不由自主
bù yóu zì zhǔ
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1 can't help; involuntarily (idiom)
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
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
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
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
拿得起放得下
ná de qǐ fàng de xià
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1 lit. can pick it up or put it down (idiom)
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2 fig. to take what comes
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3 to meet gains or losses with equanimity
拿着鸡毛当令箭
ná zhe jī máo dàng lìng jiàn
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1 to wave a chicken feather as a token of authority (idiom); to assume unwarranted authority on the basis of some pretext
物各有主
wù gè yǒu zhǔ
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1 everything has a rightful owner (idiom)
狗拿耗子
gǒu ná hào zi
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1 lit. a dog who catches mice
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2 to be meddlesome (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
当家作主
dāng jiā zuò zhǔ
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1 to be in charge in one's own house (idiom)
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2 to be the master of one's own affairs
自作主张
zì zuò zhǔ zhāng
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1 to think for oneself and act accordingly (idiom); to act on one's own initiative