亡羊补牢
wáng yáng bǔ láo
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1 lit. to mend the pen after sheep are lost (idiom)
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2 fig. to act belatedly
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3 better late than never
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4 to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted
倾国倾城
qīng guó qīng chéng
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1 lit. capable of causing the downfall of a city or state (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a woman) devastatingly beautiful
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3 also written 傾城傾國|倾城倾国[qīng chéng qīng guó]
倾城倾国
qīng chéng qīng guó
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1 lit. capable of causing the downfall of a city or state (idiom)
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2 fig. (of a woman) devastatingly beautiful
兵临城下
bīng lín chéng xià
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1 soldiers at the city walls (idiom); fig. at a critical juncture
唱空城计
chàng kōng chéng jì
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1 lit. to sing “The Empty City Stratagem” (idiom)
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2 fig. to put up a bluff to conceal one's weakness
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3 (jocularly) (of a place etc) to be empty
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4 (of one's stomach) to be rumbling
围城打援
wéi chéng dǎ yuán
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1 to besiege and strike the relief force (idiom); strategy of surrounding a unit to entice the enemy to reinforce, then striking the new troops
城门失火，殃及池鱼
chéng mén shī huǒ , yāng jí chí yú
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1 a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiom); the bystander will also suffer
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2 fig. you can't escape responsibility for your actions
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3 ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee
挂羊头卖狗肉
guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu
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1 lit. to hang a sheep's head while selling dog meat (idiom)
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2 fig. to cheat
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3 dishonest advertising
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4 wicked deeds carried out under banner of virtue
攻城略地
gōng chéng lu:è dì
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1 to take cities and seize territories (idiom)
杀牛宰羊
shā niú zǎi yáng
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1 slaughter the cattle and butcher the sheep
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2 to prepare a big feast (idiom)
杀猪宰羊
shā zhū zǎi yáng
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1 to kill the pigs and slaughter the sheep (idiom)
毛出在羊身上
máo chū zài yáng shēn shàng
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1 lit. wool comes from the sheep's back (idiom); One gets the benefit, but the price has been paid.
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2 Nothing comes for free.
满城风雨
mǎn chéng fēng yǔ
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1 lit. wind and rain through the town (idiom); fig. a big scandal
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2 an uproar
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3 the talk of the town
牵羊担酒
qiān yáng dān jiǔ
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1 pulling a lamb and bringing wine on a carrying pole (idiom); fig. to offer elaborate congratulations
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2 to kill the fatted calf
众志成城
zhòng zhì chéng chéng
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1 unity of will is an impregnable stronghold (idiom)
羊入虎口
yáng rù hǔ kǒu
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1 lit. a lamb in a tiger's den (idiom)
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2 fig. to tread dangerous ground
羊毛出在羊身上
yáng máo chū zài yáng shēn shàng
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1 lit. wool comes from the sheep's back (idiom); One gets the benefit, but the price has been paid.
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2 Nothing comes for free.
羊肠小道
yáng cháng xiǎo dào
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1 road as twisty as sheep's intestine (idiom); narrow and winding road
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2 fig. complicated and tricky job
羊触藩篱
yáng chù fān lí
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1 lit. billy goat's horns caught in the fence (idiom from Book of Changes 易經|易经); impossible to advance or to retreat
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2 without any way out of a dilemma
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3 trapped
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4 in an impossible situation
羊质虎皮
yáng zhì hǔ pí
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1 lit. the heart of a sheep in the skin of a tiger (idiom)
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2 fig. impressive in appearance but lacking in substance
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3 braggart