一物降一物
yī wù xiáng yī wù
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1 lit. one object bests another object
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2 every item has a weakness (idiom)
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3 there is a rock to every scissor, a scissor to every paper, and a paper to every rock
三旬九食
sān xún jiǔ shí
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1 lit. to have only nine meals in thirty days (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a family) on the brink of starvation
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3 in dire straits
人为财死，鸟为食亡
rén wèi cái sǐ , niǎo wèi shí wáng
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1 lit. human beings will die for riches, just as birds will for food (idiom)
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2 fig. man will do anything in his means to become rich
人生一世，草木一春
rén shēng yī shì , cǎo mù yī chūn
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1 Man has but one life, grass but one spring (idiom). fig. the brevity of human existence
仁民爱物
rén mín ài wù
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1 love to all creatures (idiom, from Mencius); universal benevolence
价廉物美
jià lián wù měi
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1 inexpensive and of good quality (idiom)
兔子不吃窝边草
tù zi bù chī wō biān cǎo
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1 A rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow (idiom); One shouldn't do anything to harm one's neighbors.
兵马未动，粮草先行
bīng mǎ wèi dòng , liáng cǎo xiān xíng
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1 before the troops move, fodder and provisions go first (idiom); logistics comes before military maneuvers
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2 an army marches on its stomach
剪草除根
jiǎn cǎo chú gēn
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1 lit. cut grass and pull out roots (idiom); fig. to destroy root and branch
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2 to eradicate
博物洽闻
bó wù qià wén
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1 to have a wide knowledge of many subjects (idiom)
厚德载物
hòu dé zài wù
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1 with great virtue one can take charge of the world (idiom)
又要马儿跑，又要马儿不吃草
yòu yào mǎ r5 pǎo , yòu yào mǎ r5 bù chī cǎo
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1 lit. you can't expect the horse to run fast but not let it graze (idiom)
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2 fig. you can't have your cake and eat it, too
囊中取物
náng zhōng qǔ wù
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1 as easy as reaching for it from a bag (idiom)
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2 in the bag
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3 (as good as) in one's possession
因噎废食
yīn yē fèi shí
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1 lit. not eating for fear of choking (idiom); fig. to cut off one's nose to spite one's face
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2 to avoid sth essential because of a slight risk
地大物博
dì dà wù bó
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1 vast territory with abundant resources (idiom)
天低吴楚，眼空无物
tiān dī Wú Chǔ , yǎn kōng wú wù
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1 the sky hangs low over the Yangtze, empty as far as the eye can see (idiom); nothing to see to the broad horizon
天涯何处无芳草
tiān yá hé chù wú fāng cǎo
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1 there are plenty more fish in the sea (idiom)
奇花异草
qí huā yì cǎo
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1 very rarely seen, unusual (idiom)
好马不吃回头草
hǎo mǎ bù chī huí tóu cǎo
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1 lit. a good horse doesn't turn around and graze the same patch again (idiom)
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2 fig. once you've moved on, don't go back again (romantic relationship, job etc)
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3 leave the past behind
宵衣旰食
xiāo yī gàn shí
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1 to dress before light and not eat before dark (idiom)
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2 diligently attending to official matters