不求有功,但求无过
bù qiú yǒu gōng , dàn qiú wú guò
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1 lit. not aiming to achieve the best possible result, but rather trying to avoid making mistakes (idiom)
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2 fig. to take a risk-averse approach
不求甚解
bù qiú shèn jiě
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1 lit. not requiring a detailed understanding (idiom); only looking for an overview
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2 not bothered with the details
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3 superficial
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4 content with shallow understanding
利欲熏心
lì yù xūn xīn
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1 blinded by greed (idiom)
刻舟求剑
kè zhōu qiú jiàn
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1 lit. a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom); fig. an action made pointless by changed circumstances
千军易得,一将难求
qiān jūn yì dé , yī jiàng nán qiú
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1 Easy to raise an army of one thousand, but hard to find a good general. (idiom)
可遇不可求
kě yù bù kě qiú
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1 can be discovered but not sought (idiom)
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2 one can only come across such things serendipitously
吹毛求疵
chuī máo qiú cī
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1 lit. to blow apart the hairs upon a fur to discover any defect (idiom); fig. to be fastidious
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2 nitpick
呼之欲出
hū zhī yù chū
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1 lit. ready to appear at the call (idiom)
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2 fig. on the verge of coming out into the open
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3 (of a person's choice etc) on the point of being disclosed
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4 (of an artistic depiction) vividly portrayed
喷薄欲出
pēn bó yù chū
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1 to be on the verge of eruption (idiom)
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2 (of the sun) to emerge in all its brilliance
垂涎欲滴
chuí xián yù dī
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1 to drool with desire (idiom); to envy
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2 to hunger for
梦寐以求
mèng mèi yǐ qiú
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1 to yearn for sth even in one's dreams (idiom)
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2 to long for sth day and night
孜孜以求
zī zī yǐ qiú
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1 diligent and tireless (idiom)
守株待兔,缘木求鱼
shǒu zhū dài tù , yuán mù qiú yú
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1 to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits, and climb a tree to catch fish (idiom); without any practical course of action
实事求是
shí shì qiú shì
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1 to seek truth from facts (idiom)
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2 to be practical and realistic
工欲善其事,必先利其器
gōng yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
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1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
己所不欲,勿施于人
jǐ suǒ bù yù , wù shī yú rén
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1 What you don't want done to you, don't do to others. (idiom, from the Confucian analects)
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2 Do as you would be done by.
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3 Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.
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
欲仙欲死
yù xiān yù sǐ
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1 to wish one were dead (idiom)
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2 (fig.) to be in seventh heaven
欲壑难填
yù hè nán tián
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1 bottomless pit of desire (idiom); insatiable greed
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2 carnal cravings are never satisfied and are a main obstruction on the path to enlightenment
我醉欲眠
wǒ zuì yù mián
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1 lit. I'm drunk and would like to sleep (idiom)
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2 (used to indicate one's sincere and straightforward nature)