一夫当关，万夫莫开
yī fū dāng guān , wàn fū mò kāi
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1 one man can hold the pass against ten thousand enemies (idiom)
一山不容二虎
yī shān bù róng èr hǔ
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1 lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
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2 fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us
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3 (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
不由自主
bù yóu zì zhǔ
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1 can't help; involuntarily (idiom)
不识泰山
bù shí Tài Shān
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1 can't recognize Mt Taishan (idiom); fig. not to recognize a famous person
不显山不露水
bù xiǎn shān bù lù shuǐ
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1 lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
人在江湖，身不由己
rén zài jiāng hú , shēn bù yóu jǐ
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1 you can't always do as you like
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2 one has to compromise in this world (idiom)
他山之石可以攻玉
tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù
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1 lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
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2 to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively
兵败如山倒
bīng bài rú shān dǎo
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1 troops in defeat like a landslide (idiom); a beaten army in total collapse
刀山火海
dāo shān huǒ hǎi
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1 lit. mountains of daggers and seas of flames
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2 fig. extreme danger (idiom)
只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针
zhǐ yào gōng fu shēn , tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn
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1 If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle.
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2 cf idiom 磨杵成針|磨杵成针, to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom); fig. to persevere in a difficult task
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3 to study diligently
名落孙山
míng luò Sūn Shān
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1 lit. to fall behind Sun Shan 孫山|孙山[Sūn Shān] (who came last in the imperial examination) (idiom)
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2 fig. to fail an exam
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3 to fall behind (in a competition)
咎由自取
jiù yóu zì qǔ
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1 to have only oneself to blame (idiom)
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2 to bring trouble through one's own actions
国家兴亡，匹夫有责
guó jiā xīng wáng , pǐ fū yǒu zé
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1 The rise and fall of the nation concerns everyone (idiom). Everyone bears responsibility for the prosperity of society.
地动山摇
dì dòng shān yáo
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1 the earth quaked, the mountains shook (idiom); a tremendous battle
坐吃山空
zuò chī shān kōng
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1 lit. just sitting and eating, one can deplete even a mountain of wealth (idiom)
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2 fig. to spend one's money without generating any income
坐山观虎斗
zuò shān guān hǔ dòu
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1 sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight
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2 watch in safety whilst others fight then reap the rewards when both sides are exhausted (idiom)
执法如山
zhí fǎ rú shān
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1 to maintain the law as firm as a mountain (idiom); to enforce the law strictly
堆积如山
duī jī rú shān
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1 to pile up like a mountain (idiom)
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2 a mountain of (paperwork etc)
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3 a large number of sth
寿比南山
shòu bǐ Nán Shān
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1 Live as long as the Zhongnan Mountains! (idiom)
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2 Long may you live!
天下兴亡，匹夫有责
tiān xià xīng wáng , pǐ fū yǒu zé
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1 The rise and fall of the nation concerns everyone (idiom). Everyone bears responsibility for the prosperity of society.