip