不要在一棵树上吊死
bù yào zài yī kē shù shàng diào sǐ
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1 don't insist on only taking one road to Rome (idiom)
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2 there's more than one way to skin a cat
倒悬之急
dào xuán zhī jí
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1 lit. the crisis of being hanged upside down (idiom); fig. extremely critical situation
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2 dire straits
刀不磨要生锈,人不学要落后
dāo bù mó yào shēng xiù , rén bù xué yào luò hòu
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1 a blade will get rusty if it is not sharpened; a man will fall behind if he doesn't study (idiom)
切中要害
qiè zhòng yào hài
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1 to hit the target and do real damage (idiom)
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2 fig. to hit where it hurts
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3 fig. to hit home
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4 an argument that hits the nail on the head
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
只要功夫深,铁杵磨成针
zhǐ yào gōng fu shēn , tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn
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1 If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle.
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2 cf idiom 磨杵成針|磨杵成针, to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom); fig. to persevere in a difficult task
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3 to study diligently
天要落雨,娘要嫁人
tiān yào luò yǔ , niáng yào jià rén
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1 the rain will fall, the womenfolk will marry (idiom)
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2 fig. the natural order of things
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3 something you can't go against
心急吃不了热豆腐
xīn jí chī bu liǎo rè dòu fu
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1 hasty men don't get to eat hot tofu (idiom)
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2 one just has to be patient
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3 haste will ruin everything
急人之难
jí rén zhī nàn
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1 anxious to help others resolve difficulties (idiom)
急功近利
jí gōng jìn lì
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1 seeking instant benefit (idiom); shortsighted vision, looking only for fast return
急如星火
jí rú xīng huǒ
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1 lit. as hurried as a shooting star (idiom); requiring immediate action
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2 extremely urgent
急于求成
jí yú qiú chéng
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1 anxious for quick results (idiom); to demand instant success
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2 impatient for result
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3 impetuous
急转直下
jí zhuǎn zhí xià
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1 to develop rapidly after abrupt turn (idiom); dramatic change
情急智生
qíng jí zhì shēng
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1 inspiration in a moment of desperation (idiom)
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2 also written 情急之下
操之过急
cāo zhī guò jí
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1 to act with undue haste (idiom); eager and impatient
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2 overhasty
救急不救穷
jiù jí bù jiù qióng
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1 help the starving but not the poor (idiom)
正中要害
zhèng zhòng yào hài
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1 to hit the nail on the head (idiom)
死要面子活受罪
sǐ yào miàn zi huó shòu zuì
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1 to go through hell for the sake of keeping up appearances (idiom)
燃眉之急
rán méi zhī jí
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1 lit. the fire burns one's eyebrows (idiom); fig. desperate situation
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2 extreme emergency
狗急跳墙
gǒu jí tiào qiáng
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1 a cornered dog will jump over the wall (idiom)
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2 to be driven to desperate action