ChinesePod

1 lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
2 to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively

以卵击石

yǐ luǎn jī shí

1 lit. to strike a stone with egg (idiom); to attempt the impossible
2 to invite disaster by overreaching oneself

坚如磐石

jiān rú pán shí

1 solid as a boulder (idiom); absolutely secure
2 rock-firm and unyielding

安如磐石

ān rú pán shí

1 as solid as rock (idiom); as sure as houses

Sample Sentences

根据史料记载，自汉朝以来，中国历朝对南海都有巡海安保的专门负责部门。如今大家都知道，南中国海上的众多岛屿蕴藏丰富的石油天然气资源，同时也具有重要的战略地位，这就引起争端了。

gēnjù shǐliào jìzǎi ，zì Hàncháo yǐlái ，Zhōngguó lìcháo duì nánhǎi dōu yǒu xún hǎi ānbǎo de zhuānmén fùzé bùmén 。rújīn dàjiā dōu zhīdào ，nánZhóngguóhǎi shàng de zhòngduō dǎoyǔ yùncáng fēngfù de shíyóu tiānránqì zīyuán ，tóngshí yě jùyǒu zhòngyào de zhànlüè dìwèi ，zhè jiù yǐnqǐ zhēngduān le 。

According to historical records, from the Han Dynasty onward, Chinese dynasties have a government organ responsible specifically for patrolling the South China Sea for security threats. It is commonly thought that many of the islands and reefs in the South China Sea hold rich reserves of oil and natural gas. At the same time, they are also important strategic locations, leading to the disputes.

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既然中国自古一直都在南海巡防保安，那里的石油资源也不是第一天被发现，那眼下争端的导火线是什么？

jìrán Zhōngguó zì gǔ yīzhí dōu zài nánhǎi xún fáng bǎoān ，nàlǐ de shíyóuzīyuán yě bù shì dì yī tiān bèi fāxiàn ，nà yǎnxià zhēngduān de dǎohuǒxiàn shì shénme ？

Given that China didn't just find out about the oil and gas reserves recently, as they have engaged in security patrols of the South China Sea since ancient times, what was the trigger for the current dispute?

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电，风，煤炭，石油

diàn ，fēng ，méitàn ，shíyóu

electric, wind, coal, oil

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嗯，而且都有很多石油，都超有钱。

ng4 ，érqiě dōu yǒu hěn duō shíyóu ，dōu chāo yǒuqián 。

Yeah, and they all have oil and are extremely wealthy.

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好什么呀，石油帮了他们，也害了他们。

hǎo shénme ya ，shíyóu bāng le tāmen ，yě hài le tāmen 。

What would be so great? The oil has helped them, but it has also hurt them.

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当然了，这些传统能源用完就没有了。据估计，再过个五六十年，煤炭和石油就要被开采完了。到时候，全球就会陷入能源危机。

dāngrán le ，zhèxiē chuántǒng néngyuán yòng wán jiù méiyǒu le 。jù gūjì ，zài guò ge wǔ liùshí nián ，méitàn hé shíyóu jiùyào bèi kāicǎi wán le 。dào shíhou ，quánqiú jiù huì xiànrù néngyuán wēijī 。

Of course not. After these traditional energy sources are used up, they're no more. According to estimates, after another 50 or 60 years, coal and fossil fuels will all have been completely extracted. When that happens, the whole world will fall into an energy crisis.

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那煤炭、石油、天然气是不可再生的吗？

nà méitàn 、shíyóu 、tiānránqì shì bùkězàishēng de ma ？

Then coal, fossil fuel and natural gas aren't renewable?

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不过上榜的都是垄断行业的国企，比如石油，电信和银行。靠自主创新并在国内外都取得成功的企业还很少。至少还没有能够进入世界500强。

bùguò shàng bǎng de dōu shì lǒngduàn hángyè de guóqǐ ，bǐrú shíyóu ，diànxìn hé yínháng 。kào zìzhǔ chuàngxīn bìng zài guó nèiwài dōu qǔdé chénggōng de qǐyè huái hěn shǎo 。zhìshǎo hái méiyǒu nénggòu jìnrù shìjiè wǔbǎi 。

But the ones on the list are all state-run enterprises with monopolies in their fields, such as oil, telecommunications and banks. Very few companies have been able to succeed both here and abroad on the strength of their own innovations. At the very least, none have been able to get onto the Fortune 500.

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是啊，有石油真好。你看看他们，过得多奢侈！

shì a ，yǒu shíyóu zhēn hǎo 。nǐ kàn kan tāmen ，guò de duō shēchǐ ！

Yeah. Oil is great, that's for sure. Look at them. They live so extravagantly.

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古巴、巴西以及我国的雷达最新监控显示，法国的核潜艇于昨日凌晨突然在其活动海域消失。我们分析法国是想掠夺南美，特别是委内瑞拉的石油资源。我国已经进入一级战备状态，请求各盟国军事支援。

Gǔbā 、Bāxī yǐjí wǒguó de léidá zuìxīn jiānkòng xiǎnshì ，Fǎguó de hé qiántǐng yú zuórì língchén tūrán zài qí huódònghǎiyù xiāoshī 。wǒmen fēnxī Fǎguó shì xiǎng lüèduó Nánměi ，tèbié shì Wěinèiruìlā de shíyóuzīyuán 。wǒguó yǐjīng jìnrù yījí zhànbèi zhuàngtài ，qǐngqiú gè méngguó jūnshì zhīyuán 。

Our latest radar reports, plus reports from Cuba and Brazil, indicate that a French nuclear submarine suddenly disappeared from its area of activity in the early morning yesterday. Our analysis indicates that France wants to seize South America, especially Venezuela's oil resources. We're already on Level I alert, and we've requested military support from all our allies.

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