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- 一暴十寒 一暴十寒 [yi1 pu2 shi2 han2] /one day's sun, ten days' frost (成语 saw, from Mencius); fig. to work for a bit then skimp/sporadic effort/short attention span/

- 一曝十寒 一曝十寒 [yi1 pu4 shi2 han2] /one day's sun, ten days' frost (成语 saw, from Mencius); fig. to work for a bit then skimp/sporadic effort/lack of sticking power/short attention span/

- 三人行，必有我師 三人行，必有我师 [san1 ren2 xing2 , bi4 you3 wo3 shi1] /lit. If three walk together, one should be my teacher (成语 saw, from Confucian analects). You have sth to learn from everyone./also translated as: If three of us walk together, at least one of the other two is good enough to be my teacher./

- 三馬同槽 三马同槽 [san1 ma3 tong2 cao2] /three horses at the same trough (成语 saw, alluding to Sima Yi 司馬懿|司马懿[Si1 ma3 Yi4] and his two sons); conspirators under the same roof/

- 不以人廢言 不以人废言 [bu4 yi3 ren2 fei4 yan2] /not to reject a word because of the speaker (成语 saw, from Analects); to judge on the merits of the case rather than preference between advisers/

- 不以規矩，不能成方圓 不以规矩，不能成方圆 [bu4 yi3 gui1 ju5 , bu4 neng2 cheng2 fang1 yuan2] /without rules, nothing can be done (成语 saw, from Mencius); one must follow some rules/

- 不吝珠玉 不吝珠玉 [bu4 lin4 zhu1 yu4] /lit. do not begrudge gems of wisdom (成语 saw, humble expr.); fig. Please give me your frank opinion./Your criticism will be most valuable./

- 不念舊惡 不念旧恶 [bu4 nian4 jiu4 e4] /do not recall old grievances (成语 saw, from Analects); forgive and forget/

- 五鬼鬧判 五鬼闹判 [wu3 gui3 nao4 pan4] /Five ghosts mock the judge, or Five ghosts resist judgment (title of folk opera, 成语 saw); important personage mobbed by a crowd of ne'er-do-wells/

- 人無遠慮，必有近憂 人无远虑，必有近忧 [ren2 wu2 yuan3 lu:4 , bi4 you3 jin4 you1] /He who gives no thought to far-flung problems soon finds suffering nearby (成语 saw, from Analects)./Smug concentration on the here and now will lead to future sorrow./

- 仁心仁術 仁心仁术 [ren2 xin1 ren2 shu4] /benevolent heart and skillful execution (成语 saw, from Mencius); charitable in thought and deed/

- 仁民愛物 仁民爱物 [ren2 min2 ai4 wu4] /love to all creatures (成语 saw, from Mencius); universal benevolence/

- 以人廢言 以人废言 [yi3 ren2 fei4 yan2] /to reject a word because of the speaker (成语 saw, from Analects); to judge on preference between advisers rather than the merits of the case/

- 以其人之道，還治其人之身 以其人之道，还治其人之身 [yi3 qi2 ren2 zhi1 dao4 , huan2 zhi4 qi2 ren2 zhi1 shen1] /to use an opponent's own methods to obtain retribution (成语 saw, from Song dynasty neo-Confucianist Zhu Xi 朱熹); to get revenge by playing sb back at his own game/to give sb a taste of his own medicine/

- 以子之矛，攻子之盾 以子之矛，攻子之盾 [yi3 zi3 zhi1 mao2 , gong1 zi3 zhi1 dun4] /lit. use sb's spear to attack his shield (成语 saw, derived from Han Feizi 韓非子|韩非子); turning a weapon against its owner/fig. to attack an opponent using his own devices/hoist with his own petard/

- 以毒攻毒 以毒攻毒 [yi3 du2 gong1 du2] /to cure ills with poison (成语 saw, refers to technique of traditional Chinese medicine); to fight evil with evil/set a thief to catch a thief/to fight fire with fire/

- 以眼還眼 以眼还眼 [yi3 yan3 huan2 yan3] /an eye for an eye (成语 saw, cf Exodus 21:24); fig. to use the enemy's methods against him/to give sb a taste of his own medicine/

- 以鄰為壑 以邻为壑 [yi3 lin2 wei2 he4] /lit. to use neighbor as drain (成语 saw, from Mencius); to shift one's problems onto others/to pass the buck/

- 似是而非 似是而非 [si4 shi4 er2 fei1] /lit. seems so, but no (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); apparently correct, but actually wrong/specious/

- 來龍去脈 来龙去脉 [lai2 long2 qu4 mai4] /lit. mountain has a connecting pulse throughout like a dragon (成语 saw, from fengshui); sequence of events/pedigree/cause and effects/the whys and wherefors/where sth comes from and where it goes/ins and outs/

- 俾昼作夜 俾昼作夜 [bi3 zhou4 zuo4 ye4] /to make day as night (成语 saw, from Book of Songs); fig. to prolong one's pleasure regardless of the hour/

- 先下手為強 先下手为强 [xian1 xia4 shou3 wei2 qiang2] /strike first and gain the upper hand (成语 saw, martial arts term); Making the first move is an advantage./

- 克己復禮 克己复礼 [ke4 ji3 fu4 li3] /restrain yourself and return to the rites (成语 saw, from Analects); to subdue self and observe proprieties/(any number of possible translations)/

- 冰壺秋月 冰壶秋月 [bing1 hu2 qiu1 yue4] /jade ice jug and autumn moon (成语 saw, from poem by Song writer Su Dongpo 蘇東坡|苏东坡); fig. spotless white and pure/flawless person/

- 冷若冰霜 冷若冰霜 [leng3 ruo4 bing1 shuang1] /as cold as ice and frost (成语 saw, usually of woman); icy manner/frigid/

- 出其不意攻其不備 出其不意攻其不备 [chu1 qi2 bu4 yi4 gong1 qi2 bu4 bei4] /catch an enemy off guard with a surprise attack (成语 saw, from Sunzi's Art of War 孫子兵法|孙子兵法)/

- 出爾反爾 出尔反尔 [chu1 er3 fan3 er3] /old: to reap the consequences of one's words (成语 saw, from Mencius); modern: to go back on one's word/to fail to keep a promise/to contradict oneself/inconsistent/

- 千慮一得 千虑一得 [qian1 lu:4 yi1 de2] /a thousand tries leads to one success (成语 saw, humble expr.); Even without any notable ability on my part, I may still get it right sometimes by good luck./

- 卑之，毋甚高論 卑之，毋甚高论 [bei1 zhi1 , wu2 shen4 gao1 lun4] /my opinion, nothing very involved (成语 saw, humble expression); my humble point is a familiar opinion/what I say is really nothing out of the ordinary/

- 卑之，無甚高論 卑之，无甚高论 [bei1 zhi1 , wu2 shen4 gao1 lun4] /my opinion, nothing very involved (成语 saw, humble expression); my humble point is a familiar opinion/what I say is really nothing out of the ordinary/

- 危而不持 危而不持 [wei1 er2 bu4 chi2] /national danger, but no support (成语 saw, from Analects); the future of the nation is at stake but no-one comes to the rescue/

- 取長補短 取长补短 [qu3 chang2 bu3 duan3] /lit. use others' strengths to make up for one's weak points (成语 saw from Mencius)/to use this in place of that/what you lose on the swings, you win on the roundabouts/

- 只可意會，不可言傳 只可意会，不可言传 [zhi3 ke3 yi4 hui4 , bu4 ke3 yan2 chuan2] /can be understood, but not described (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); mysterious and subtle/

- 可以意會，不可言傳 可以意会，不可言传 [ke3 yi3 yi4 hui4 , bu4 ke3 yan2 chuan2] /can be understood, but not described (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); mysterious and subtle/

- 吐故納新 吐故纳新 [tu3 gu4 na4 xin1] /lit. to breathe out stale air and breathe in fresh (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 庄子); fig. to get rid of the old and bring in the new/

- 君子之交 君子之交 [jun1 zi5 zhi1 jiao1] /Friendship between gentlemen, insipid as water (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[Zhuang1 zi3])./

- 君子之交淡如水 君子之交淡如水 [jun1 zi5 zhi1 jiao1 dan4 ru2 shui3] /A gentleman's friendship, insipid as water (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[Zhuang1 zi3])./

- 善者不辯，辯者不善 善者不辩，辩者不善 [shan4 zhe3 bu4 bian4 , bian4 zhe3 bu4 shan4] /Good words are not persuasive, persuasive words are not good (成语 saw, from Laozi 老子 81). Do not be taken in by appearances./

- 壽比南山 寿比南山 [shou4 bi3 Nan2 shan1] /Live as long as Mt Nan! (成语 saw, conventional greeting)/We wish you a Happy Birthday and many more of them./

- 天網恢恢 天网恢恢 [tian1 wang3 hui1 hui1] /Heaven's net is wide meshed, but nothing escapes it (成语 saw, from Laozi 73)./

- 天網恢恢，疏而不失 天网恢恢，疏而不失 [tian1 wang3 hui1 hui1 , shu1 er2 bu4 shi1] /Heaven's net is wide meshed, but nothing escapes it (成语 saw, from Laozi 73)./

- 太公釣魚，願者上鉤 太公钓鱼，愿者上钩 [tai4 gong1 diao4 yu2 , yuan4 zhe3 shang4 gou1] /Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want take the hook (成语 saw, refers to early sage 薑子牙|姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose/

- 夫妻反目 夫妻反目 [fu1 qi1 fan3 mu4] /man and wife fall out (成语 saw, from Book of Changes); marital strife/

- 失道寡助 失道寡助 [shi1 dao4 gua3 zhu4] /an unjust cause find little support (成语 saw, from Mencius)/cf 得道多助, a just cause attracts much support/

- 守望相助 守望相助 [shou3 wang4 xiang1 zhu4] /to keep watch and defend one another (成语 saw, from Mencius); to join forces to defend against external aggressors/mutual help and protection/

- 察言觀色 察言观色 [cha2 yan2 guan1 se4] /to observe sb's words and gestures (成语 saw, from Analects); to examine words and moods for a clue as to sb's thoughts/mind reading/

- 寡不敵眾 寡不敌众 [gua3 bu4 di2 zhong4] /The few are no match for the many (成语 saw, from Mencius)./heavily outnumbered/against impossible odds/

- 己所不慾，勿施於人 己所不欲，勿施于人 [ji3 suo3 bu4 yu4 , wu4 shi1 yu2 ren2] /What you don't want done to you, don't do to others. (成语 saw, from the Confucian analects)/Do as you would be done by./Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you./

- 引而不發 引而不发 [yin3 er2 bu4 fa1] /to pull the bow without shooting (成语 saw from Mencius); ready and waiting for action/to go through the motions/to practice/a trial run/

- 得道多助，失道寡助 得道多助，失道寡助 [de2 dao4 duo1 zhu4 , shi1 dao4 gua3 zhu4] /A just cause attracts much support, an unjust one finds little (成语 saw, from Mencius)/

- 得魚忘筌 得鱼忘筌 [de2 yu2 wang4 quan2] /lit. catch fish then forget the trap (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); fig. to take help for granted/

- 心悅誠服 心悦诚服 [xin1 yue4 cheng2 fu2] /cheerful and committed (成语 saw from Mencius 孟子)/delighted and sincerely willing/

- 心有餘而力不足 心有余而力不足 [xin1 you3 yu2 er2 li4 bu4 zu2] /The will is there, but not the strength (成语 saw, from Confucian Analects)./I really want to do it, but don't have the resources./The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak./

- 心有餘，力不足 心有余，力不足 [xin1 you3 yu2 , li4 bu4 zu2] /The will is there, but not the strength (成语 saw, from Confucian Analects)./I really want to do it, but don't have the resources./The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak./

- 心甘情願 心甘情愿 [xin1 gan1 qing2 yuan4] /delighted to (do sth, 成语 saw)/perfectly happy to do/most willing to do/

- 慾加之罪，何患無詞 欲加之罪，何患无词 [yu4 jia1 zhi1 zui4 , he2 huan4 wu2 ci2] /If you want to condemn sb, don't worry about the pretext (成语 saw, from Zuozhuan 左傳|左传); one can always trump up a charge against sb/Give a dog a bad name, then hang him./also written 慾加之罪,何患無辭|欲加之罪,何患无辞/

- 慾加之罪，何患無辭 欲加之罪，何患无辞 [yu4 jia1 zhi1 zui4 , he2 huan4 wu2 ci2] /If you want to condemn sb, don't worry about the pretext (成语 saw, from Zuozhuan 左傳|左传); one can always trump up a charge against sb/Give a dog a bad name, then hang him./

- 慾速則不達 欲速则不达 [yu4 su4 ze2 bu4 da2] /lit. to want sth in haste, but cannot get there (成语 saw, from Analects); more haste, less speed/don't try to run before you can walk/

- 慾速而不達 欲速而不达 [yu4 su4 er2 bu4 da2] /lit. to want sth in haste, but cannot get there (成语 saw, from Analects); more haste, less speed/also written 慾速則不達|欲速则不达/

- 戴盆望天 戴盆望天 [dai4 pen2 wang4 tian1] /lit. viewing the sky with a basin on one's head (成语 saw, from Sima Qian's letter to Ren An 司馬遷|司马迁, 報任少卿書|报任少卿书); it is hard to get a clear view of the sky while carrying a platter on one's head/fig. it is hard to get on in one's career while encumbered by family obligations/one can't perform a major task while bothered by other duties/

- 招財進寶 招财进宝 [zhao1 cai2 jin4 bao3] /ushering in wealth and prosperity (成语 saw and traditional greeting, esp. at New Year); We wish you wealth and success!/

- 捨己為人 舍己为人 [she3 ji3 wei4 ren2] /to abandon self for others (成语 saw, from Analects); to sacrifice one's own interest for other people/altruism/

- 捨生取義 舍生取义 [she3 sheng1 qu3 yi4] /to give up life for righteousness (成语 saw, from Mencius); to choose honor over life/would rather sacrifice one's life than one's principles/

- 探驪得珠 探骊得珠 [tan4 li2 de2 zhu1] /to pluck a pearl from the black dragon (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi); fig. to pick out the salient points (from a tangled situation)/to see through to the nub/

- 敵衆我寡 敌众我寡 [di2 zhong4 wo3 gua3] /multitude of enemies, few friends (成语 saw from Mencius); heavily outnumbered/beaten by weight of numbers/

- 明修棧道，暗渡陳倉 明修栈道，暗渡陈仓 [ming2 xiu1 zhan4 dao4 , an4 du2 Chen2 cang1] /lit. repair the plank road by day while secretly crossing the Wei river 渭河 at Chencang (成语 saw, refers to a stratagem used by Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦 in 206 BC against Xiangyu 項羽|项羽 of Chu); fig. fein one thing while doing another/to cheat under cover of a diversion/

- 明察秋毫 明察秋毫 [ming2 cha2 qiu1 hao2] /lit. seeing clearly the downy feather of autumn (成语 saw, from Mencius); fig. sensitive to the finest detail/to distinguish right and wrong with acuity/omniscient/

- 暗渡陳倉 暗渡陈仓 [an4 du4 Chen2 cang1] /secretly crossing the Wei river 渭河 at Chencang (成语 saw, refers to a stratagem used by Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦 in 206 BC against Xiangyu 項羽|项羽 of Chu); fig. fein one thing while doing another/to cheat under cover of a diversion/

- 未雨綢繆 未雨绸缪 [wei4 yu3 chou2 mou2] /lit. before it rains, bind around with silk (成语 saw, from Book of Songs 詩經|诗经); fig. to plan ahead/to prepare for a rainy day/

- 杞梓之林 杞梓之林 [Qi3 zi3 zhi1 lin2] /forest of wolfberry and catalpa (Lycium chinense and Catalpa ovata, 成语 saw); fig. great quantity of talent/

- 步斗踏罡 步斗踏罡 [bu4 dou3 ta4 gang1] /to worship the astral deities (成语 saw, refers to Daoist astrology)/

- 步罡踏斗 步罡踏斗 [bu4 gang1 ta4 dou3] /to worship the astral deities (成语 saw, refers to Daoist astrology)/

- 死而無悔 死而无悔 [si3 er2 wu2 hui3] /to die without regret (成语 saw, from Analects)/

- 民不聊生 民不聊生 [min2 bu4 liao2 sheng1] /The people have no way to make a living (成语 saw, from Record of the Grand Historian 史記|史记[Shi3 ji4]). no way of getting by/

- 沈魚落雁 沈鱼落雁 [chen2 yu2 luo4 yan4] /lit. fish sink, goose alights (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); fig. female beauty captivating even the birds and beasts/

- 沉魚落雁 沉鱼落雁 [chen2 yu2 luo4 yan4] /lit. fish sink, goose alights (成语 saw, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); fig. female beauty captivating even the birds and beasts/

- 渤澥桑田 渤澥桑田 [bo2 xie4 sang1 tian2] /lit. blue seas where once was mulberry fields (成语 saw, from 史記|史记[Shi3 ji4], Record of the Grand Historian); time brings great changes/life's vicissitudes/

- 溫故知新 温故知新 [wen1 gu4 zhi1 xin1] /to review the old and know the new (成语 saw, from the Analects)/to recall the past to understand the future/

- 溫故而知新 温故而知新 [wen1 gu4 er2 zhi1 xin1] /to review the old and know the new (成语 saw, from the Analects)/to recall the past to understand the future/

- 為富不仁，為仁不富 为富不仁，为仁不富 [wei2 fu4 bu4 ren2 , wei2 ren2 bu4 fu4] /the benevolent man cannot be rich and vice versa (成语 saw, from Mencius). It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:24)./

- 無獨有偶 无独有偶 [wu2 du2 you3 ou3] /not alone but in pairs (成语 saw, usually derog.); not a unique occurrence/it's not the only case/

- 獨佔鰲頭 独占鳌头 [du2 zhan4 ao2 tou2] /to monopolize the turtle head (成语 saw, refers to carved marble steps of the palace); to come first in triennial palace examinations/the champion/the very best in any field/

- 獨佔鼇頭 独占鼇头 [du2 zhan4 ao2 tou2] /variant of 獨佔鰲頭|独占鳌头, to monopolize the turtle head (成语 saw, refers to carved marble steps of the palace); to come first in triennial palace examinations/the champion/the very best in any field/

- 疏而不漏 疏而不漏 [shu1 er2 bu4 lou4] /loose, but allows no escape (成语 saw, from Laozi 老子); the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape/

- 百戰不殆 百战不殆 [bai3 zhan4 bu4 dai4] /to come unscathed through a hundred battles (成语 saw, from Sunzi's Art of War 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sun1 zi3 Bing1 fa3]); to win every fight/

- 盲人摸象 盲人摸象 [mang2 ren2 mo1 xiang4] /blind people touch an elephant (成语 saw, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]); fig. unable to see the big picture/to mistake the part for the whole/unable to see the wood for the trees/

- 看破紅塵 看破红尘 [kan1 po4 hong2 chen2] /to see through the world of mortals (成语 saw, of Buddhist monk)/disillusioned with human society/to reject the world for a monastic life/

- 眾寡懸殊 众寡悬殊 [zhong4 gua3 xuan2 shu1] /the multitude against the few, a wide disparity (成语 saw from Mencius); heavily outnumbered/unequally matched/overwhelmed by weight of numbers/

- 眾星拱辰 众星拱辰 [zhong4 xing1 gong3 chen2] /lit. all the stars revolve around Polaris 北辰[Bei3 chen2] (成语 saw, from Analects); fig. to view sb as core figure/to group around a revered leader/

- 眾星捧月 众星捧月 [zhong4 xing1 peng3 yue4] /lit. all the stars cup themselves around the moon (成语 saw, from Analects); fig. to view sb as core figure/to group around a revered leader/to revolve around sb/

- 眾盲摸象 众盲摸象 [zhong4 mang2 mo1 xiang4] /multitude of blind people touch an elephant (成语 saw, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]); fig. unable to see the big picture/to mistake the part for the whole/unable to see the wood for the trees/

- 瞎子摸象 瞎子摸象 [xia1 zi5 mo1 xiang4] /blind people touch an elephant (成语 saw, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]); fig. unable to see the big picture/to mistake the part for the whole/unable to see the wood for the trees/

- 知己知彼 知己知彼 [zhi1 ji3 zhi1 bi3] /Know yourself, know your enemy (成语 saw, from Sunzi's Art of War 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sun1 zi3 Bing1 fa3])/

- 知己知彼，百戰不殆 知己知彼，百战不殆 [zhi1 ji3 zhi1 bi3 , bai3 zhan4 bu4 dai4] /Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated (成语 saw, from Sunzi's Art of War 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sun1 zi3 Bing1 fa3])./

- 知彼知己 知彼知己 [zhi1 bi3 zhi1 ji3] /to know the enemy and know oneself (成语 saw, from Sunzi's Art of War)/

- 知彼知己，百戰不殆 知彼知己，百战不殆 [zhi1 bi3 zhi1 ji3 , bai3 zhan4 bu4 dai4] /Knowing the enemy and yourself will get you unscathed through a hundred battles (成语 saw, from Sunzi's Art of War)./

- 祇見樹木，不見森林 只见树木，不见森林 [zhi3 jian4 shu4 mu4 , bu4 jian4 sen1 lin2] /only see the trees, but not see the forest (成语 saw, from Mao Zedong, On contradictions 毛澤東|毛泽东, 矛盾論|矛盾论)/to concentrate on minutiae at the expense of the big picture/

- 竊國者侯，竊鉤者誅 窃国者侯，窃钩者诛 [qie4 guo2 zhe3 hou2 , qie4 gou1 zhe3 zhu1] /steal the whole country and they make you a prince, steal a hook and they hang you (成语 saw, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子)/

- 竊鉤者誅，竊國者侯 窃钩者诛，窃国者侯 [qie4 gou1 zhe3 zhu1 , qie4 guo2 zhe3 hou2] /steal a hook and they hang you, steal the whole country and they make you a prince (成语 saw, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子)/

- 罷黜百家，獨尊儒術 罢黜百家，独尊儒术 [ba4 chu4 bai3 jia1 , du2 zun1 ru2 shu4] /Dismiss the hundred schools, revere only the Confucians (成语 saw, policy of Emperor Wu of former Han 漢武帝|汉武帝[Han4 Wu3 di4])/fig. sole dominant ideology/

- 羊觸藩籬 羊触藩篱 [yang2 chu4 fan1 li2] /lit. billy goat's horns caught in the fence (成语 saw from Book of Changes 易經|易经); impossible to advance or to retreat/without any way out of a dilemma/trapped/in an impossible situation/

- 羝羊觸藩 羝羊触藩 [di1 yang2 chu4 fan1] /lit. billy goat's horns caught in the fence (成语 saw from Book of Changes 易經|易经); impossible to advance or to retreat/without any way out of a dilemma/trapped/in an impossible situation/

- 能伸能屈 能伸能屈 [neng2 shen1 neng2 qu1] /can bow and submit, or can stand tall (成语 saw, from Book of Changes); ready to give and take/flexible/

- 能屈能伸 能屈能伸 [neng2 qu1 neng2 shen1] /can bow and submit, or can stand tall (成语 saw, from Book of Changes); ready to give and take/flexible/

- 萬壽無疆 万寿无疆 [wan4 shou4 wu2 jiang1] /ten thousand years of boundless longevity (成语 saw, conventional greeting)/We wish you a Happy Birthday and many more of them./

- 薑太公釣魚，願者上鉤 姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩 [Jiang1 tai4 gong1 diao4 yu2 , yuan4 zhe3 shang4 gou1] /Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want it, take the hook (成语 saw, refers to early sage 薑子牙|姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose/

- 螳螂捕蟬 螳蜋捕蝉 [tang2 lang2 bu3 chan2] /the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind (成语 saw, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger/

- 螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後 螳蜋捕蝉，黄雀在后 [tang2 lang2 bu3 chan2 , huang2 que4 zai4 hou4] /The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind (成语 saw, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger/

- 行有餘力 行有余力 [xing2 you3 yu2 li4] /after that, any remaining energy (成语 saw from Analects); time for extracurricular activities/

- 衡酌 衡酌 [heng2 zhuo2] /to weigh and consider/to deliberate/short form of 成语 saw 衡情酌理/

- 見義勇爲 见义勇为 [jian4 yi4 yong3 wei2] /to see what is right and act courageously (成语 saw, from Analects); to stand up bravely for the truth/acting heroically in a just cause/

- 見賢思齊 见贤思齐 [jian4 xian2 si1 qi2] /see a worthy, think to imitate (成语 saw, from Analects); emulate the virtuous/Follow the example of a virtuous and wise teacher./

- 解民倒懸 解民倒悬 [jie3 min2 dao4 xuan2] /lit. to rescue the people from hanging upside down (成语 saw, from Mencius); to save the people from dire straits/

- 誨人不倦 诲人不倦 [hui4 ren2 bu4 juan4] /instructing with tireless zeal (成语 saw, from Analects)/

- 跋前躓後 跋前踬后 [ba2 qian2 zhi4 hou4] /to trip forwards or stumble back (成语 saw, from Book of Songs); can't get anything right/

- 近墨者黑 近墨者黑 [jin4 mo4 zhe3 hei1] /proximity to pitch makes you black (成语 saw, from Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修|欧阳修); different environments provide different influence./Nurture determines a person's character./

- 近朱者赤，近墨者黑 近朱者赤，近墨者黑 [jin4 zhu1 zhe3 chi4 , jin4 mo4 zhe3 hei1] /proximity to cinnabar makes you red, to pitch makes you black (成语 saw, from Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修|欧阳修); different environments provide different influence./Nurture determines a person's character./

- 進退中繩 进退中绳 [jin4 tui4 zhong1 sheng2] /to advance or retreat, each has its rules (成语 saw from Zhuangzi); many translations are possible/

- 進退有常 进退有常 [jin4 tui4 you3 chang2] /to advance or retreat, each has its rules (成语 saw from Zhuangzi); many translations are possible/

- 過猶不及 过犹不及 [guo4 you2 bu4 ji2] /too far is as bad as not enough (成语 saw, from the Analects)/

- 道高益安，勢高益危 道高益安，势高益危 [dao4 gao1 yi4 an1 , shi4 gao1 yi4 wei1] /More moral strength increases one's safety, more power and influence increases one's danger (成语 saw, from Records of the Historian 史記|史记). cf Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it (William Pitt the Elder, 1770)./

- 鑽牛角 钻牛角 [zuan1 niu2 jiao3] /lit. honing a bull's horn; fig. to waste time on an insoluble or insignificant problem/to bash one's head against a brick wall/a wild goose chase/a blind alley/to split hairs/same as 成语 saw 鑽牛角尖|钻牛角尖/

- 長命富貴 长命富贵 [chang2 ming4 fu4 gui4] /We wish you long life and riches! (成语 saw, conventional greeting)/

- 饑饉薦臻 饥馑荐臻 [ji1 jin3 jian4 zhen1] /famine repeats unceasingly (成语 saw, from Book of Songs)/

- 魚與熊掌 鱼与熊掌 [yu2 yu3 xiong2 zhang3] /lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (成语 saw, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other/you can't always get everything you want/you can't have your cake and eat it/

- 魚與熊掌不可兼得 鱼与熊掌不可兼得 [yu2 yu3 xiong2 zhang3 bu4 ke3 jian1 de2] /lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (成语 saw, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other/you can't always get everything you want/you can't have your cake and eat it/

- 鷸蚌相爭 鹬蚌相争 [yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1] /lit. sandpiper and clam war together (and the fisherman catches both, 成语 saw); fig. neighbors who can't agree lose out to a third party/

- 鷸蚌相爭漁翁得利 鹬蚌相争渔翁得利 [yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1 yu2 weng1 de2 li4] /lit. sandpiper and clam war together (and the fisherman catches both, 成语 saw); fig. neighbors who can't agree lose out to a third party/

- 點水 点水 [dian3 shui3] /to skim/lightly touching the water (as the dragonfly in the 成语 saw 蜻蜓點水|蜻蜓点水)/skin deep/

- 點睛 点睛 [dian3 jing1] /to dot in the eyes/fig. to add finishing touch/abbr. for 成语 saw 畫龍點睛|画龙点睛, to paint a dragon and dot in the eyes/the crucial point that brings the subject to life/

- 鼓盆之戚 鼓盆之戚 [gu3 pen2 zhi1 qi1] /drumming on a bowl in grief (成语 saw, refers to Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子 grieving for his lost wife)/fig. grief for a lost wife/