一五一十
yī wǔ yī shí
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1 lit. count by fives and tens (idiom); to narrate systematically and in full detail
一瓶子不响,半瓶子晃荡
yī píng zi bù xiǎng , bàn píng zi huàng dang
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1 lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
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2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
三五成群
sān wǔ chéng qún
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1 in groups of three or four (idiom)
三令五申
sān lìng wǔ shēn
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1 to order again and again (idiom)
三番五次
sān fān wǔ cì
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1 over and over again (idiom)
三纲五常
sān gāng wǔ cháng
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1 three principles and five virtues (idiom)
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2 the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信)
不入虎穴,焉得虎子
bù rù hǔ xué , yān dé hǔ zǐ
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1 How do you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair? (idiom); Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
不见兔子不撒鹰
bù jiàn tù zi bù sā yīng
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1 you don't release the hawk until you've seen the hare (idiom)
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2 one doesn't act without some incentive
乱臣贼子
luàn chén zéi zǐ
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1 rebels and traitors (idiom)
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2 general term for scoundrel
五十步笑百步
wǔ shí bù xiào bǎi bù
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1 the one who has retreated 50 steps laughs at the one who has retreated 100 steps (idiom)
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2 the pot calls the kettle black
五味俱全
wǔ wèi jù quán
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1 a complete gamut of all five flavors (idiom); every flavor under the sun
五味杂陈
wǔ wèi zá chén
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1 with complex feelings (idiom)
五彩缤纷
wǔ cǎi bīn fēn
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1 all the colors in profusion (idiom); a garish display
五百年前是一家
wǔ bǎi nián qián shì yī jiā
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1 five hundred years ago we were the same family (idiom) (said of persons with the same surname)
五色缤纷
wǔ sè bīn fēn
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1 all the colors in profusion (idiom); a garish display
五体投地
wǔ tǐ tóu dì
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1 to prostrate oneself in admiration (idiom); to adulate sb
五鬼闹判
wǔ guǐ nào pàn
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1 Five ghosts mock the judge, or Five ghosts resist judgment (title of folk opera, idiom); important personage mobbed by a crowd of ne'er-do-wells
仁人君子
rén rén jūn zǐ
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1 people of good will (idiom); charitable person
以子之矛,攻子之盾
yǐ zǐ zhī máo , gōng zǐ zhī dùn
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1 lit. use sb's spear to attack his shield (idiom, derived from Han Feizi 韓非子|韩非子); turning a weapon against its owner
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2 fig. to attack an opponent using his own devices
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3 hoist with his own petard
以小人之心,度君子之腹
yǐ xiǎo rén zhī xīn , duó jūn zǐ zhī fù
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1 to gauge the heart of a gentleman with one's own mean measure (idiom)