一失足成千古恨
yī shī zú chéng qiān gǔ hèn
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1 a single slip may cause everlasting sorrow (idiom)
一条路走到黑
yī tiáo lù zǒu dào hēi
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1 lit. to follow one road until dark (idiom)
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2 fig. to stick to one's ways
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3 to cling to one's course
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
人有失手,马有失蹄
rén yǒu shī shǒu , mǎ yǒu shī tí
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1 lit. just as humans make mistakes, so can a horse stumble (idiom)
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2 fig. everyone makes mistakes
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3 even the best fall down sometimes
你走你的阳关道,我过我的独木桥
nǐ zǒu nǐ de Yáng guān Dào , wǒ guò wǒ de dú mù qiáo
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1 lit. you hit the high road, I'll cross the log bridge (idiom)
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2 fig. you go your way, I'll go mine
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3 you do it your way, I'll do it mine
剑走偏锋
jiàn zǒu piān fēng
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1 the sword moves with side stroke (modern idiom)
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2 fig. unexpected winning move
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3 unconventional gambit
剑走蜻蛉
jiàn zǒu qīng líng
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1 the sword moves like a dragon-fly (modern idiom)
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2 fig. unexpected winning move
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3 unconventional gambit
北叟失马
běi sǒu shī mǎ
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1 lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)
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2 fig. a blessing in disguise
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3 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
千虑一失
qiān lu:4 yī shī
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1 reflect a thousand times and you can still make a mistake (idiom); to err is human
吃不了兜着走
chī bu liǎo dōu zhe zǒu
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1 lit. if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home (idiom)
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2 fig. you'll have to take the consequences
因小失大
yīn xiǎo shī dà
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1 to save a little only to lose a lot (idiom)
坐失机宜
zuò shī jī yí
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1 to sit and waste a good opportunity (idiom); to lose the chance
坐失良机
zuò shī liáng jī
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1 to sit and waste a good opportunity (idiom); to lose the chance
城门失火,殃及池鱼
chéng mén shī huǒ , yāng jí chí yú
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1 a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiom); the bystander will also suffer
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2 fig. you can't escape responsibility for your actions
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3 ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee
塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
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1 lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)
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2 fig. a blessing in disguise
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3 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
塞翁失马安知非福
sài wēng shī mǎ ān zhī fēi fú
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1 the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
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2 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
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3 also written 塞翁失馬焉知非福|塞翁失马焉知非福
塞翁失马焉知非福
sài wēng shī mǎ yān zhī fēi fú
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1 the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
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2 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
大惊失色
dà jīng shī sè
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1 to turn pale with fright (idiom)
天网恢恢,疏而不失
tiān wǎng huī huī , shū ér bù shī
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1 lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73)
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2 fig. the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape
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3 you can't run from the long arm of the law
失之东隅,收之桑榆
shī zhī dōng yú , shōu zhī sāng yú
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1 to lose at sunrise but gain at sunset (idiom)
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2 to compensate later for one's earlier loss
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3 what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts