一人得道,鸡犬升天
yī rén dé dào , jī quǎn shēng tiān
-
1 lit. when a man achieves the Dao, his poultry and dogs rise to Heaven (idiom)
-
2 fig. to ride on sb else's success
-
3 Once one man gets a government position, all his cronies get in too
-
4 Once sb has cracked the problem, every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it
一山不容二虎
yī shān bù róng èr hǔ
-
1 lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
-
2 fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us
-
3 (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
一语道破
yī yǔ dào pò
-
1 one word says it all (idiom)
-
2 to hit the nail on the head
-
3 to be pithy and correct
不识泰山
bù shí Tài Shān
-
1 can't recognize Mt Taishan (idiom); fig. not to recognize a famous person
不足为外人道
bù zú wéi wài rén dào
-
1 no use to tell others
-
2 let's keep this between ourselves (idiom)
不显山不露水
bù xiǎn shān bù lù shuǐ
-
1 lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
人不可貌相,海水不可斗量
rén bù kě mào xiàng , hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng
-
1 you can't judge a person by appearance, just as you can't measure the sea with a pint pot (idiom)
仁义道德
rén yì dào dé
-
1 compassion, duty, propriety and integrity (idiom); all the traditional virtues
-
2 mainly used sarcastically, to mean hypocritical
他山之石可以攻玉
tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù
-
1 lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
-
2 to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively
以其人之道,还治其人之身
yǐ qí rén zhī dào , huán zhì qí rén zhī shēn
-
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
你走你的阳关道,我过我的独木桥
nǐ zǒu nǐ de Yáng guān Dào , wǒ guò wǒ de dú mù qiáo
-
1 lit. you hit the high road, I'll cross the log bridge (idiom)
-
2 fig. you go your way, I'll go mine
-
3 you do it your way, I'll do it mine
侯门似海
hóu mén sì hǎi
-
1 lit. the gate of a noble house is like the sea
-
2 there is a wide gap between the nobility and the common people (idiom)
假道伐虢
jiǎ dào fá Guó
-
1 to obtain safe passage to conquer the State of Guo
-
2 to borrow the resources of an ally to attack a common enemy (idiom)
传道受业
chuán dào shòu yè
-
1 to teach (idiom); lit. to give moral and practical instruction
八仙过海,各显神通
Bā xiān guò hǎi , gè xiǎn shén tōng
-
1 lit. the Eight Immortals cross the sea, each showing his own special talent (idiom)
-
2 fig. (of each individual in a group) to give full play to one's unique capabilities
兵败如山倒
bīng bài rú shān dǎo
-
1 troops in defeat like a landslide (idiom); a beaten army in total collapse
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
-
1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
-
2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
分道扬镳
fēn dào yáng biāo
-
1 lit. to take different roads and urge the horses on (idiom)
-
2 fig. to part ways
卑卑不足道
bēi bēi bù zú dào
-
1 to be too petty or insignificant to mention
-
2 to not be worth mentioning (idiom)
口碑载道
kǒu bēi zài dào
-
1 lit. praise fills the roads (idiom); praise everywhere
-
2 universal approbation