一石二鸟
yī shí èr niǎo
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1 to kill two birds with one stone (idiom)
他山之石可以攻玉
tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù
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1 lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
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2 to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively
以卵击石
yǐ luǎn jī shí
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1 lit. to strike a stone with egg (idiom); to attempt the impossible
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2 to invite disaster by overreaching oneself
刀不磨要生锈，人不学要落后
dāo bù mó yào shēng xiù , rén bù xué yào luò hòu
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1 a blade will get rusty if it is not sharpened; a man will fall behind if he doesn't study (idiom)
切磋琢磨
qiē cuō zhuó mó
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1 lit. cutting and polishing (idiom)
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2 fig. to learn by exchanging ideas or experiences
卸磨杀驴
xiè mò shā lu:2
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1 lit. to kill the donkey when the grinding is done (idiom)
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2 to get rid of sb once he has ceased to be useful
只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针
zhǐ yào gōng fu shēn , tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn
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1 If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle.
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2 cf idiom 磨杵成針|磨杵成针, to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom); fig. to persevere in a difficult task
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3 to study diligently
坚如磐石
jiān rú pán shí
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1 solid as a boulder (idiom); absolutely secure
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2 rock-firm and unyielding
好事多磨
hǎo shì duō mó
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1 the road to happiness is strewn with setbacks (idiom)
安如磐石
ān rú pán shí
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1 as solid as rock (idiom); as sure as houses
打破砂锅问到底
dǎ pò shā guō wèn dào dǐ
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1 to go to the bottom of things (idiom)
投井下石
tóu jǐng xià shí
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1 to throw stones at sb who fell down a well (idiom); to hit a person who is down
投石问路
tóu shí wèn lù
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1 lit. to toss a stone to find out what's ahead (idiom)
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2 fig. to test the waters
搬石头砸自己的脚
bān shí tou zá zì jǐ de jiǎo
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1 to move a stone and stub one's toe
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2 to shoot oneself in the foot (idiom)
搬起石头砸自己的脚
bān qǐ shí tou zá zì jǐ de jiǎo
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1 to crush one's own foot while trying to maneuver a rock (to a cliff edge, to drop on one's enemy) (idiom)
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2 hoisted by one's own petard
摸着石头过河
mō zhe shí tou guò hé
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1 to wade across the river, feeling for footholds as one goes (idiom)
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2 to advance cautiously, step by step
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3 to feel one's way forward
有钱能使鬼推磨
yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuī mò
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1 lit. money will make the Devil turn millstones (idiom)
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2 fig. with money, you can do anything you like
木人石心
mù rén shí xīn
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1 lit. body made of wood, heart made of stone (idiom)
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2 fig. heartless
枕石漱流
zhěn shí shù liú
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1 to live a hermit's life (in seclusion)
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2 a frugal life (idiom)
水滴石穿
shuǐ dī shí chuān
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1 dripping water penetrates the stone (idiom); constant perseverance yields success
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2 You can achieve your aim if you try hard without giving up.
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3 Persistent effort overcomes any difficulty.