亡羊补牢
wáng yáng bǔ láo
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1 lit. to mend the pen after sheep are lost (idiom)
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2 fig. to act belatedly
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3 better late than never
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4 to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted
人为刀俎,我为鱼肉
rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu
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1 lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
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2 fig. to be at sb's mercy
包子有肉不在褶上
bāo zi yǒu ròu bù zài zhě shàng
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1 a book is not judged by its cover (idiom)
弱肉强食
ruò ròu qiáng shí
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1 lit. the weak are prey to the strong (idiom); fig. predatory behavior
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2 the law of the jungle
心惊肉跳
xīn jīng ròu tiào
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1 lit. heart alarmed, body leaping (idiom); fear and trepidation in the face of disaster
情同骨肉
qíng tóng gǔ ròu
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1 as close as flesh and bones (idiom); deep friendship
情逾骨肉
qíng yú gǔ ròu
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1 feelings deeper than for one's own flesh and blood (idiom)
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2 deep friendship
手心手背都是肉
shǒu xīn shǒu bèi dōu shì ròu
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1 lit. both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh (idiom)
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2 fig. to both be of equal importance
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3 to value both equally
挖肉补疮
wā ròu bǔ chuāng
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1 to cut one's flesh to cover a sore (idiom); faced with a current crisis, to make it worse by a temporary expedient
挂羊头卖狗肉
guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu
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1 lit. to hang a sheep's head while selling dog meat (idiom)
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2 fig. to cheat
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3 dishonest advertising
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4 wicked deeds carried out under banner of virtue
杀牛宰羊
shā niú zǎi yáng
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1 slaughter the cattle and butcher the sheep
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2 to prepare a big feast (idiom)
杀猪宰羊
shā zhū zǎi yáng
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1 to kill the pigs and slaughter the sheep (idiom)
毛出在羊身上
máo chū zài yáng shēn shàng
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1 lit. wool comes from the sheep's back (idiom); One gets the benefit, but the price has been paid.
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2 Nothing comes for free.
牵羊担酒
qiān yáng dān jiǔ
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1 pulling a lamb and bringing wine on a carrying pole (idiom); fig. to offer elaborate congratulations
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2 to kill the fatted calf
生死肉骨
shēng sǐ ròu gǔ
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1 lit. the dead returning to life
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2 a miracle (idiom)
癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉
lài há ma xiǎng chī tiān é ròu
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1 lit. the toad wants to eat swan meat (idiom)
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2 fig. to try to punch above one's weight
皮笑肉不笑
pí xiào ròu bù xiào
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1 to put on a fake smile (idiom)
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2 to smile insincerely
皮开肉绽
pí kāi ròu zhàn
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1 flesh lacerated from corporal punishment (idiom)
细皮嫩肉
xì pí nèn ròu
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1 soft skin and tender flesh (idiom)
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2 smooth-skinned
羊入虎口
yáng rù hǔ kǒu
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1 lit. a lamb in a tiger's den (idiom)
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2 fig. to tread dangerous ground