一反常态
yī fǎn cháng tài
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1 complete change from the normal state (idiom); quite uncharacteristic
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2 entirely outside the norm
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3 out of character
一手交钱,一手交货
yī shǒu jiāo qián , yī shǒu jiāo huò
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1 lit. one hand exchanges the cash, the other the goods (idiom)
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2 fig. to pay for what you want in cash
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3 simple and direct transaction
一折两段
yī zhé liǎng duàn
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1 to split sth into two (idiom)
七手八脚
qī shǒu bā jiǎo
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1 (idiom) with everyone lending a hand (eagerly but somewhat chaotically)
三纲五常
sān gāng wǔ cháng
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1 three principles and five virtues (idiom)
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2 the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信)
上下其手
shàng xià qí shǒu
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1 to raise and lower one's hand (idiom); to signal as conspiratorial hint
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2 fig. conspiring to defraud
不怕神一样的对手,就怕猪一样的队友
bù pà shén yī yàng de duì shǒu , jiù pà zhū yī yàng de duì yǒu
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1 a boneheaded teammate can do you more harm than the most formidable opponent (idiom)
人之常情
rén zhī cháng qíng
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1 human nature (idiom)
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2 a behavior that is only natural
人有失手,马有失蹄
rén yǒu shī shǒu , mǎ yǒu shī tí
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1 lit. just as humans make mistakes, so can a horse stumble (idiom)
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2 fig. everyone makes mistakes
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3 even the best fall down sometimes
今非昔比
jīn fēi xī bǐ
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1 things are very different now (idiom)
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2 times have changed
伸手不见五指
shēn shǒu bù jiàn wǔ zhǐ
似是而非
sì shì ér fēi
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1 apparently right but actually wrong; specious (idiom)
似笑非笑
sì xiào fēi xiào
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1 like a smile yet not a smile (idiom)
先下手为强
xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng
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1 strike first and gain the upper hand (idiom, martial arts term); Making the first move is an advantage.
两手空空
liǎng shǒu kōng kōng
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1 empty-handed (idiom); fig. not receiving anything
兵家常事
bīng jiā cháng shì
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1 commonplace in military operations (idiom)
冰冻三尺,非一日之寒
bīng dòng sān chǐ , fēi yī rì zhī hán
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1 three feet of ice does not form in a single day (idiom); Rome wasn't built in a day
千里马常有,而伯乐不常有
qiān lǐ mǎ cháng yǒu , ér Bó Lè bù cháng yǒu
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1 lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
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2 fig. many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it
口是心非
kǒu shì xīn fēi
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1 duplicity
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2 hypocrisy (idiom)
吃人家的嘴软,拿人家的手短
chī rén jiā de zuǐ ruǎn , ná rén jiā de shǒu duǎn
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1 lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)
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2 fig. one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted