不由自主
bù yóu zì zhǔ
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1 can't help; involuntarily (idiom)
任人唯亲
rèn rén wéi qīn
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1 to appoint people by favoritism (idiom); nepotism
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2 corrupt appointment
任人唯贤
rèn rén wéi xián
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1 to appoint people according to their merits (idiom); appointment on the basis of ability and integrity
任人宰割
rèn rén zǎi gē
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1 to get trampled on (idiom)
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2 to be taken advantage of
任其自然
rèn qí zì rán
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1 to let things take their course (idiom)
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2 to leave it to nature
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3 laissez-faire
任劳任怨
rèn láo rèn yuàn
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1 to work hard without complaint (idiom)
任凭风浪起,稳坐钓鱼台
rèn píng fēng làng qǐ , wěn zuò diào yú tái
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1 lit. sitting at ease in a fishing boat despite wind and storm (idiom); to stay calm during tense situation
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2 a cool head in a crisis
任贤使能
rèn xián shǐ néng
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1 to appoint the virtuous and use the able (idiom); appointment on the basis of ability and integrity
六神无主
liù shén wú zhǔ
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1 out of one's wits (idiom)
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2 distracted
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3 stunned
冤有头,债有主
yuān yǒu tóu , zhài yǒu zhǔ
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1 for every grievance someone is responsible, for every debt there is a debtor (idiom)
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2 when settling disputes one should not involve third parties
力不胜任
lì bù shèng rèn
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1 not to be up to the task (idiom)
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2 incompetent
反客为主
fǎn kè wéi zhǔ
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1 lit. the guest acts as host (idiom); fig. to turn from passive to active behavior
名不副实
míng bù fù shí
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1 the name does not reflect the reality (idiom); more in name than in fact
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2 Reality does not live up to the name.
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3 Excellent theory, but the practice does not bear it out.
名副其实
míng fù qí shí
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1 not just in name only, but also in reality (idiom)
名花有主
míng huā yǒu zhǔ
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1 the girl is already taken (idiom)
喧宾夺主
xuān bīn duó zhǔ
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1 lit. the voice of the guest overwhelms that of the host (idiom)
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2 fig. a minor player upstages the main attraction
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3 minor details obscure the main point
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4 the sauce is better than the fish
打狗还得看主人
dǎ gǒu hái děi kàn zhǔ rén
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1 lit. when one beats a dog, one must answer to its master (idiom)
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2 fig. before punishing sb, one should consider how that would affect others associated with him
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)
物各有主
wù gè yǒu zhǔ
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1 everything has a rightful owner (idiom)
独立自主
dú lì zì zhǔ
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1 independent and autonomous (idiom); self-determination
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2 to act independently
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3 to maintain control over one's own affairs