不由自主
bù yóu zì zhǔ
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1 can't help; involuntarily (idiom)
不见棺材不落泪
bù jiàn guān cai bù luò lèi
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1 lit. not to shed a tear until one sees the coffin (idiom)
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2 fig. refuse to be convinced until one is faced with grim reality
六神无主
liù shén wú zhǔ
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1 out of one's wits (idiom)
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2 distracted
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3 stunned
冤有头,债有主
yuān yǒu tóu , zhài yǒu zhǔ
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1 for every grievance someone is responsible, for every debt there is a debtor (idiom)
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2 when settling disputes one should not involve third parties
反客为主
fǎn kè wéi zhǔ
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1 lit. the guest acts as host (idiom); fig. to turn from passive to active behavior
名花有主
míng huā yǒu zhǔ
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1 the girl is already taken (idiom)
喧宾夺主
xuān bīn duó zhǔ
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1 lit. the voice of the guest overwhelms that of the host (idiom)
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2 fig. a minor player upstages the main attraction
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3 minor details obscure the main point
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4 the sauce is better than the fish
因材施教
yīn cái shī jiào
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1 (idiom) to teach in line with the student's ability
大材小用
dà cái xiǎo yòng
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1 using a talented person in an insignificant position (idiom)
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2 a sledgehammer to crack a nut
打狗还得看主人
dǎ gǒu hái děi kàn zhǔ rén
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1 lit. when one beats a dog, one must answer to its master (idiom)
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2 fig. before punishing sb, one should consider how that would affect others associated with him
物各有主
wù gè yǒu zhǔ
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1 everything has a rightful owner (idiom)
独立自主
dú lì zì zhǔ
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1 independent and autonomous (idiom); self-determination
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2 to act independently
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3 to maintain control over one's own affairs
当家作主
dāng jiā zuò zhǔ
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1 to be in charge in one's own house (idiom)
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2 to be the master of one's own affairs
自作主张
zì zuò zhǔ zhāng
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1 to think for oneself and act accordingly (idiom); to act on one's own initiative