一山不容二虎
yī shān bù róng èr hǔ
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1 lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
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2 fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us
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3 (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
一纸空文
yī zhǐ kōng wén
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1 a worthless piece of paper (idiom)
不听老人言,吃亏在眼前
bù tīng lǎo rén yán , chī kuī zài yǎn qián
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1 (idiom) ignore your elders at your peril
不识泰山
bù shí Tài Shān
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1 can't recognize Mt Taishan (idiom); fig. not to recognize a famous person
不显山不露水
bù xiǎn shān bù lù shuǐ
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1 lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
人去楼空
rén qù lóu kōng
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1 the people are gone and the place is empty (idiom)
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2 the sight of a deserted place brings old friends to mind
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3 the place is deserted
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4 the birds have flown
他山之石可以攻玉
tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù
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1 lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
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2 to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively
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
兔子不吃窝边草
tù zi bù chī wō biān cǎo
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1 A rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow (idiom); One shouldn't do anything to harm one's neighbors.
两手空空
liǎng shǒu kōng kōng
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1 empty-handed (idiom); fig. not receiving anything
兵败如山倒
bīng bài rú shān dǎo
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1 troops in defeat like a landslide (idiom); a beaten army in total collapse
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)
劈空扳害
pī kōng bān hài
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1 damaged by groundless slander (idiom)
又要马儿跑,又要马儿不吃草
yòu yào mǎ r5 pǎo , yòu yào mǎ r5 bù chī cǎo
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1 lit. you can't expect the horse to run fast but not let it graze (idiom)
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2 fig. you can't have your cake and eat it, too
司空见惯
sī kōng jiàn guàn
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1 a common occurrence (idiom)
吃一堑,长一智
chī yī qiàn , zhǎng yī zhì
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1 Fall into the moat and you'll be wiser next time (idiom); One only learns from one's mistakes.
吃不了兜着走
chī bu liǎo dōu zhe zǒu
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1 lit. if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home (idiom)
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2 fig. you'll have to take the consequences
吃人家的嘴软,拿人家的手短
chī rén jiā de zuǐ ruǎn , ná rén jiā de shǒu duǎn
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1 lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)
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2 fig. one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted
吃人血馒头
chī rén xuè mán tou
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1 to take advantage of others' misfortune (idiom)
吃力不讨好
chī lì bù tǎo hǎo
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1 arduous and thankless task (idiom); strenuous and unrewarding