七扭八歪
qī niǔ bā wāi
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1 misshapen
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2 crooked
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3 uneven (idiom)
不以规矩,不能成方圆
bù yǐ guī ju , bù néng chéng fāng yuán
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1 without rules, nothing can be done (idiom, from Mencius); one must follow some rules
强扭的瓜不甜
qiǎng niǔ de guā bù tián
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1 lit. if you have to use force to break a melon off the vine, it won't taste sweet (because it's only when the melon is ripe that it can be removed with just a slight twist) (idiom)
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2 fig. if sth is not meant to be, it's no use trying to force it to happen
循规蹈矩
xún guī dǎo jǔ
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1 to follow the compass and go with the set square (idiom); to follow the rules inflexibly
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2 to act according to convention
扭转乾坤
niǔ zhuǎn qián kūn
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1 lit. to upend heaven and earth (idiom)
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2 fig. to change the course of events
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3 to turn things around
没有规矩,不成方圆
méi yǒu guī ju , bù chéng fāng yuán
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1 without rules, nothing can be done (idiom); one must follow some rules
没有规矩,何以成方圆
méi yǒu guī ju , hé yǐ chéng fāng yuán
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1 without rules, how can anything be done (idiom); one must follow some rules
规矩准绳
guī ju zhǔn shéng
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1 compasses, set square, spirit level and plumbline (idiom); fig. established standard
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2 norms
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3 criteria
规矩绳墨
guī ju shéng mò
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1 compasses, set square and straight line marker (idiom); fig. established standard
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2 norms
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3 criteria
规行矩步
guī xíng jǔ bù
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1 to follow the compass and go with the set square (idiom); to follow the rules inflexibly
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2 to act according to convention