ChinesePod

1 to use an opponent's own methods to obtain retribution (idiom, from Song dynasty neo-Confucianist Zhu Xi 朱熹); to get revenge by playing sb back at his own game
2 to give sb a taste of his own medicine

以眼还眼

yǐ yǎn huán yǎn

1 an eye for an eye (idiom); fig. to use the enemy's methods against him
2 to give sb a taste of his own medicine

以眼还眼，以牙还牙

yǐ yǎn huán yǎn , yǐ yá huán yá

1 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (idiom)
2 fig. to use the enemy's methods against him
3 to give sb a taste of his own medicine

借尸还魂

jiè shī huán hún

1 lit. reincarnated in sb else's body (idiom); fig. a discarded or discredited idea returns in another guise

八字还没一撇

bā zì hái méi yī piě

1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
3 no sign of success yet

Sample Sentences

你需要一个团队，我明白。可是老板还没同意。

nǐ xūyào yīgē tuánduì ，wǒ míngbai 。kěshì lǎobǎn hái méi tóngyì 。

I understand that you need a team. But our boss hasn’t given us the green light/

Go to Lesson

很多老一辈的中国人喜欢听相声，尤其是郭德纲先生的。说起郭德纲，他不只相声厉害，还熟悉各种戏曲，所以很多人想成为他的学生呢。

hěnduō lǎoyībèi de Zhōngguó rén xǐhuan tīng xiàngsheng ，yóuqí shì Guōdégāng xiānsheng de 。shuōqǐ Guōdégāng ，tā bù zhǐ xiàngsheng lìhai ，hái shúxī gèzhǒng xìqǔ ，suǒyǐ hěnduō rén xiǎng chéngwéi tā de xuésheng ne 。

Many older Chinese like to listen to cross talk, especially Mr. Guo Degang’s. Speaking of Guo Degang, he is not only good at cross talk, but also familiar with various operas, so many people want to be his students.

Go to Lesson

她要她的白马王子眼睛大，眉毛浓，头发微微自然卷，个子还要高，最重要的是要有钱，要能常常买新衣服，买她想要的东西给她。

tā yào tā de báimǎwángzǐ yǎnjing dà ，méimao nóng ，tóufa wēiwēi zìrán juǎn ，gèzi hái yào gāo ，zuì zhòngyào de shì yào yǒuqián ，yào néng chángcháng mǎi Xīn yīfu ，mǎi tā xiǎngyào de dōngxi gěi tā 。

She wants her Prince Charming to have big eyes, thick eyebrows, slightly curly hair, to be tall, and above all, to have money, to be able to buy new clothes and what she wants all the time.

Go to Lesson

老板，已经九点了。我们还加班呀？

lǎobǎn ，yǐjīng jiǔ diǎn le 。wǒmen hái jiābān ya ？

Boss, it’s already nine o’clock at night. Do we still have to work overtime?

Go to Lesson

但是，我还是想不出好的企划。

dànshì ，wǒ háishi xiǎngbùchū hǎo de qǐhuà 。

But I can’t come up with any good ideas.

Go to Lesson

我还在路上。有可能晚点到。

wǒ hái zài lùshang 。yǒu kěnéng wǎndiǎn dào 。

I'm still on the road. I might arrive a little biit late.