一粒老鼠屎坏了一锅粥
yī lì lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō zhōu
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1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of congee (idiom)
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2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
一颗老鼠屎坏了一锅汤
yī kē lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō tāng
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1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of soup (idiom)
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2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
上有老下有小
shàng yǒu lǎo xià yǒu xiǎo
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1 lit. above are the elderly, below are the young (idiom)
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2 fig. to have to take care of both one's aging parents and one's children
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3 sandwich generation
不听老人言,吃亏在眼前
bù tīng lǎo rén yán , chī kuī zài yǎn qián
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1 (idiom) ignore your elders at your peril
大有裨益
dà yǒu bì yì
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1 bringing great benefits (idiom); very useful
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2 of great service
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3 to help greatly
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4 to serve one well
天荒地老
tiān huāng dì lǎo
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1 until the end of time (idiom)
宝刀不老
bǎo dāo bù lǎo
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1 lit. a good sword always remains sharp (idiom)
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2 fig. (of one's skills etc) to be as good as ever
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3 the old man still has it
宝刀未老
bǎo dāo wèi lǎo
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1 treasure knife does not age (idiom); old but still vigorous
徒劳无益
tú láo wú yì
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1 futile endeavor (idiom)
救焚益薪
jiù fén yì xīn
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1 add firewood to put out the flames (idiom); fig. ill-advised action that only makes the problem worse
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2 to add fuel to the fire
敬老尊贤
jìng lǎo zūn xián
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1 to respect the wise and venerate the worthy (idiom); to honor the great and the good
有害无益
yǒu hài wú yì
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1 harmful and without benefit (idiom); more harm than good
欲益反损
yù yì fǎn sǔn
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1 wishing for profit, but causing loss (idiom); good intentions that lead to disaster
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2 It all ends in tears.
活到老,学到老
huó dào lǎo , xué dào lǎo
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1 One is never too old to learn. (idiom)
满招损,谦受益
mǎn zhāo sǔn , qiān shòu yì
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1 (idiom) complacency leads to loss, modesty brings profit
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2 pride comes before a fall
无颜见江东父老
wú yán jiàn Jiāng dōng fù lǎo
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1 (idiom) to be unable to return to one's hometown due to the shame of failure (originally referred to Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiàng Yǔ], who chose not to retreat to Jiangdong after his humiliating defeat)
狗逮老鼠
gǒu dǎi lǎo shǔ
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1 lit. a dog who catches mice (idiom)
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2 fig. to be meddlesome
白头偕老
bái tóu xié lǎo
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1 (to live together until the) white hairs of old age (idiom); to live to a ripe old age in conjugal bliss
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2 until death do us part