1 lit. both sleeves flowing in the breeze (idiom); having clean hands
2 uncorrupted
3 unsoiled by corrupt practices
取长补短
qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn
1 lit. use others' strengths to make up for one's weak points (idiom from Mencius)
2 to use this in place of that
3 what you lose on the swings, you win on the roundabouts
吃人家的嘴软，拿人家的手短
chī rén jiā de zuǐ ruǎn , ná rén jiā de shǒu duǎn
1 lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)
2 fig. one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted
张家长，李家短
Zhāng jiā cháng , Lǐ jiā duǎn
1 lit. the Zhangs are better off than the Lis (idiom); to gossip about the neighbors
截长补短
jié cháng bǔ duǎn
1 take from the long to supplement the short (idiom)
2 to offset each other's deficiencies
3 to complement each other
拂袖而去
fú xiù ér qù
1 to storm off in a huff (idiom)
扬长避短
yáng cháng bì duǎn
1 to foster strengths and avoid weaknesses (idiom)
2 to play to one's strengths
断袖之癖
duàn xiù zhī pǐ
1 lit. cut sleeve (idiom); fig. euphemism for homosexuality, originating from History of Western Han 漢書|汉书: emperor Han Aidi (real name Liu Xin) was in bed with his lover Dong Xian, and had to attend a court audience that morning. Not wishing to awaken Dong Xian, who was sleeping with his head resting on the emperor's long robe sleeve, Aidi used a knife to cut off the lower half of his sleeve.
昼短夜长
zhòu duǎn yè cháng
1 the winter days are short and the nights long (idiom)
东家长西家短
dōng jiā cháng xī jiā duǎn
1 to gossip (idiom)
残年短景
cán nián duǎn jǐng
1 at the end of the year (idiom)
清风两袖
qīng fēng liǎng xiù
1 honest and upright (idiom)
争长论短
zhēng cháng lùn duǎn
1 lit. to argue who is right and wrong (idiom); to quibble
2 a storm in a teacup
短中抽长
duǎn zhōng chōu cháng
1 to make the best of a bad job
2 to make the best use of limited resources (idiom)
短兵相接
duǎn bīng xiāng jiē
1 lit. short-weaponed soldiery fight one another (idiom); fierce hand-to-hand infantry combat
2 to fight at close quarters
短小精悍
duǎn xiǎo jīng hàn
1 (of a person) short but plucky (idiom)
2 (of an article) concise and forceful
袖手旁观
xiù shǒu páng guān
1 to watch with folded arms (idiom); to look on without lifting a finger
说长道短
shuō cháng dào duǎn
1 lit. to discuss sb's merits and demerits (idiom); to gossip
论长道短
lùn cháng dào duǎn
1 lit. to discuss sb's merits and demerits (idiom); to gossip
长吁短叹
cháng xū duǎn tàn
1 long moan and short gasp (idiom); continually moaning and groaning in pain
Sample Sentences
是的呀，室内有二十多度，都可以穿短袖。
shì de ya ，shìnèi yǒu èrshí duō dù ，dōu kěyǐ chuān duǎnxiù 。
For sure! It's over twenty degrees inside! You can wear short sleeves.