一清如水
yī qīng rú shuǐ
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1 lit. as clear as water (idiom)
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2 fig. (of officials etc) honest and incorruptible
一碗水端平
yī wǎn shuǐ duān píng
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1 lit. to hold a bowl of water level (idiom)
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2 fig. to be impartial
一点水一个泡
yī diǎn shuǐ yī gè pào
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1 honest and trustworthy (idiom)
三个和尚没水喝
sān gè hé shang méi shuǐ hē
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1 lit. three monks have no water to drink (idiom)
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2 fig. everybody's business is nobody's business
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3 (If there is one monk, he will fetch water for himself. If there are two, they will fetch water together. But if there are three or more, none will take it upon himself to fetch water.)
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
人不可貌相，海水不可斗量
rén bù kě mào xiàng , hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng
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1 you can't judge a person by appearance, just as you can't measure the sea with a pint pot (idiom)
人往高处走，水往低处流
rén wǎng gāo chù zǒu , shuǐ wǎng dī chù liú
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1 man seeks his way up just as water seeks its way down (idiom)
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2 one should constantly strive to make progress
仙姿玉色
xiān zī yù sè
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1 heavenly beauty, jewel colors (idiom); unusually beautiful lady
借花献佛
jiè huā xiàn Fó
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1 lit. presenting the Buddha with borrowed flowers (idiom); fig. to win favor or influence using sb else's property
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2 plagiarism
八仙过海，各显神通
Bā xiān guò hǎi , gè xiǎn shén tōng
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1 lit. the Eight Immortals cross the sea, each showing his own special talent (idiom)
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2 fig. (of each individual in a group) to give full play to one's unique capabilities
兵来将挡，水来土掩
bīng lái jiàng dǎng , shuǐ lái tǔ yǎn
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1 counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom); different situations call for different action
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2 to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation
兵来将敌，水来土堰
bīng lái jiàng dí , shuǐ lái tǔ yàn
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1 counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom); different situations call for different action
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2 to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation
出水芙蓉
chū shuǐ fú róng
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1 as a lotus flower breaking the surface (idiom); surpassingly beautiful (of young lady's face or old gentleman's calligraphy)
十指不沾阳春水
shí zhǐ bù zhān yáng chūn shuǐ
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1 to have no need to fend for oneself (idiom)
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2 to lead a pampered life
半瓶水响叮当
bàn píng shuǐ xiǎng dīng dāng
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1 lit. if you tap a half-empty bottle it makes a sound (idiom)
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2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
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3 one who has a little knowledge likes to show off, but one who is truly knowledgeable is modest
吃水不忘掘井人
chī shuǐ bù wàng jué jǐng rén
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1 Drinking the water of a well, one should never forget who dug it. (idiom)
名花有主
míng huā yǒu zhǔ
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1 the girl is already taken (idiom)
君子之交淡如水
jūn zǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ
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1 a gentleman's friendship, insipid as water (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[Zhuāng zǐ])
大水冲了龙王庙
dà shuǐ chōng le Lóng Wáng miào
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1 lit. surging waters flooded the Dragon King temple (idiom)
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2 fig. to fail to recognize a familiar person
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3 a dispute between close people who fail to recognize each other