一本万利
yī běn wàn lì
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1 small capital, huge profit (idiom); to put in a little and get a lot out
三句话不离本行
sān jù huà bù lí běn háng
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1 to talk shop all the time (idiom)
勤俭为服务之本
qín jiǎn wéi fú wù zhī běn
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1 hardwork and thriftiness are the foundations of service (idiom)
报本反始
bào běn fǎn shǐ
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1 ensure that you pay debts of gratitude (idiom)
家家有本难念的经
jiā jiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng
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1 Every family goes through its problems. (idiom)
巴前算后
bā qián suàn hòu
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1 thinking and pondering (idiom); to turn sth over in one's mind
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2 to consider repeatedly
慈悲为本
cí bēi wéi běn
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1 mercy as the guiding principle (idiom); the Buddhist teaching that nothing is valid except compassion
打小算盘
dǎ xiǎo suàn pán
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1 lit. to count on a narrow abacus (idiom); petty and scheming selfishly
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2 concerned with petty interests
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3 selfish and uncaring of the interests of others
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4 bean counter
舍本逐末
shě běn zhú mò
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1 to neglect the root and pursue the tip (idiom)
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2 to neglect fundamentals and concentrate on details
本性难移
běn xìng nán yí
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1 It is hard to change one's essential nature (idiom). You can't change who you are.
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2 Can the leopard change his spots? (Jeremiah 13:23)
本末倒置
běn mò dào zhì
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1 lit. to invert root and branch (idiom); fig. confusing cause and effect
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2 to stress the incidental over the fundamental
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3 to put the cart before the horse
江山易改,本性难移
jiāng shān yì gǎi , běn xìng nán yí
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1 it is easier to change mountains and rivers than to alter one's character (idiom)
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2 you can't change who you are
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3 Can the leopard change his spots?
满打满算
mǎn dǎ mǎn suàn
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1 taking everything into account (idiom)
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2 when all is said and done
神机妙算
shén jī miào suàn
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1 divine strategy and wonderful planning (idiom)
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2 clever scheme
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3 supremely clever in his schemes
秋后算帐
qiū hòu suàn zhàng
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1 lit. settling accounts after the autumn harvest (idiom); to wait until the time is ripe to settle accounts
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2 to bide time for revenge
秋后算账
qiū hòu suàn zhàng
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1 lit. to settle accounts after autumn
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2 settle scores at an opportune moment (idiom)
精打细算
jīng dǎ xì suàn
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1 meticulous planning and careful accounting (idiom)
老谋深算
lǎo móu shēn suàn
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1 rigorous schemes and deep foresight (idiom); astute and circumspect
胸有成算
xiōng yǒu chéng suàn
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1 the hero has plans already laid (idiom); to have plans ready in advance
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2 forewarned is forearmed
能写善算
néng xiě shàn suàn
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1 to be literate and numerate (idiom)