1 lit. unable to distinguish eldest brother from second brother (idiom); they are all equally excellent
2 nothing to choose between them
千里马常有,而伯乐不常有
qiān lǐ mǎ cháng yǒu , ér Bó Lè bù cháng yǒu
1 lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
2 fig. many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it
博文约礼
bó wén yuē lǐ
1 vigorously pursuing knowledge, while scrupulously abiding by the rules of decorum (idiom)
吴下阿蒙
Wú xià ā Méng
1 General Lü Meng 呂蒙|吕蒙 of the southern state of Wu (idiom); model of self-improvement by diligent study (from unlettered soldier to top strategist of Wu)
咬文嚼字
yǎo wén jiáo zì
1 to bite words and chew characters (idiom); punctilious about minutiae of wording
奇文共赏
qí wén gòng shǎng
1 lit. remarkable work appreciated by all (idiom); universally praised (original meaning)
2 incomprehensible nonsense
3 preposterous bullshit
才兼文武
cái jiān wén wǔ
1 talent in both military and civil field (idiom)
拉大旗作虎皮
lā dà qí zuò hǔ pí
1 lit. to wave a banner as if it were a tiger skin (idiom)
2 fig. to borrow sb's prestige
3 to take the name of a great cause as a shield
拉家带口
lā jiā dài kǒu
1 to bear the burden of a household (idiom); encumbered by a family
2 tied down by family obligations
文不加点
wén bù jiā diǎn
1 to write a flawless essay in one go (idiom)
2 to be quick-witted and skilled at writing compositions
文人相轻
wén rén xiāng qīng
1 scholars tend to disparage one another (idiom)
文如其人
wén rú qí rén
1 the writing style mirrors the writer (idiom)
文山会海
wén shān huì hǎi
1 a mountain of paperwork and a sea of meetings (idiom)
文房四宝
wén fáng sì bǎo
1 Four Treasures of the Study, namely 筆|笔[bǐ], 墨[mò], 紙|纸[zhǐ] and 硯|砚[yàn]
2 the essentials of calligraphy and scholarship (idiom)
文武合一
wén wǔ hé yī
1 civilians and the military (working) hand in hand (idiom)
文武双全
wén wǔ shuāng quán
1 well versed in letters and military technology (idiom); fine scholar and soldier
2 master of pen and sword
文江学海
wén jiāng xué hǎi
1 river of literacy, sea of learning (idiom); ars longa, vita brevis