七手八脚
qī shǒu bā jiǎo
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1 (idiom) with everyone lending a hand (eagerly but somewhat chaotically)
七扭八歪
qī niǔ bā wāi
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1 misshapen
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2 crooked
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3 uneven (idiom)
七窍生烟
qī qiào shēng yān
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1 lit. spouting smoke through the seven orifices (idiom)
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2 fig. to seethe with anger
七零八落
qī líng bā luò
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1 (idiom) everything broken and in disorder
三七二十一
sān qī èr shí yī
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1 three sevens are twenty-one (idiom)
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2 the facts of the matter
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3 the actual situation
上梁不正下梁歪
shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi
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1 lit. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiom); fig. subordinates imitate their superiors' vices
乱七八糟
luàn qī bā zāo
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1 everything in disorder (idiom); in a hideous mess
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2 at sixes and sevens
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
八字没一撇
bā zì méi yī piě
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1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
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2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
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3 no sign of success yet
八字还没一撇
bā zì hái méi yī piě
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1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
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2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
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3 no sign of success yet
八字还没一撇儿
bā zì hái méi yī piě r5
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1 lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
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2 fig. things have not even begun to take shape
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3 no sign of success yet
四仰八叉
sì yǎng bā chā
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1 sprawled out on one's back (idiom)
四平八稳
sì píng bā wěn
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1 everything steady and stable (idiom); overcautious and unimaginary
四通八达
sì tōng bā dá
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1 roads open in all directions (idiom); accessible from all sides
女大十八变
nu:3 dà shí bā biàn
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1 lit. a girl changes eighteen times between childhood and womanhood (idiom)
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2 fig. a young woman is very different from the little girl she once was
强扭的瓜不甜
qiǎng niǔ de guā bù tián
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1 lit. if you have to use force to break a melon off the vine, it won't taste sweet (because it's only when the melon is ripe that it can be removed with just a slight twist) (idiom)
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2 fig. if sth is not meant to be, it's no use trying to force it to happen
才高八斗
cái gāo bā dǒu
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1 of great talent (idiom)
扭转乾坤
niǔ zhuǎn qián kūn
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1 lit. to upend heaven and earth (idiom)
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2 fig. to change the course of events
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3 to turn things around
救人一命胜造七级浮屠
jiù rén yī mìng shèng zào qī jí fú tú
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1 saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-floor pagoda (idiom)
东倒西歪
dōng dǎo xī wāi
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1 to lean unsteadily from side to side (idiom)
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2 to sway
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3 (of buildings etc) to lean at a crazy angle