冰冻三尺，非一日之寒
bīng dòng sān chǐ , fēi yī rì zhī hán
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1 three feet of ice does not form in a single day (idiom); Rome wasn't built in a day
咫尺天涯
zhǐ chǐ tiān yá
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1 so close, yet worlds apart (idiom)
垂涎三尺
chuí xián sān chǐ
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1 to drool (over) (idiom)
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2 to yearn for
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3 to covet
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4 to crave
得寸进尺
dé cùn jìn chǐ
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1 lit. win an inch, want a foot (idiom); fig. not satisfied with small gains
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2 give him an inch, and he'll want a mile
是非曲直
shì fēi qū zhí
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1 lit. right and wrong, crooked and straight (idiom); fig. merits and demerits
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2 pros and cons
曲突徙薪
qū tū xǐ xīn
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1 lit. to bend the chimney and remove the firewood (to prevent fire) (idiom)
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2 fig. to take preventive measures
曲肱而枕
qū gōng ér zhěn
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1 lit. to use one's bent arm as a pillow (idiom)
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2 fig. content with simple things
曲里拐弯
qū lǐ guǎi wān
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1 winding and turning (idiom)
曲高和寡
qǔ gāo hè guǎ
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1 difficult songs find few singers (idiom)
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2 highbrow
无风三尺浪
wú fēng sān chǐ làng
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1 lit. large waves in windless conditions (idiom)
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2 fig. trouble arising unexpectedly
异曲同工
yì qǔ tóng gōng
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1 different tunes played with equal skill (idiom)
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2 different methods leading to the same result
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3 different approach but equally satisfactory outcome
百尺竿头，更尽一步
bǎi chǐ gān tóu , gèng jìn yī bù
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1 lit. hundred foot pole, progress still further (idiom); fig. much accomplished, still some work to do
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2 to continue to further successes
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3 not to rest on one's laurels
盘旋曲折
pán xuán qū zhé
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1 lit. windy and circuitous
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2 difficult (idiom)
迂回曲折
yū huí qū zhé
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1 meandering and circuitous (idiom); complicated developments that never get anywhere
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2 going around in circles
道高一尺，魔高一丈
dào gāo yī chǐ , mó gāo yī zhàng
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1 virtue is one foot tall, the devil ten foot (idiom); It takes constant vigilance to stave off evil.
魔高一丈，道高一尺
mó gāo yī zhàng , dào gāo yī chǐ
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1 the devil is ten foot tall, virtue one foot (idiom); It takes constant vigilance to stave off evil.