一物降一物
yī wù xiáng yī wù
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1 lit. one object bests another object
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2 every item has a weakness (idiom)
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3 there is a rock to every scissor, a scissor to every paper, and a paper to every rock
不到火候不揭锅
bù dào huǒ hòu bù jiē guō
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1 don't act until the time is ripe (idiom)
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)
厝火积薪
cuò huǒ jī xīn
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1 lit. to put a fire under a pile of firewood (idiom)
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2 fig. hidden danger
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3 imminent danger
喜从天降
xǐ cóng tiān jiàng
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1 joy from heaven (idiom); overjoyed at unexpected good news
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2 unlooked-for happy event
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
如火如荼
rú huǒ rú tú
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1 like wildfire (idiom)
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2 unstoppable
从天而降
cóng tiān ér jiàng
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1 lit. to drop from the sky (idiom)
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2 fig. to appear unexpectedly
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3 to arise abruptly
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4 out of the blue
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5 to drop into one's lap
急如星火
jí rú xīng huǒ
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1 lit. as hurried as a shooting star (idiom); requiring immediate action
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2 extremely urgent
惹火烧身
rě huǒ shāo shēn
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1 stir up the fire and you get burnt (idiom); to get one's fingers burnt
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2 fig. to suffer on account of one's own meddling
战火纷飞
zhàn huǒ fēn fēi
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1 fire of war everywhere (idiom); enveloped in the flames of war
打得火热
dǎ de huǒ rè
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1 to carry on intimately with (idiom); ardent relationship (esp. between lovers)
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2 billing and cooing
抱薪救火
bào xīn jiù huǒ
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1 lit. to carry firewood to put out a fire (idiom); fig. to make a problem worse by inappropriate action
招降纳叛
zhāo xiáng nà pàn
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1 to recruit surrendered enemy and deserters (idiom); to gather together a gang of villains
救场如救火
jiù chǎng rú jiù huǒ
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1 the show must go on (idiom)
新官上任三把火
xīn guān shàng rèn sān bǎ huǒ
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1 (of a newly appointed official) to make bold changes on assuming office (idiom)
星星之火
xīng xing zhī huǒ
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1 a single spark (idiom); an insignificant cause can have a massive effect
星星之火,可以燎原
xīng xing zhī huǒ , kě yǐ liáo yuán
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1 a single spark can start a huge blaze (idiom); an insignificant cause can have a massive effect
杀人放火
shā rén fàng huǒ
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1 to kill and burn (idiom); murder and arson
水深火热
shuǐ shēn huǒ rè
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1 deep water and scorching fire
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2 abyss of suffering (idiom)