6 (coll.) (since c. 2009) used before a verb that does not accurately represent what actually happened, to describe with black humor how sb or sth was dealt with by the authorities (as in 被自殺|被自杀[bèi zì shā])
1 bitten by a snake in one year, fears the well rope for ten years (idiom); once bitten twice shy
一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳
yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo , shí nián pà jǐng shéng
1 once bitten by a snake, ten years in fear of a well rope
2 once bitten, twice shy (idiom)
不以词害志
bù yǐ cí hài zhì
1 don't let rhetoric spoil the message (idiom); don't get carried away with flowery speech to the detriment of what you want to say
不以辞害志
bù yǐ cí hài zhì
1 don't let rhetoric spoil the message (idiom); don't get carried away with flowery speech to the detriment of what you want to say
之乎者也
zhī hū zhě yě
1 lit. 之[zhī], 乎[hū], 者[zhě] and 也[yě] (four grammatical particles of Classical Chinese) (idiom); fig. archaic expressions
仁者见仁,智者见智
rén zhě jiàn rén , zhì zhě jiàn zhì
1 The benevolent sees benevolence, the wise sees wisdom.
2 Different views are admissible. (idiom)
来者不善,善者不来
lái zhě bù shàn , shàn zhě bù lái
1 He who comes is surely ill-intentioned, no-one well-meaning will come (idiom).
2 Be careful not to trust foreigners.
3 Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!
来者不拒
lái zhě bù jù
1 to refuse nobody (idiom)
2 all comers welcome
伤天害理
shāng tiān hài lǐ
1 to offend Heaven and reason (idiom); bloody atrocities that cry to heaven
2 outrageous acts
切中要害
qiè zhòng yào hài
1 to hit the target and do real damage (idiom)
2 fig. to hit where it hurts
3 fig. to hit home
4 an argument that hits the nail on the head
前不见古人,后不见来者
qián bù jiàn gǔ rén , hòu bù jiàn lái zhě
1 unique
2 unprecedented (idiom)
劈空扳害
pī kōng bān hài
1 damaged by groundless slander (idiom)
胜者王侯败者寇
shèng zhě wáng hóu bài zhě kòu
1 the winners become princes and marquises; the losers are vilified as bandits (idiom)
2 history is written by the victors
丧天害理
sàng tiān hài lǐ
1 devoid of conscience (idiom)
太公钓鱼,愿者上钩
tài gōng diào yú , yuàn zhě shàng gōu
1 Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose
妒能害贤
dù néng hài xián
1 jealous of the able, envious of the clever (idiom)
始作俑者
shǐ zuò yǒng zhě
1 lit. the first person to bury funerary dolls (idiom)
2 fig. the originator of an evil practice
姜太公钓鱼,愿者上钩
Jiāng tài gōng diào yú , yuàn zhě shàng gōu
1 Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want it, take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose
害群之马
hài qún zhī mǎ
1 lit. a horse that brings trouble to its herd (idiom)
2 fig. troublemaker
3 black sheep
4 rotten apple
旁观者清
páng guān zhě qīng
1 The person on the spot is baffled, the onlooker sees clear (idiom). The spectator sees more of the game.
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