不是鱼死就是网破
bù shì yú sǐ jiù shì wǎng pò
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1 lit. either the fish dies or the net gets torn (idiom)
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2 fig. it's a life-and-death struggle
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3 it's either him or me
人为刀俎，我为鱼肉
rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu
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1 lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
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2 fig. to be at sb's mercy
任凭风浪起，稳坐钓鱼台
rèn píng fēng làng qǐ , wěn zuò diào yú tái
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1 lit. sitting at ease in a fishing boat despite wind and storm (idiom); to stay calm during tense situation
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2 a cool head in a crisis
城门失火，殃及池鱼
chéng mén shī huǒ , yāng jí chí yú
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1 a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiom); the bystander will also suffer
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2 fig. you can't escape responsibility for your actions
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3 ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee
天罗地网
tiān luó dì wǎng
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1 inescapable net (idiom)
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2 trap
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3 dragnet
太公钓鱼，愿者上钩
tài gōng diào yú , yuàn zhě shàng gōu
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1 Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose
好汉不吃眼前亏
hǎo hàn bù chī yǎn qián kuī
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1 a wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him (idiom)
好汉不提当年勇
hǎo hàn bù tí dāng nián yǒng
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1 a real man doesn't boast about his past achievements (idiom)
好汉做事好汉当
hǎo hàn zuò shì hǎo hàn dāng
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1 daring to act and courageous enough to take responsibility for it (idiom)
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2 a true man has the courage to accept the consequences of his actions
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3 the buck stops here
如鱼得水
rú yú dé shuǐ
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1 like a fish back in water (idiom); glad to be back in one's proper surroundings
姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩
Jiāng tài gōng diào yú , yuàn zhě shàng gōu
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1 Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want it, take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose
守株待兔，缘木求鱼
shǒu zhū dài tù , yuán mù qiú yú
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1 to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits, and climb a tree to catch fish (idiom); without any practical course of action
得鱼忘筌
dé yú wàng quán
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1 lit. catch fish then forget the trap (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); fig. to take help for granted
授之以鱼不如授之以渔
shòu zhī yǐ yú bù rú shòu zhī yǐ yú
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1 give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime (idiom)
放长线钓大鱼
fàng cháng xiàn diào dà yú
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1 use a long line to catch a big fish (idiom); a long-term plan for major returns
星罗棋布
xīng luó qí bù
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1 scattered about like stars in the sky or chess pieces on a board (idiom); spread all over the place
条条大路通罗马
tiáo tiáo dà lù tōng Luó mǎ
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1 all roads lead to Rome
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2 use different means to obtain the same result (idiom)
气冲霄汉
qì chōng xiāo hàn
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1 (idiom) dauntless
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2 courageous
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3 spirited
水清无鱼
shuǐ qīng wú yú
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1 lit. water that is too clean holds no fish (idiom)
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2 fig. one who is too severe has no friends
水至清则无鱼，人至察则无徒
shuǐ zhì qīng zé wú yú , rén zhì chá zé wú tú
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1 water that is too clear has no fish, and one who is too severe has no friends (idiom)