1 lit. not to stop until one reaches the Yellow River (idiom)
2 fig. to persevere until one reaches one's goal
3 to keep going while some hope is left
不是鱼死就是网破
bù shì yú sǐ jiù shì wǎng pò
1 lit. either the fish dies or the net gets torn (idiom)
2 fig. it's a life-and-death struggle
3 it's either him or me
不知死活
bù zhī sǐ huó
1 to act recklessly (idiom)
不要在一棵树上吊死
bù yào zài yī kē shù shàng diào sǐ
1 don't insist on only taking one road to Rome (idiom)
2 there's more than one way to skin a cat
九死一生
jiǔ sǐ yī shēng
1 nine deaths and still alive (idiom); a narrow escape
2 new lease of life
人为财死,鸟为食亡
rén wèi cái sǐ , niǎo wèi shí wáng
1 lit. human beings will die for riches, just as birds will for food (idiom)
2 fig. man will do anything in his means to become rich
你死我活
nǐ sǐ wǒ huó
1 lit. you die, I live (idiom); irreconcilable adversaries
2 two parties cannot coexist
兔死狐悲
tù sǐ hú bēi
1 lit. if the rabbit dies, the fox grieves (idiom); fig. to have sympathy with a like-minded person in distress
兔死狗烹
tù sǐ gǒu pēng
1 lit. to boil the hound once it caught the rabbit (idiom)
2 fig. to get rid of sb once he has served his purpose
出生入死
chū shēng rù sǐ
1 from the cradle to the grave (idiom); to go through fire and water
2 brave
3 willing to risk life and limb
厚死薄生
hòu sǐ bó shēng
1 lit. to praise the dead and revile the living
2 fig. to live in the past (idiom)
哀莫大于心死
āi mò dà yú xīn sǐ
1 nothing sadder than a withered heart (idiom attributed to Confucius by Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[Zhuāng zǐ])
2 no greater sorrow than a heart that never rejoices
3 the worst sorrow is not as bad as an uncaring heart
4 nothing is more wretched than apathy
垂死挣扎
chuí sǐ zhēng zhá
1 deathbed struggle
2 final struggle (idiom)
好死不如赖活着
hǎo sǐ bù rú lài huó zhe
1 better a bad life than a good death (idiom)
宁死不屈
nìng sǐ bù qū
1 rather die than submit (idiom)
欲仙欲死
yù xiān yù sǐ
1 to wish one were dead (idiom)
2 (fig.) to be in seventh heaven
战死沙场
zhàn sǐ shā chǎng
1 to die in battle (idiom)
打蛇不死,后患无穷
dǎ shé bù sǐ , hòu huàn wú qióng
1 if you beat the snake without killing it, endless evils will ensue (idiom)
舍生忘死
shě shēng wàng sǐ
1 bravery with no thought of personal safety (idiom); risking life and limb
2 undaunted by perils
撑死胆大的,饿死胆小的
chēng sǐ dǎn dà de , è sǐ dǎn xiǎo de
1 fullness for the bold, famine for the timid (idiom)
Sample Sentences
气死我了气死我了,真是气炸了!那小子竟敢给我在太岁头上动土!不给他点颜色看看他都不知道我的厉害!
qì sǐ wǒ le qì sǐ wǒ le ,zhēn shì qì zhà le !nà xiǎozi jìng gǎn gěi wǒ zài tàisuì tóu shàng dòngtǔ !bù gěi tā diǎnryánsè kàn kan tā dōu bù zhīdào wǒ de lìhai !
I'm so angry I'm about to blow a gasket! I can't believe that little upstart thinks he can stand toe to toe with me! Let's see if he still thinks so little of me when I show him what I'm made of!