人生一世,草木一春
rén shēng yī shì , cǎo mù yī chūn
-
1 Man has but one life, grass but one spring (idiom). fig. the brevity of human existence
任人宰割
rèn rén zǎi gē
-
1 to get trampled on (idiom)
-
2 to be taken advantage of
兔子不吃窝边草
tù zi bù chī wō biān cǎo
-
1 A rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow (idiom); One shouldn't do anything to harm one's neighbors.
兵马未动,粮草先行
bīng mǎ wèi dòng , liáng cǎo xiān xíng
-
1 before the troops move, fodder and provisions go first (idiom); logistics comes before military maneuvers
-
2 an army marches on its stomach
剪草除根
jiǎn cǎo chú gēn
-
1 lit. cut grass and pull out roots (idiom); fig. to destroy root and branch
-
2 to eradicate
割股疗亲
gē gǔ liǎo qīn
-
1 to cut flesh from one's thigh to nourish a sick parent (idiom)
-
2 filial thigh-cutting
割袍断义
gē páo duàn yì
-
1 to rip one's robe as a sign of repudiating a sworn brotherhood (idiom)
-
2 to break all friendly ties
割鸡焉用牛刀
gē jī yān yòng niú dāo
-
1 lit. why use a pole-ax to slaughter a chicken? (idiom)
-
2 fig. to waste effort on a trifling matter
-
3 also written 殺雞焉用牛刀|杀鸡焉用牛刀[shā jī yān yòng niú dāo]
又要马儿跑,又要马儿不吃草
yòu yào mǎ r5 pǎo , yòu yào mǎ r5 bù chī cǎo
-
1 lit. you can't expect the horse to run fast but not let it graze (idiom)
-
2 fig. you can't have your cake and eat it, too
天涯何处无芳草
tiān yá hé chù wú fāng cǎo
-
1 there are plenty more fish in the sea (idiom)
奇花异草
qí huā yì cǎo
-
1 very rarely seen, unusual (idiom)
好马不吃回头草
hǎo mǎ bù chī huí tóu cǎo
-
1 lit. a good horse doesn't turn around and graze the same patch again (idiom)
-
2 fig. once you've moved on, don't go back again (romantic relationship, job etc)
-
3 leave the past behind
寸草不生
cùn cǎo bù shēng
-
1 lit. not even a blade of grass grows (idiom)
-
2 fig. barren
心如刀割
xīn rú dāo gē
-
1 to feel as if having one's heart cut out (idiom)
-
2 to be torn with grief
打草惊蛇
dǎ cǎo jīng shé
-
1 lit. beat the grass to scare the snake (idiom)
-
2 fig. to inadvertently alert an enemy
-
3 to punish sb as a warning to others
拈花惹草
niān huā rě cǎo
-
1 lit. to pick the flowers and trample the grass (idiom)
-
2 fig. to womanize
-
3 to frequent brothels
-
4 to sow one's wild oats
招风惹草
zhāo fēng rě cǎo
-
1 to stir up trouble (idiom)
-
2 to sow discord
斩草除根
zhǎn cǎo chú gēn
-
1 to cut weeds and eliminate the roots (idiom); to destroy root and branch
-
2 to eliminate completely
沾花惹草
zhān huā rě cǎo
-
1 to fondle the flowers and trample the grass (idiom)
-
2 to womanize
-
3 to frequent brothels
-
4 to sow one's wild oats
疾风劲草
jí fēng jìng cǎo
-
1 the storm put strong grass to the test (idiom); fig. troubled times test a faithful minister
-
2 to show one's true colors after a stern test