奴顏媚骨

ㄋㄨˊ ㄧㄢˊ ㄇㄟˋ ㄍㄨˇ

/nu³⁵ jɛn³⁵ meɪ̯⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/nu³⁵ jɛn³⁵ meɪ̯⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

(derogatory) bowing and scraping; sycophancy and obsequiousness


所向無敵

ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄒㄧㄤˋ ㄨˊ ㄉㄧˊ

/su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹ u³⁵ ti³⁵/

/sɔː³⁵ hœːŋ³³ mou̯²¹ tɪk̚²/

/su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹ u³⁵ ti³⁵/

/sɔː³⁵ hœːŋ³³ mou̯²¹ tɪk̚²/

Its influence has been so great and its impact so powerful that it is invincible wherever it goes.

1940, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《新民主主義論》 (On New Democracy), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

Qí shēngshì zhī hàodà, wēilì zhī měngliè, jiǎnzhí shì suǒxiàngwúdí de.

其聲勢之浩大，威力之猛烈，簡直是所向無敵的。

其声势之浩大，威力之猛烈，简直是所向无敌的。

all-conquering; invincible wherever one goes


生搬硬套

ㄕㄥ ㄅㄢ ㄧㄥˋ ㄊㄠˋ

шэнбаньинтао

/ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ pän⁵⁵ iŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/saːŋ⁵⁵ puːn⁵⁵ ŋaːŋ²² tʰou̯³³/

/ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ pän⁵⁵ iŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/saːŋ⁵⁵ puːn⁵⁵ ŋaːŋ²² tʰou̯³³/


雷霆萬鈞

ㄌㄟˊ ㄊㄧㄥˊ ㄨㄢˋ ㄐㄩㄣ

лэйтинваньцзюнь

/leɪ̯³⁵ tʰiŋ³⁵ wän⁵¹ t͡ɕyn⁵⁵/

/lɵy̯²¹ tʰɪŋ²¹ maːn²² kʷɐn⁵⁵/

/leɪ̯³⁵ tʰiŋ³⁵ wän⁵¹ t͡ɕyn⁵⁵/

/lɵy̯²¹ tʰɪŋ²¹ maːn²² kʷɐn⁵⁵/

The communist ideological and social system alone is full of youth and vitality, sweeping the world with the momentum of an avalanche and the force of a thunderbolt.

Wéidú gòngchǎnzhǔyì de sīxiǎng tǐxì hé shèhuì zhìdù, zhèng yǐ páishāndǎohǎi zhī shì, léitíngwànjūn zhī lì, pángbó yú quánshìjiè, ér bǎo qí měimiào zhī qīngchūn.

惟獨共產主義的思想體系和社會制度，正以排山倒海之勢，雷霆萬鈞之力，磅礴於全世界，而葆其美妙之青春。

惟独共产主义的思想体系和社会制度，正以排山倒海之势，雷霆万钧之力，磅礴于全世界，而葆其美妙之青春。

as powerful as a thunderbolt; with an irresistable force


頌古非今

ㄙㄨㄥˋ ㄍㄨˇ ㄈㄟ ㄐㄧㄣ

сунгуфэйцзинь

/sʊŋ⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ feɪ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵/

/t͡sʊŋ²² kuː³⁵ fei̯⁵⁵ kɐm⁵⁵/

/sʊŋ⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ feɪ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵/

/t͡sʊŋ²² kuː³⁵ fei̯⁵⁵ kɐm⁵⁵/

However, respect for history means giving it its proper place as a science, respecting its dialectical development, and not eulogizing the past at the expense of the present or praising every drop of feudal poison.

Dànshì zhè zhǒng zūnzhòng, shì gěi lìshǐ yǐ yīdìng de kēxué de dìwèi, shì zūnzhòng lìshǐ de biànzhèngfǎ de fāzhǎn, ér bùshì sònggǔfēijīn, bùshì zànyáng rènhé fēngjiàn de dúsù.

但是這種尊重，是給歷史以一定的科學的地位，是尊重歷史的辯證法的發展，而不是頌古非今，不是讚揚任何封建的毒素。

但是这种尊重，是给历史以一定的科学的地位，是尊重历史的辩证法的发展，而不是颂古非今，不是赞扬任何封建的毒素。

to eulogize the past and belittle the present


Wíyuškiŋyaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke ló

Pleased to meet you - Wíyuškiŋyaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke ló (m)

Pleased to meet you - Wíyuškiŋyaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke (f)


不大不小

ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄚˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄠˇ

/pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ taːi̯²² pɐt̚⁵ siːu̯³⁵/

/pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ taːi̯²² pɐt̚⁵ siːu̯³⁵/


衝鋒陷陣

ㄔㄨㄥ ㄈㄥ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄓㄣˋ

чунфэнсяньчжэнь

/ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂən⁵¹/

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵ hɐm²² t͡sɐn²²/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² ham²²⁻²¹ tin²²/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ³³ hɔŋ³³ ham⁴¹⁻²² tin⁴¹/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² ham²²⁻²¹ tin²²/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ ham³³⁻¹¹ tin³³/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ ham³³⁻²¹ tin³³/

/ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂən⁵¹/

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵ hɐm²² t͡sɐn²²/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² ham²²⁻²¹ tin²²/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ³³ hɔŋ³³ ham⁴¹⁻²² tin⁴¹/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² ham²²⁻²¹ tin²²/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ ham³³⁻¹¹ tin³³/

/t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ ham³³⁻²¹ tin³³/

Representing the great majority of the nation, Lu Xun breached and stormed the enemy citadel; on the cultural front he was the bravest and most correct, the firmest, the most loyal and the most ardent national hero, a hero without parallel in our history.

Lǔ Xùn shì zài wénhuà zhànxiàn shàng, dàibiǎo quán mínzú de dàduōshù, xiàngzhe dírén chōngfēngxiànzhèn de zuì zhèngquè, zuì yǒnggǎn, zuì jiānjué, zuì zhōngshí, zuì rèchén de kōngqián de mínzú yīngxióng.

魯迅是在文化戰線上，代表全民族的大多數，向著敵人衝鋒陷陣的最正確、最勇敢、最堅決、最忠實、最熱忱的空前的民族英雄。

鲁迅是在文化战线上，代表全民族的大多数，向着敌人冲锋陷阵的最正确、最勇敢、最坚决、最忠实、最热忱的空前的民族英雄。

to charge and break enemy ranks; to fight valiantly


Tókhi wániphika ní!

Tókhi wániphika ní! - Good luck! (canonical)


Taŋyáŋ ománi

Have a good journey - Taŋyáŋ ománi (m>sg)

Have a good journey - Taŋyáŋ ománi ye (f>sg)

Have a good journey - Taŋyáŋ ománi po (m>pl)

Have a good journey - Taŋyáŋ ománi pe (f>pl)


aŋpétu wašté yuhá yo

Have a nice day - Aŋpétu wašté yuhá yo (m>sg)

Have a nice day - Aŋpétu wašté yuhá ye (f>sg)

Have a nice day - Aŋpétu wašté yuhá po (m>pl)

Have a nice day - Aŋpétu wašté yuhá pe (f>pl)


市井之徒

ㄕˋ ㄐㄧㄥˇ ㄓ ㄊㄨˊ

/ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tʰu³⁵/

/siː¹³ t͡sɛːŋ³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ tʰou̯²¹/

/ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tʰu³⁵/

/siː¹³ t͡sɛːŋ³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ tʰou̯²¹/

(derogatory) vulgar and unscrupulous person in a city; hooligan


有目共見

ㄧㄡˇ ㄇㄨˋ ㄍㄨㄥˋ ㄐㄧㄢˋ

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu⁵¹⁻⁵³ kʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/jɐu̯¹³ mʊk̚² kʊŋ²² kiːn³³/

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu⁵¹⁻⁵³ kʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/jɐu̯¹³ mʊk̚² kʊŋ²² kiːn³³/

有目共睹 有目共睹#Chinese

Synonym of 有目共睹 (yǒumùgòngdǔ, “to be obvious to all”)


Ȟ’ahíya wóglaka yo

Please speak more slowly - Ȟ’ahíya wóglaka yo (m>sg)


… tókhel Lakȟótiya ehápi he?

How do you say ... in Lakota ? - … tókhel Lakȟótiya ehápi he?


Otȟáŋkaye kiŋ tuktél úŋ he?

Where's the toilet / bathroom? - Otȟáŋkaye kiŋ tuktél úŋ he?


Čhaŋksáyuhá kiŋ wičhákiyuȟla yo

Call the police! - Čhaŋksáyuhá kiŋ wičhákiyuȟla yo (m>sg)


偃旗息鼓

to lower one's banners and muffle one's drums

ㄧㄢˇ ㄑㄧˊ ㄒㄧ ㄍㄨˇ

ㄧㄢˇ ㄑㄧˊ ㄒㄧˊ ㄍㄨˇ

/jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕi³⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jiːn³⁵ kʰei̯²¹ sɪk̚⁵ kuː³⁵/

/jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕi³⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jiːn³⁵ kʰei̯²¹ sɪk̚⁵ kuː³⁵/


Wayáčhi yačhíŋ he?

Would you like to dance with me? - Wayáčhi yačhíŋ he?


單兵獨馬

ㄉㄢ ㄅㄧㄥ ㄉㄨˊ ㄇㄚˇ

/tän⁵⁵ piŋ⁵⁵ tu³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tän⁵⁵ piŋ⁵⁵ tu³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

The former requires the recruiting of large forces for the purpose of surrounding and annihilating the enemy. The latter means fighting single-handed in desperate combat against a formidable enemy.

1935, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《論反對日本帝國主義的策略》 (On Tactics Against Japanese Imperialism), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

Yīgè yào zhāoshōu guǎngdà de rénmǎ, hǎo bǎ dírén bāowéi ér xiāomiè zhī. Yīgè zé yīkào dānbīngdúmǎ, qù tóng qiángdà de dírén dǎ yìngzhàng.

一個要招收廣大的人馬，好把敵人包圍而消滅之。一個則依靠單兵獨馬，去同強大的敵人打硬仗。

一个要招收广大的人马，好把敌人包围而消灭之。一个则依靠单兵独马，去同强大的敌人打硬仗。


單人獨馬

ㄉㄢ ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄨˊ ㄇㄚˇ

даньжэньдума

/tän⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵ tu³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tän⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵ tu³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/


杯觥交錯

ㄅㄟ ㄍㄨㄥ ㄐㄧㄠ ㄘㄨㄛˋ

бэйгунцзяоцо

/peɪ̯⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/puːi̯⁵⁵ kʷɐŋ⁵⁵ kaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɔːk̚³/

/peɪ̯⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/puːi̯⁵⁵ kʷɐŋ⁵⁵ kaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɔːk̚³/

to have many people drinking alcohol together at a feast


que vaia ben

2005, Franz Kafka, Un artista da fame, Editorial Galaxia, page 12 (translation of the short story "New Lamps")

Now go and tell your people downstairs: we won’t rest until we’ve converted your mineshaft into a drawing room, and if you don’t end up dying in patent-leather slippers, then you won’t die at all. Now, good day! (translation from German by Michael Hofmann)

Con todo, dille a túa xente de alá abaixo que ata que non fagamos das vosas galerías un salón, aquí non imos descansar, e se, finalmente, non morredes con botas de charón, tampouco. Que vaia ben.


烽煙四起

ㄈㄥ ㄧㄢ ㄙˋ ㄑㄧˇ

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ sz̩⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ jiːn⁵⁵ sei̯³³ hei̯³⁵/

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ sz̩⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ jiːn⁵⁵ sei̯³³ hei̯³⁵/


匹馬單槍

ㄆㄧˇ ㄇㄚˇ ㄉㄢ ㄑㄧㄤ

ㄆㄧ ㄇㄚˇ ㄉㄢ ㄑㄧㄤ

/pʰi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/pʰi⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/pʰi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/pʰi⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/


應天受命

ㄧㄥˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄕㄡˋ ㄇㄧㄥˋ

интяньшоумин

/iŋ⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ miŋ⁵¹/

/jɪŋ³³ tʰiːn⁵⁵ sɐu̯²² mɪŋ²²/

/iŋ⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ miŋ⁵¹/

/jɪŋ³³ tʰiːn⁵⁵ sɐu̯²² mɪŋ²²/

to conform to the laws of Heaven and accept the Mandate of Heaven; to assume the throne


觥籌交舉

ㄍㄨㄥ ㄔㄡˊ ㄐㄧㄠ ㄐㄩˇ

гунчоуцзяоцзюй

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕy²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kʷɐŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯²¹ kaːu̯⁵⁵ kɵy̯³⁵/

/kʷɐŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯²¹ kaːu̯⁵⁵ kɵy̯³⁵/

觥籌交錯 觥籌交錯#Chinese

觥筹交错 觥筹交错#Chinese

Synonym of 觥籌交錯／觥筹交错 (gōngchóujiāocuò, “to have many people drinking alcohol together”)


孤家寡人

ㄍㄨ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄍㄨㄚˇ ㄖㄣˊ

гуцзягуажэнь

/ku⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵/

/kuː⁵⁵ kaː⁵⁵ kʷaː³⁵ jɐn²¹/

/ku⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵/

/kuː⁵⁵ kaː⁵⁵ kʷaː³⁵ jɐn²¹/

(humble, archaic) I; we; "your unworthy king" (first-person pronoun used by monarchs, similar to the royal we)


威迫利誘

ㄨㄟ ㄆㄛˋ ㄌㄧˋ ㄧㄡˋ

/weɪ̯⁵⁵ pʰu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ joʊ̯⁵¹/

/weɪ̯⁵⁵ pʰu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ joʊ̯⁵¹/

威逼利誘 威逼利誘#Chinese

威逼利诱 威逼利诱#Chinese

Synonym of 威逼利誘／威逼利诱 (wēibīlìyòu, “to coerce and bribe”)


為淵驅魚

ㄨㄟˋ ㄩㄢ ㄑㄩ ㄩˊ

вэйюаньцюйюй

/weɪ̯⁵¹ ɥɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ y³⁵/

/weɪ̯⁵¹ ɥɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ y³⁵/

(figuratively) to produce the exact opposite effect of what one wished

(figuratively, by extension) to drive one's allies or people to the side of the enemy


八面受敵

ㄅㄚ ㄇㄧㄢˋ ㄕㄡˋ ㄉㄧˊ

/pä⁵⁵ mi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ ti³⁵/

/pä⁵⁵ mi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ ti³⁵/


四面受敵

ㄙˋ ㄇㄧㄢˋ ㄕㄡˋ ㄉㄧˊ

/sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ ti³⁵/

/sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ ti³⁵/


觥籌交錯

ㄍㄨㄥ ㄔㄡˊ ㄐㄧㄠ ㄘㄨㄛˋ

гунчоуцзяоцо

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/kʷɐŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯²¹ kaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɔːk̚³/

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/kʷɐŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯²¹ kaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɔːk̚³/

The shooters of dice hit their mark, and players of Chinese chess are victorious. Wine cups and game tallies cross back and forth, and people sit and stand in an uproar. The multitude of guests is happy.

Shè zhě zhōng, yì zhě shèng, gōngchóujiāocuò, qǐ zuò ér xuānhuá zhě, zhòng bīn huān yě.

射者中，弈者勝，觥籌交錯，起坐而喧嘩者，眾賓歡也。

射者中，弈者胜，觥筹交错，起坐而喧哗者，众宾欢也。

to have many people drinking alcohol together


八方受敵

ㄅㄚ ㄈㄤ ㄕㄡˋ ㄉㄧˊ

/pä⁵⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ ti³⁵/

/pä⁵⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ ti³⁵/


單槍匹馬

ㄉㄢ ㄑㄧㄤ ㄆㄧˇ ㄇㄚˇ

ㄉㄢ ㄑㄧㄤ ㄆㄧ ㄇㄚˇ

/tän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ pʰi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ pʰi⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/taːn⁵⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵ pʰɐt̚⁵ maː¹³/

/tan⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiaŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pʰit̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁵³/

/tan⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiũ⁴⁴⁻³³ pʰit̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁴¹/

/tan⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiũ⁴⁴⁻³³ pʰit̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁵³/

/tän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ pʰi⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/taːn⁵⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵ pʰɐt̚⁵ maː¹³/

/tan⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiaŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pʰit̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁵³/

/tan⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiũ⁴⁴⁻³³ pʰit̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁴¹/

/tan⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiũ⁴⁴⁻³³ pʰit̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁵³/


為叢驅雀

ㄨㄟˋ ㄘㄨㄥˊ ㄑㄩ ㄑㄩㄝˋ

вэйцунцюйцюэ

/weɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰʊŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵¹/

/weɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰʊŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵¹/

为丛驱雀
為叢敺雀
為叢驅爵/為叢敺爵/为丛驱爵


生吞活剝

ㄕㄥ ㄊㄨㄣ ㄏㄨㄛˊ ㄅㄛ

/ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ tʰu̯ən⁵⁵ xu̯ɔ³⁵ pu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

/sɐŋ⁵⁵ tʰɐn⁵⁵ wuːt̚² mɔːk̚⁵/

/ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ tʰu̯ən⁵⁵ xu̯ɔ³⁵ pu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

/sɐŋ⁵⁵ tʰɐn⁵⁵ wuːt̚² mɔːk̚⁵/

From 《大唐新語》, edited by Liu Su in the early 9th century.

There was an officer by the name Zhang Huaiqing in Zaoqiang, who was prone to plagiarizing famous authors... Referring to him, an idiom says "to flay Wang Changling alive and swallow Guo Zhengyi raw."

Yǒu Zǎoqiáng wèi Zhāng Huáiqìng, hào tōu míngshì wénzhāng... Rén wèi zhī yàn yuē: “Huó bō Wáng Chānglíng, shēng tūn Guō Zhèngyī.”

有棗強尉張懷慶，好偷名士文章…人謂之諺曰：「活剝王昌齡，生吞郭正一。」

有枣强尉张怀庆，好偷名士文章…人谓之谚曰：「活剥王昌龄，生吞郭正一。」

(figuratively) to apply uncritically; to use without real understanding


男が廃る

男が廃る (canonical)
otoko ga sutaru (romanization)

行かなければ男が廃る。


氣息奄奄

ㄑㄧˋ ㄒㄧ ㄧㄢ ㄧㄢ

ㄑㄧˋ ㄒㄧˊ ㄧㄢ ㄧㄢ

/t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ ɕi⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ ɕi³⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ ɕi⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ ɕi³⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵/

breathe one's last breath
breathe one's last breath

(of a person) to be close to death; to breathe one's last breath

(of a matter) to decline and be close to perishing


屌那星

/tiːu̯³⁵ naː¹³ sɪŋ⁵⁵/

/tiːu̯³⁵ naː³⁵ sɪŋ⁵⁵/

/tiːu̯³⁵ naː¹³ sɪŋ⁵⁵/

/tiːu̯³⁵ naː³⁵ sɪŋ⁵⁵/


為淵驅魚，為叢驅雀

ㄨㄟˋ ㄩㄢ ㄑㄩ ㄩˊ

ㄨㄟˋ ㄘㄨㄥˊ ㄑㄩ ㄑㄩㄝˋ

вэйюаньцюйюй

вэйцунцюйцюэ

/weɪ̯⁵¹ ɥɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ y³⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰʊŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵¹/

Accordingly, as the otter aids the deep waters, driving the fish into them, and the hawk aids the thickets, driving the little birds to them, so Jie and Zhou aided Tang and Wu, driving the people to them.

Gù wèiyuānqūyú zhě, tǎ yě; wèicóngqūquè zhě, zhān yě; wèi Tāng Wǔ qū mín zhě, Jié yǔ Zhòu yě.

故為淵敺魚者，獺也；為叢敺爵者，鸇也；為湯武敺民者，桀與紂也。

故为渊驱鱼者，獭也；为丛驱爵者，鹯也；为汤武驱民者，桀与纣也。

为渊驱鱼，为丛驱雀
為淵敺魚，為叢敺雀
為淵驅魚，為叢驅爵/為淵敺魚，為叢敺爵/为渊驱鱼，为丛驱爵

to drive the fish into deep waters and the sparrows into the thickets

Closed-doorism just "drives the fish into deep waters and the sparrows into the thickets", and it will drive the millions upon millions of the masses, this mighty army, over to the enemy's side, which will certainly win his acclaim.

Guānménzhǔyì “wèiyuānqūyú, wèicóngqūquè”, bǎ “qiānqiānwànwàn” hé “hàohàodàngdàng” dōu gǎndào dírén nà yī biān qù, zhǐ bódé dírén de hècǎi.

關門主義「為淵驅魚，為叢驅雀」，把「千千萬萬」和「浩浩蕩蕩」都趕到敵人那一邊去，只博得敵人的喝采。

关门主义「为渊驱鱼，为丛驱雀」，把「千千万万」和「浩浩荡荡」都赶到敌人那一边去，只博得敌人的喝采。


promises, promises

(humorous) A response to a promise suggesting doubt that the promise will be kept.

(humorous or sarcastic) A response to a threat, implying that the threat is empty and, often, also that it is ineffective because it involves something that the person threatened would actually like to happen.


going, going, gone

Often used by an auctioneer to indicate that an auction is closing with the convention that once the word "gone" is said no further bids will be accepted.


左顧右盼

ㄗㄨㄛˇ ㄍㄨˋ ㄧㄡˋ ㄆㄢˋ

/t͡su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku⁵¹⁻⁵³ joʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pʰän⁵¹/

/t͡sɔː³⁵ kuː³³ jɐu̯²² pʰaːn³³/

/t͡su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku⁵¹⁻⁵³ joʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pʰän⁵¹/

/t͡sɔː³⁵ kuː³³ jɐu̯²² pʰaːn³³/


為時不遠

ㄨㄟˊ ㄕˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄩㄢˇ

/weɪ̯³⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ ɥɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/wɐi̯²¹ siː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jyːn¹³/

/weɪ̯³⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ ɥɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/wɐi̯²¹ siː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jyːn¹³/

After Hitler is wiped out, the defeat of the Japanese aggressors will not be far distant.

1945, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《論聯合政府》 (On Coalition Government), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

Xītèlè bèi xiāomiè yǐhòu, dǎbài Rìběn qīnlüèzhě jiù wéishíbùyuǎn le.

希特勒被消滅以後，打敗日本侵略者就為時不遠了。

希特勒被消灭以后，打败日本侵略者就为时不远了。


艱難險阻

ㄐㄧㄢ ㄋㄢˊ ㄒㄧㄢˇ ㄗㄨˇ

цзяньнаньсяньцзу

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ nän³⁵ ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡su²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kaːn⁵⁵ naːn²¹ hiːm³⁵ t͡sɔː³⁵/

/kaːn⁵⁵ naːn²¹ hiːm³⁵ t͡sɔː³⁵/


por amor da Santa

Literally, “by love of the [female] Saint”.

lit

(colloquial) used to express surprise, contempt, outrage, disgust, boredom, frustration


歪打正著

ㄨㄞ ㄉㄚˇ ㄓㄥˋ ㄓㄠˊ

вайдачжэнчжао

/waɪ̯⁵⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯³⁵/

/waːi̯⁵⁵ taː³⁵ t͡sɪŋ³³ t͡sœːk̚²/

/waɪ̯⁵⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯³⁵/

/waːi̯⁵⁵ taː³⁵ t͡sɪŋ³³ t͡sœːk̚²/

to have used the wrong method or have had no intention of doing something but arrive at the correct result nevertheless


談虎色變

ㄊㄢˊ ㄏㄨˇ ㄙㄜˋ ㄅㄧㄢˋ

таньхусэбянь

/tʰän³⁵ xu²¹⁴⁻²¹ sɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/tʰaːm²¹ fuː³⁵ sɪk̚⁵ piːn³³/

/tʰän³⁵ xu²¹⁴⁻²¹ sɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/tʰaːm²¹ fuː³⁵ sɪk̚⁵ piːn³³/

to become scared when a particular thing is mentioned


明爭暗鬥

ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄥ ㄢˋ ㄉㄡˋ

минчжэнъаньдоу

/miŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ toʊ̯⁵¹/

/mɪŋ²¹ t͡sɐŋ⁵⁵ ɐm³³ tɐu̯³³/

/biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² am²¹⁻⁵³ tɔ²¹/

/biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡siɪŋ³³ am⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ tɔ⁴¹/

/biɪŋ¹³⁻²² t͡siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² am²¹⁻⁵³ tɔ²¹/

/biɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ am¹¹⁻⁵³ tɔ¹¹/

/biɪŋ²³⁻³³ t͡siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ am²¹⁻⁴¹ tɔ²¹/

/miŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ toʊ̯⁵¹/

/mɪŋ²¹ t͡sɐŋ⁵⁵ ɐm³³ tɐu̯³³/

/biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² am²¹⁻⁵³ tɔ²¹/

/biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡siɪŋ³³ am⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ tɔ⁴¹/

/biɪŋ¹³⁻²² t͡siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² am²¹⁻⁵³ tɔ²¹/

/biɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ am¹¹⁻⁵³ tɔ¹¹/

/biɪŋ²³⁻³³ t͡siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ am²¹⁻⁴¹ tɔ²¹/


專心致志

ㄓㄨㄢ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄓˋ ㄓˋ

чжуаньсиньчжичжи

čžuanʹsinʹčžičži

/ʈ͡ʂu̯än⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/t͡syːn⁵⁵ sɐm⁵⁵ t͡siː³³ t͡siː³³/

/ʈ͡ʂu̯än⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/t͡syːn⁵⁵ sɐm⁵⁵ t͡siː³³ t͡siː³³/

Now chess-playing is but a small art, but without his whole mind being given, and his will bent to it, a man cannot succeed at it. Yi Qiu is the best chess-player in all the kingdom. Suppose he is teaching two men to play. The one gives to the subject his whole mind and bends to it all his will, doing nothing but listening to Yi Qiu. Another one, although he seems to be listening to him, has his whole mind running on a swan which he thinks is approaching, and wishes to bend his bow, adjust the string to the arrow, and shoot it. Although he is learning along with another one, he does not come up to him. Why? Because he isn't as intelligent as another one? Not so.

Mencius, c. 4ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Jīnfú yì zhī wéi shù, xiǎo shù yě; bù zhuānxīn zhìzhì, zé bùdé yě. Yìqiū, tōngguó zhī shàn yì zhě yě. Shǐ Yìqiū huì èrrén yì, qí yīrén zhuānxīn zhìzhì, wéi Yìqiū zhī wéi tīng. Yīrén suī tīng zhī, yīxīn yǐwèi yǒu hónghú jiāng zhì, sī yuán gōngzhuó ér shè zhī, suī yǔ zhī jù xué, fú ruò zhī yǐ. Wéishì qí zhì fú ruò yú? Yuē: “Fēi rán yě.”

今夫弈之為數，小數也；不專心致志，則不得也。弈秋，通國之善弈者也。使弈秋誨二人弈，其一人專心致志，惟弈秋之為聽。一人雖聽之，一心以為有鴻鵠將至，思援弓繳而射之，雖與之俱學，弗若之矣。為是其智弗若與？曰：「非然也。」

今夫弈之为数，小数也；不专心致志，则不得也。弈秋，通国之善弈者也。使弈秋诲二人弈，其一人专心致志，惟弈秋之为听。一人虽听之，一心以为有鸿鹄将至，思援弓缴而射之，虽与之俱学，弗若之矣。为是其智弗若与？曰：「非然也。」

to be wholly focused; with single-hearted devotion


手足無措

ㄕㄡˇ ㄗㄨˊ ㄨˊ ㄘㄨㄛˋ

/ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡su³⁵ u³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/sɐu̯³⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵ mou̯²¹ t͡sʰou̯³³/

/ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡su³⁵ u³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/sɐu̯³⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵ mou̯²¹ t͡sʰou̯³³/

If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success. When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music will not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot.

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Míng bù zhèng, zé yán bù shùn; yán bù shùn, zé shì bù chéng; shì bù chéng, zé lǐyuè bù xīng; lǐyuè bù xīng, zé xíngfá bù zhòng; xíngfá bù zhòng, zé mín wú suǒ cuò shǒuzú.

名不正，則言不順；言不順，則事不成；事不成，則禮樂不興；禮樂不興，則刑罰不中；刑罰不中，則民無所措手足。

名不正，则言不顺；言不顺，则事不成；事不成，则礼乐不兴；礼乐不兴，则刑罚不中；刑罚不中，则民无所措手足。

to have no way to move the hands or feet


威逼利誘

ㄨㄟ ㄅㄧ ㄌㄧˋ ㄧㄡˋ

/weɪ̯⁵⁵ pi⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ joʊ̯⁵¹/

/wɐi̯⁵⁵ pɪk̚⁵ lei̯²² jɐu̯¹³/

/weɪ̯⁵⁵ pi⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ joʊ̯⁵¹/

/wɐi̯⁵⁵ pɪk̚⁵ lei̯²² jɐu̯¹³/

to coerce and bribe; to threaten and bribe


客似雲來

ㄎㄜˋ ㄙˋ ㄩㄣˊ ㄌㄞˊ

/kʰɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ sz̩⁵¹ yn³⁵ laɪ̯³⁵/

/haːk̚³ t͡sʰiː¹³ wɐn²¹ lɔːi̯²¹/

/kʰɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ sz̩⁵¹ yn³⁵ laɪ̯³⁵/

/haːk̚³ t͡sʰiː¹³ wɐn²¹ lɔːi̯²¹/

to have a lot of customers coming to a shop or business


tókhiya lá

tókhiya lá he/hwo? - where are you going? (he/hwo=female/male)


難以言喻

ㄋㄢˊ ㄧˇ ㄧㄢˊ ㄩˋ

/nän³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɛn³⁵ y⁵¹/

/naːn²¹ jiː¹³ jiːn²¹ jyː²²/

/nän³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɛn³⁵ y⁵¹/

/naːn²¹ jiː¹³ jiːn²¹ jyː²²/

to be difficult to be described by words


我手寫我口

ㄨㄛˇ ㄕㄡˇ ㄒㄧㄝˇ ㄨㄛˇ ㄎㄡˇ

wǒ shǒu xiě wǒ kǒu [Phonetic:wóshóuxiéwókǒu]

во шоу се во коу

/wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ɕi̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/ŋɔː¹³ sɐu̯³⁵ sɛː³⁵ ŋɔː¹³ hɐu̯³⁵/

/ŋɔː¹³ sɐu̯³⁵ sɛː³⁵ ŋɔː¹³ hɐu̯³⁵/

Attributed to Huang Zunxian, popularized for its current sense by the writer Hu Shih

"my hand writes [what] my mouth [speaks]", referring to writing in written vernacular Chinese rather than the literary register of Classical Chinese.


Fisch muss schwimmen

Literally, “fish must swim”. Compare the same in Dutch vis moet zwemmen.

(idiomatic) A jocular expression used to encourage or justify the consumption of alcohol, especially wine, with fish dishes.


марджэ хъужьын

head

марджэ хъужьын • (mardžɛ χʷuźən)

[maːrd͡ʒa χʷəʑən]

Уизакъоу чэщым удэмыкӏ марджэ хъужьын

Far be it, don't go out alone in the night.

Wujizaqʷowu čɛśəm wudɛməkʼ mardžɛ χʷuźən

Марджэ хъужьын, ӏофыр умыухыгъэу укъэмыкӏу

Far be it, don't came before you finish the job.

Mardžɛ χʷuźən, ʼwofər wuməwuxəğɛwu wuqɛməkʷʼu


惡貫滿盈

ㄜˋ ㄍㄨㄢˋ ㄇㄢˇ ㄧㄥˊ

эгуаньманьин

/ˀɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ku̯än⁵¹ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ iŋ³⁵/

/ɔːk̚³ kuːn³³ muːn¹³ jɪŋ²¹/

/ˀɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ku̯än⁵¹ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ iŋ³⁵/

/ɔːk̚³ kuːn³³ muːn¹³ jɪŋ²¹/

to have committed a great number of crimes or sins


竭澤而漁

ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄗㄜˊ ㄦˊ ㄩˊ

/t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ y³⁵/

/kʰiːt̚³ t͡saːk̚² jiː²¹ jyː²¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ y³⁵/

/kʰiːt̚³ t͡saːk̚² jiː²¹ jyː²¹/

kill the goose that lays the golden egg
kill the goose that lays the golden egg

to kill the goose that lays the golden egg; to extract everything available at the moment at the sacrifice of long-term benefits


異想天開

ㄧˋ ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄎㄞ

/i⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵/

/jiː²² sœːŋ³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ hɔːi̯⁵⁵/

/i²²⁻²¹ siɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰĩ⁴⁴⁻²² kʰui⁴⁴/

/i⁴¹⁻²² siɔŋ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tʰĩ³³ kʰui³³/

/i²²⁻²¹ siɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰĩ⁴⁴⁻²² kʰui⁴⁴/

/i³³⁻¹¹ siɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰĩ⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰui⁴⁴/

/i³³⁻²¹ siɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tʰĩ⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰui⁴⁴/

/i⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵/

/jiː²² sœːŋ³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ hɔːi̯⁵⁵/

/i²²⁻²¹ siɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰĩ⁴⁴⁻²² kʰui⁴⁴/

/i⁴¹⁻²² siɔŋ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tʰĩ³³ kʰui³³/

/i²²⁻²¹ siɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰĩ⁴⁴⁻²² kʰui⁴⁴/

/i³³⁻¹¹ siɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰĩ⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰui⁴⁴/

/i³³⁻²¹ siɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tʰĩ⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰui⁴⁴/


lato sensu

From Latin lātō sēnsū and sēnsū lātō, both meaning the same. Various misspellings exist, such as lato senso, latu sensu, senso lato and sensu latu, which can be attributed to ignorance of the underlying Latin grammar causing analogical leveling of the endings. (The only grammatically correct alternative form is sensu lato, which is also commonly found in English.)


含英咀華

ㄏㄢˊ ㄧㄥ ㄐㄩˇ ㄏㄨㄚˊ

ханьинцзюйхуа

/xän³⁵ iŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕy²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ä³⁵/

/hɐm²¹ jɪŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɵy̯³⁵ waː²¹/

/xän³⁵ iŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕy²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ä³⁵/

/hɐm²¹ jɪŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɵy̯³⁵ waː²¹/

You immerse yourself in the richness of literature, and you chew in your mouth the flowering passages. In your literary creations, there is an abundance of essential merits found in all the great masters before you.

c. 813, Han Yu, "On Encouraging Scholarship" (《進學解》)

Chén jìn nóng yù, hányīngjǔhuá. Zuò wèi wénzhāng, qí shū mǎn jiā.

沉浸醲郁，含英咀華。作爲文章，其書滿家。

沉浸𬪩郁，含英咀华。作为文章，其书满家。

(figurative) to savour the merits of a literary work; to appreciate the subtleties in a literary work by rumination


明日黃花

ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄖˋ ㄏㄨㄤˊ ㄏㄨㄚ

минжихуанхуа

/miŋ³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹ xu̯ɑŋ³⁵ xu̯ä⁵⁵/

/mɪŋ²¹ jɐt̚² wɔːŋ²¹ faː⁵⁵/

/biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² lit̚⁴⁻³² hɔŋ²⁴⁻²² hua⁴⁴/

/miŋ³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹ xu̯ɑŋ³⁵ xu̯ä⁵⁵/

/mɪŋ²¹ jɐt̚² wɔːŋ²¹ faː⁵⁵/

/biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² lit̚⁴⁻³² hɔŋ²⁴⁻²² hua⁴⁴/

an object or person that is past their prime; what is obsolete


隣の芝生は青く見える

ja-pos

となり の しばふ は あおく みえる

隣(となり)の芝(しば)生(ふ)は青(あお)く見(み)える • (tonari no shibafu wa aoku mieru)

隣の芝生は青く見える (canonical)
tonari no shibafu wa aoku mieru (romanization)

"the grass is always greener on the other side": The others' circumstances seem more desirable.


乜春

/mɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵/

/mɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵/

(Cantonese, emphatic) what; what the hell


樹頭徛予在，毋驚樹尾做風颱

head

樹頭徛予在，毋驚樹尾做風颱

树头徛予在，毋惊树尾做风台

/t͡sʰiu²²⁻²¹ tʰau²⁴ kʰia²²⁻²¹ hɔ²²⁻²¹ t͡sai²² m̩²²⁻²¹ kiã⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu²²⁻²¹ bue⁵³ t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² tʰai⁴⁴/

/t͡sʰiu⁴¹⁻²² tʰau²⁴ kʰia⁴¹⁻²² hɔ⁴¹⁻²² t͡sai⁴¹ m̩⁴¹⁻²² kiã³³ t͡sʰiu⁴¹⁻²² bue⁵⁵⁴ t͡so⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ hɔŋ³³ tʰai³³/

/t͡sʰiu²²⁻²¹ tʰau¹³ kʰia²²⁻²¹ hɔ²²⁻²¹ t͡sai²² m̩²²⁻²¹ kiã⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu²²⁻²¹ bue⁵³ t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² tʰai⁴⁴/

/t͡sʰiu³³⁻¹¹ tʰau²⁴ kʰia³³⁻¹¹ hɔ³³⁻¹¹ t͡sai³³ m̩³³⁻¹¹ kiã⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu³³⁻¹¹ bue⁵³ t͡so¹¹⁻⁵³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ tʰai⁴⁴/

/t͡sʰiu³³⁻²¹ tʰau²³ kʰia³³⁻²¹ hɔ³³⁻²¹ t͡sai³³ m̩³³⁻²¹ kiã⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu³³⁻²¹ bue⁴¹ t͡sɤ²¹⁻⁴¹ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ tʰai⁴⁴/

(Southern Min, figurative) a solid foundation is important


はよ

From 早(はよ)う (hayō), the u-onbin (ウ音便(おんびん)) form of 早(はや)く (hayaku).

画像はよ

ソースはよ

sauce? (literally, “hurry up with the source”)

更新はよ

(Internet slang) Ellipsis of はよ + an unspecified verb; used to form demands for something


擁兵自重

ㄩㄥ ㄅㄧㄥ ㄗˋ ㄓㄨㄥˋ

ㄩㄥˇ ㄅㄧㄥ ㄗˋ ㄓㄨㄥˋ

юнбинцзычжун

/jʊŋ⁵⁵ piŋ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹/

/jʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ piŋ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹/

/jʊŋ³⁵ pɪŋ⁵⁵ t͡siː²² t͡sʊŋ²²/

/jʊŋ⁵⁵ piŋ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹/

/jʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ piŋ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹/

/jʊŋ³⁵ pɪŋ⁵⁵ t͡siː²² t͡sʊŋ²²/

to control a sizable army and defy orders from higher or central authorities


寢食不安

ㄑㄧㄣˇ ㄕˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄢ

циньшибу’ань

/t͡ɕʰin²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ ˀän⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɐm³⁵ sɪk̚² pɐt̚⁵ ɔːn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰin²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ ˀän⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɐm³⁵ sɪk̚² pɐt̚⁵ ɔːn⁵⁵/


寢食難安

ㄑㄧㄣˇ ㄕˊ ㄋㄢˊ ㄢ

циньшинаньань

/t͡ɕʰin²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ nän³⁵ ˀän⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɐm³⁵ sɪk̚² naːn²¹ ɔːn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰin²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ nän³⁵ ˀän⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɐm³⁵ sɪk̚² naːn²¹ ɔːn⁵⁵/


gero gerokoak

(idiomatic) time will tell (acts have consequences)


暮四朝三

ㄇㄨˋ ㄙˋ ㄓㄠ ㄙㄢ

мусычжаосань

/mu⁵¹⁻⁵³ sz̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ sän⁵⁵/

/mu⁵¹⁻⁵³ sz̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ sän⁵⁵/

朝三暮四 朝三暮四#Chinese


暮楚朝秦

ㄇㄨˋ ㄔㄨˇ ㄓㄠ ㄑㄧㄣˊ

мучучжаоцинь

/mu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵/

/mu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵/

朝秦暮楚 朝秦暮楚#Chinese


順我者昌，逆我者亡

ㄕㄨㄣˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄓㄜˇ ㄔㄤ

ㄋㄧˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄓㄜˇ ㄨㄤˊ

seon⁶ ngo⁵ ze² coeng¹, jik⁶ ngo⁵ ze² mong⁴

shun⁴ wo³ chê³ chʻang¹, ni⁴ wo³ chê³ wang²

шунь во чжэ чан

ни во чжэ ван

šunʹ vo čžɛ čan

/ʂu̯ən⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵⁵ ni⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ wɑŋ³⁵/

seuhn ngóh jé chēung, yihk ngóh jé mòhng

soen⁶ ngo⁵ dze² tsoeng¹, jik⁹ ngo⁵ dze² mong⁴

sên⁶ ngo⁵ zé² cêng¹, yig⁶ ngo⁵ zé² mong⁴

/sɵn²² ŋɔː¹³ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵ jɪk̚² ŋɔː¹³ t͡sɛː³⁵ mɔːŋ²¹/

those who submit will prosper; those who resist will perish


佔為己有

ㄓㄢˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄐㄧˇ ㄧㄡˇ

чжаньвэйцзию

/ʈ͡ʂän⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

他把財產完全佔為己有

他把财产完全占为己有

to appropriate to oneself; to take something which is not yours


朝四暮三

ㄓㄠ ㄙˋ ㄇㄨˋ ㄙㄢ

чжаосымусань

/ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹ sän⁵⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹ sän⁵⁵/

朝三暮四 朝三暮四#Chinese


順我者昌，逆我者嫖娼

ㄕㄨㄣˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄓㄜˇ ㄔㄤ

ㄋㄧˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄓㄜˇ ㄆㄧㄠˊ ㄔㄤ

seon⁶ ngo⁵ ze² coeng¹, jik⁶ ngo⁵ ze² piu⁴ coeng¹

nì wǒ zhě piáochāng [Phonetic:shùnwózhěchāng

шунь во чжэ чан

ни во чжэ пяочан

šunʹ vo čžɛ čan

/ʂu̯ən⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵⁵ ni⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰi̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵⁵/

seuhn ngóh jé chēung, yihk ngóh jé pìuh chēung

soen⁶ ngo⁵ dze² tsoeng¹, jik⁹ ngo⁵ dze² piu⁴ tsoeng¹

sên⁶ ngo⁵ zé² cêng¹, yig⁶ ngo⁵ zé² piu⁴ cêng¹

/sɵn²² ŋɔː¹³ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵ jɪk̚² ŋɔː¹³ t͡sɛː³⁵ pʰiːu̯²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵/

A pun based on the phrase 順我者昌，逆我者亡／顺我者昌，逆我者亡 (shùn wǒ zhě chāng, nì wǒ zhě wáng), by replacing 亡 (wáng) with 嫖娼 (piáochāng, “to visit prostitutes”), of which the second syllable 娼 (chāng) is homophonous with the last word 昌 (chāng) in the first half of the phrase. This pun refers to the practice of framing dissidents for visiting prostitutes by the PRC government.

zh-l

Those whoobey me prosper; those who oppose me are sex-buyers.

(neologism, sarcastic) Powerful people or organizations (especially an Orwellian government) tend to frame and defame anyone opposing them.


zu Urkund dessen

Compare French en foi de quoi, sur foi de quoi.

Translation:
2011 May 11, European Commission, COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the establishment of an Intergovernmental Agreement for the operations of the European Earth monitoring programme (GMES) from 2014 to 2020, page 14 (PDF):

2011 May 11, Europäische Kommission, MITTEILUNG DER KOMMISSION AN DAS EUROPÄISCHE PARLAMENT, DEN RAT, DEN EUROPÄISCHEN WIRTSCHAFTS- UND SOZIALAUSSCHUSS UND DEN AUSSCHUSS DER REGIONEN über die Ausarbeitung einer zwischenstaatlichen Vereinbarung für den Betrieb des Europäischen Erdbeobachtungsprogramms (GMES) von 2014 bis 2020, page 14 (PDF)

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, have signed this Agreement[.]

ZU URKUND DESSEN haben die unterzeichneten im Rat vereinigten Vertreter der Regierungen der Mitgliedstaaten ihre Unterschrift unter dieses Übereinkommen gesetzt.


桑榆晚景

ㄙㄤ ㄩˊ ㄨㄢˇ ㄐㄧㄥˇ

санъюйваньцзин

/sɑŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ wän²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɔːŋ⁵⁵ jyː²¹ maːn¹³ kɪŋ³⁵/

/sɑŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ wän²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɔːŋ⁵⁵ jyː²¹ maːn¹³ kɪŋ³⁵/


桑榆暮景

ㄙㄤ ㄩˊ ㄇㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄥˇ

санъюймуцзин

/sɑŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ mu⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɔːŋ⁵⁵ jyː²¹ mou̯²² kɪŋ³⁵/

/sɑŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ mu⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɔːŋ⁵⁵ jyː²¹ mou̯²² kɪŋ³⁵/


لا فض فوك

head

لَا فُضَّ فُوكَ

لَا فُضَّ فُوكَ • (lā fuḍḍa fūka)

لَا فُضَّ فُو كَ (canonical)
lā fuḍḍa fūka (romanization)


que sera sera

/ˈkeɪ sɛˌɹɑː sɛˈɹɑː/

An ungrammatical hispanicization of the artificial Italian language phrase "che sara sara", from standard Italian quel che sarà, sarà (“what will be, will be”), coined by American composers Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for use as the title to their 1956 song “Que Sera, Sera” (as such, this phrase represents an artifice based upon an artifice).

bor

whatever happens, happens
whatever happens, happens

"whatever happens, happens", "whatever will be, will be". Ostensibly employed to express a personal philosophy of fatalism and acceptance of the future.

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)


que será, será

/ˈkeɪ sɛˌɹɑː sɛˈɹɑː/


para gustos, los colores

para gustos colores
para gustos colores#Spanish


喜氣洋洋

ㄒㄧˇ ㄑㄧˋ ㄧㄤˊ ㄧㄤˊ

/ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ jɑŋ³⁵ jɑŋ³⁵/

/hei̯³⁵ hei̯³³ jœːŋ²¹ jœːŋ²¹/

/ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ jɑŋ³⁵ jɑŋ³⁵/

/hei̯³⁵ hei̯³³ jœːŋ²¹ jœːŋ²¹/


姼仔詼

/t͡sʰit̚³²⁻⁴ a⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kʰue⁴⁴/

/t͡sʰit̚³²⁻⁴ a⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰue⁴⁴/

/t͡sʰit̚³²⁻⁴ a⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kʰue⁴⁴/

/t͡sʰit̚³²⁻⁴ a⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰue⁴⁴/


力有未逮

ㄌㄧˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄨㄟˋ ㄉㄞˋ

/li⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ weɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ taɪ̯⁵¹/

/lɪk̚² jɐu̯¹³ mei̯²² tɐi̯²²/

/li⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ weɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ taɪ̯⁵¹/

/lɪk̚² jɐu̯¹³ mei̯²² tɐi̯²²/


人貴自知

ㄖㄣˊ ㄍㄨㄟˋ ㄗˋ ㄓ

жэнь гуй цзычжи

/ʐən³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/jɐn²¹ kʷɐi̯³³ t͡siː²² t͡siː⁵⁵/

/ʐən³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/jɐn²¹ kʷɐi̯³³ t͡siː²² t͡siː⁵⁵/


春意盎然

ㄔㄨㄣ ㄧˋ ㄤˋ ㄖㄢˊ

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən⁵⁵ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ ˀɑŋ⁵¹ ʐän³⁵/

/t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵ jiː³³ ɔːŋ³³ jiːn²¹/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən⁵⁵ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ ˀɑŋ⁵¹ ʐän³⁵/

/t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵ jiː³³ ɔːŋ³³ jiːn²¹/


永無寧日

ㄩㄥˇ ㄨˊ ㄋㄧㄥˊ ㄖˋ

/jʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ niŋ³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹/

/wɪŋ¹³ mou̯²¹ nɪŋ²¹ jɐt̚²/

/iɪŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bu²³⁻³³ liɪŋ²³⁻³³ zit̚⁴/

/jʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ niŋ³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹/

/wɪŋ¹³ mou̯²¹ nɪŋ²¹ jɐt̚²/

/iɪŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bu²³⁻³³ liɪŋ²³⁻³³ zit̚⁴/

to never have a peaceful day; to always be in turmoil or disorder


止戈為武

ㄓˇ ㄍㄜ ㄨㄟˊ ㄨˇ

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ u²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡siː³⁵ kʷɔː⁵⁵ wɐi̯²¹ mou̯¹³/

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ u²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡siː³⁵ kʷɔː⁵⁵ wɐi̯²¹ mou̯¹³/

From the analysis of the character 武 as being composed of 止 (“to stop”) and 戈 (“war”) in Zuozhuan

Pan Dang said to him, 'Why should your lordship not signalize your triumph by making a mound, and collect in it the bodies of the Jinites so as to form a grand monument? I have heard that successful battles should be shown to posterity, so that the prowess of them may not be forgotten." The viscount said, "You do not know what you are talking about. The character for 'prowess' is formed by those for 'to stay' and 'a spear'. When king Wu had subdued Shang, he made the ode, which says, 'He has called in shields and spears; He has returned to their cases bows and arrows. I will seek true virtue, and display it throughout the great land, that as king I may indeed preserve our appointment.'"

Pān Dǎng yuē: “Jūn hé zhù wǔjūn, ér shōu Jìn shī yǐwèi jīngguān, chén wén kè dí, bì shì zǐsūn, yǐ wú wàng wǔgōng.” Chǔ zǐ yuē: “Fēi ěr suǒ zhī yě, fú wén, zhǐgēwéiwǔ. Wǔwáng kè Shāng, zuò sòng yuē: ‘Zǎi jí gāngē, zǎi gāo gōngshǐ, wǒ qiú yìdé, sì yú shí xià, yǔn wáng bǎo zhī.’”

潘黨曰：「君盍築武軍，而收晉尸以為京觀，臣聞克敵，必示子孫，以無忘武功。」楚子曰：「非爾所知也，夫文，止戈為武。武王克商，作頌曰：『載戢干戈，載櫜弓矢，我求懿德，肆于時夏，允王保之。』」

潘党曰：「君盍筑武军，而收晋尸以为京观，臣闻克敌，必示子孙，以无忘武功。」楚子曰：「非尔所知也，夫文，止戈为武。武王克商，作颂曰：『载戢干戈，载櫜弓矢，我求懿德，肆于时夏，允王保之。』」

to end a war is the true military accomplishment


世も末

世も末 (canonical)
yo mo sue (romanization)

世 (yo, “world”) + も (mo, “too, also”) + 末 (sue, “end”).

com

the end of the world; the world is beyond saving; there's no hope for the future; this degenerate age; what is this world coming to


汰舊換新

ㄊㄞˋ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄏㄨㄢˋ ㄒㄧㄣ

тайцзюхуаньсинь

/tʰaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯än⁵¹ ɕin⁵⁵/

/tʰaːi̯³³ kɐu̯²² wuːn²² sɐn⁵⁵/

/tʰaːi̯³³ kɐu̯²² wuːn²² sɐn⁵⁵/

to eliminate the old and replace them with the new


指點江山

ㄓˇ ㄉㄧㄢˇ ㄐㄧㄤ ㄕㄢ

чжидяньцзяншань

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ti̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵/

/t͡siː³⁵ tiːm³⁵ kɔːŋ⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵/

/t͡siː³⁵ tiːm³⁵ kɔːŋ⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵/


paskooko karhu metsään

does a bear shit in the woods
does a bear shit in the woods


I couldn't of said it better myself

I couldn't have said it better myself#English

Misspelling of I couldn't have said it better myself.


menneen talven lumia

(idiomatic) yesterday's news, history, bygones


kuin perseeseen ammuttu karhu

(simile, somewhat vulgar) very angry, in a really bad mood


Jumalan selän takana

(idiomatic) in the middle of nowhere, in a godforsaken place


ei tippa tapa eikä ämpäriin huku

Popularized by "Ei tippa tapa", a song by popular Finnish rock and folk singer Irwin Goodman; according to his long-time lyricist (including of the specific song), Vexi Salmi, one of his and Goodman's friends used to say the phrase while they spent time in Germany in the early 1960's.

An encouragement to drink (more) alcohol.


pokud možno

if possible, where possible, as far as possible


一人一路

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² laŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² lɔ⁴¹/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² laŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² lɔ²²/

/t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ laŋ¹³⁻²² t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ lɔ²²/

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² laŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² lɔ⁴¹/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² laŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² lɔ²²/

(Southern Min) to part ways; to part company

(Southern Min) to evade each other to avoid responsibility


let's get this circus on the road

"Then he'd take a quick look at the script and say, 'Let's get this circus on the road.' The cameras would turn."

1982, Norm Goldstein, Frank Sinatra: Ol' Blue Eyes, page 57:

The keys were in the ignition. "Come on," Jargodin said. "Let's get this circus on the road. I'll follow you."

1994, Jim Ranie, Jargodin: The Moonlighter, Brisbane: Jim Ranie, page 232:

(idiomatic) Let's start; let's begin (a journey, undertaking, etc.).


一人一家代，公媽隨人祀

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² laŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² ke³³ tai⁴¹ kɔŋ³³ mã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ sui²⁴⁻²² laŋ²⁴⁻²² sai⁴¹/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² laŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² ke⁴⁴⁻²² tai²² kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sui²⁴⁻²² laŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡sʰai²²/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² laŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² ke⁴⁴⁻³³ tai³³ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sui²⁴⁻¹¹ laŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sʰai³³/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² laŋ²³⁻³³ t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² ke⁴⁴⁻³³ tai³³ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ mã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ sui²³⁻³³ laŋ²³⁻³³ t͡sʰai³³/

/t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ laŋ¹³⁻²² t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ kɛ⁴⁴⁻²² tai²² kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sui¹³⁻²² laŋ¹³⁻²² t͡sʰai²²/

(Southern Min) each family or individual handles its own affairs and others should not intervene


دل می‌باله ترا

head

دل میباله ترا • (del me-bâle torâ)

دل میباله ترا (canonical)
del me-bâle torâ (romanization)


weird flex, but OK

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-weird flex, but OK.wav

In an ACU blog written in 2010, GATA's claim to fame is that they are the "oldest continuously named social club on the ACU campus" (weird flex, but OK).

2018, Lauren Franco, "Pink and green since 1919, ACU's oldest club", The Optimist (Abiline Christian University), 12 October 2018, page 10

To the girl who kept sending snapchats during lecture with her front flash on...weird flex but ok

2018, Courtney, quoted in "Shoutout," The Badger Herald (University of Wisconsin), 13 November 2018, page 21

Pencil – Doing assignments in pen? Weird flex but ok.

2019 September, Abby Paul, “What essential school supply did you forget?”, in The Bridge, University of Alberta, page 15:

Much like when an actor in a play breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the audience, but the other characters on stage, who also witnss the actor speaking and acting, don't understand to whom the actor is actually talking, and in this case neither does the actor himself, as it is an unconscious address. One is left asking, "why are you telling me this or doing this?" Or in more modern lingo, "that's a weird flex, but OK."

2020, Bethany Morris, Chase Kelly O'Gwin, Sebasteinne Grant, Sakenya McDonald, Subjectivity in Psychology in the Era of Social Justice, Routledge, →ISBN:

(Internet slang) Used to indicate that one finds an action or statement to be showy and strange.


ehe man sichs versieht

From archaic sich (etwas) versehen (“to expect something”).

Sie bergen das Gift unter dem Fingernagel, und wenn sie andern Wein oder Tee einschenken, so schnellen sie mit dem Finger etwas davon ins Glas, ganz wenig nur wie ein Stäubchen. Ehe der andere sichs versieht, hat er so das Gift im Leibe.

1914, “Giftmischen”, in Chinesische Volksmärchen, page 228:

before you can say knife
before you can say knife

(somewhat dated) before you can say knife (quicker than one expects)


I'll be in my bunk

From a scene in the episode "War Stories" (2002) of the television series Firefly, in which Jayne Cobb reacts to seeing courtesan Inara walk off with a female client by stating, "I'll be in my bunk."

It was exhausting in all the wrong ways, but I made it through the two weeks without succumbing to temptation. Will I give up for good? Hell no. But I now appreciate it a whole lot more.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my bunk.

2013, James Haydon, "Going Without: Masturbating", Vertigo (University of Technology, Sydney), Issue 2 (2013), page 12

Speaking of people in the Thor movies, Idris Elba—Marvel's Heimdall, and the guy everyone wants to be the new James Bond—just set the date for his first turn as the host of Saturday Night Live. People's Sexiest Man Alive will take the stage in studio 8H on March 9 and will be promoting his new Netflix film, Turn Up Charlie. Said fans everywhere, "I'll be in my bunk."

2019 February 21, Angela Watercutter, “Thor Is Going to Be Playing the Hulk”, in Wired:

I'm still working my way through the Bao Bun Bennie menu (plus the curry-spiced hash browns are godlike), but the Crispy Fried Chicken French Toast is also... Well, let's just say I'll be in my bunk.

2019, Rosemary Rowe, in Gail Johnson, "Notables share ideal Vancouver days", The Georgia Straight, 13 June 2019, page 13

(fandom slang) Used to imply that one needs to excuse oneself to privately indulge in a pleasurable activity, particularly masturbation.


e o caralho

Na festa vai ter cerveja, suco e o caralho.

In the party, we will have beer, juice and so on.


引蛇入鳥岫

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sua²⁴⁻²² lip̚⁴⁻³² t͡siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ siu²²/

/in⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sua²⁴⁻²² lip̚²⁴⁻² t͡siau⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ siu⁴¹/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sua¹³⁻²² d͡zip̚¹²¹⁻²¹ t͡siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ siu²²/

(Southern Min) to bring bad people inside (which may cause trouble)


反入反出

/piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lip̚⁴⁻³² piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰut̚³²/

/pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ d͡zip̚¹²¹⁻²¹ pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰut̚³²/

/puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ lip̚²⁴⁻² puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sʰut̚⁵/

/puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ lip̚²⁴⁻² puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sʰut̚⁵/


反起反倒

/piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁵³/

/huan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kʰi⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ huan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tɤ⁴¹/

/huan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ huan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁵³/

/pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁵³/

/puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ kʰi⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ to⁵⁵⁴/

/piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁵³/

/huan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kʰi⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ huan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tɤ⁴¹/

/huan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ huan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁵³/

/pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁵³/

/puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ kʰi⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ to⁵⁵⁴/

(Southern Min) to be unsteady; to be capricious; to be erratic; to be fickle


反烏反白

/piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɔ⁴⁴⁻²² piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ peʔ⁴/

/pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɔ⁴⁴⁻²² pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pɛʔ¹²¹/

/puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ ɔ³³ puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ peʔ²⁴/

/piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɔ⁴⁴⁻²² piɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ peʔ⁴/

/pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɔ⁴⁴⁻²² pan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pɛʔ¹²¹/

/puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ ɔ³³ puĩ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ peʔ²⁴/

(Southern Min) to confuse right and wrong


瓊樓玉宇

ㄑㄩㄥˊ ㄌㄡˊ ㄩˋ ㄩˇ

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ³⁵ loʊ̯³⁵ y⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kʰɪŋ²¹ lɐu̯²¹ jʊk̚² jyː¹³/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ³⁵ loʊ̯³⁵ y⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kʰɪŋ²¹ lɐu̯²¹ jʊk̚² jyː¹³/

(Chinese mythology) the palace of the Moon


項莊舞劍，意在沛公

ㄒㄧㄤˋ ㄓㄨㄤ ㄨˇ ㄐㄧㄢˋ

ㄧˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄆㄟˋ ㄍㄨㄥ

hong⁶ zong¹ mou⁵ gim³, ji³ zoi⁶ pui³ gung¹

Сян Чжуан у цзянь

и цзай Пэйгун

/ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ u²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pʰeɪ̯⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

hong⁶ dzong¹ mou⁵ gim³, ji³ dzoi⁶ pui³ gung¹

hong⁶ zong¹ mou⁵ gim³, yi³ zoi⁶ pui³ gung¹

/hɔːŋ²² t͡sɔːŋ⁵⁵ mou̯¹³ kiːm³³ jiː³³ t͡sɔːi̯²² pʰuːi̯³³ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

From the Records of the Grand Historian. In 206 BC, late Qin dynasty warlord Xiang Yu invited his rival Liu Bang to a feast at Hongmen (鴻門宴／鸿门宴 (hóngményàn)). During this feast, Xiang Yu's cousin, Xiang Zhuang, tried to assassinate Liu Bang (also known as the Duke of Pei) by pretending to offer to perform a sword dance.

Liu Bang
Records of the Grand Historian
Xiang Yu
Xiang Zhuang


然後呢

/ʐän³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹ nə¹/

/ʐän³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹ nə¹/


休戚與共

ㄒㄧㄡ ㄑㄧ ㄩˇ ㄍㄨㄥˋ

/ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵ y²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʊŋ⁵¹/

/jɐu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɪk̚⁵ jyː¹³ kʊŋ²²/

/ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵ y²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʊŋ⁵¹/

/jɐu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɪk̚⁵ jyː¹³ kʊŋ²²/

to be closely connected and share joys and sorrows


if you see what I mean

if you know what I mean
if you know what I mean#English

Alternative form of if you know what I mean.


歧路亡羊

ㄑㄧˊ ㄌㄨˋ ㄨㄤˊ ㄧㄤˊ

/t͡ɕʰi³⁵ lu⁵¹ wɑŋ³⁵ jɑŋ³⁵/

/kʰei̯²¹ lou̯²² mɔːŋ²¹ jœːŋ²¹/

/t͡ɕʰi³⁵ lu⁵¹ wɑŋ³⁵ jɑŋ³⁵/

/kʰei̯²¹ lou̯²² mɔːŋ²¹ jœːŋ²¹/

to become lost in a complex situation; to go astray


餘勇可賈

ㄩˊ ㄩㄥˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄍㄨˇ

/y³⁵ jʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/y³⁵ jʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

Those who want courage — come and buy my leftover.

欲勇者，賈余餘勇。

欲勇者，贾余余勇。

to be exceedingly valorous; to have extraordinary courage

to be ready for more challenges; to be untiring for further exploits


¿eres poeta? ¡pues súbete la bragueta!

¿eres poeta ¡pues súbete la bragueta! (canonical)

/ˌeɾes poˌeta | ˌpwes ˌsubete la bɾaˈɡeta/

[ˌe.ɾes poˌe.t̪a | ˌpwes ˌsu.β̞e.t̪e la β̞ɾaˈɣ̞e.t̪a]

Literally, “are you a poet? So do up your fly!”. Supposedly, the person who is being addressed replies "no" after the question.


形勢逆転

ja-noun

形(けい)勢(せい)逆(ぎゃく)転(てん) • (keisei gyakuten)

形勢逆転 (canonical)
keisei gyakuten (romanization)

形勢 (keisei, “situation”) + 逆転 (gyakuten, “reverse”).

com

the tables are turned
the tables are turned

the shoe is on the other foot
the shoe is on the other foot

the situation reverses itself; the tables are turned; the shoe is on the other foot


興師動眾

ㄒㄧㄥ ㄕ ㄉㄨㄥˋ ㄓㄨㄥˋ

синшидунчжун

/ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹/

/hɪŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ tʊŋ²² t͡sʊŋ³³/

/ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹/

/hɪŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ tʊŋ²² t͡sʊŋ³³/


miles away

Not paying attention; distracted or daydreaming.


si tu vois ce que je veux dire

if you know what I mean
if you know what I mean


ojo al dato

get this (used to emphasise something following in the text)


can a duck

(colloquial) An emphatic "yes"; shortening of Can a duck swim?


can a duck swim

rhetorical question
rhetorical question#English

(colloquial, rhetorical question) A rhetorical question in response to a question whose answer is an emphatic yes.


isän kädestä

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: isän kädestä.

(idiomatic) what for (unspecified, but often implied physical, punishment)


cá mè một lứa

[kaː˧˦ mɛ˨˩ mot̚˧˨ʔ lɨə˧˦]

[kaː˨˩˦ mɛ˦˩ mok̚˨˩ʔ lɨə˨˩˦]

[kaː˦˥ mɛ˨˩ mok̚˨˩˨ lɨə˦˥]

birds of a feather flock together
birds of a feather flock together


過街老鼠

ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄌㄠˇ ㄕㄨˇ

/ku̯ɔ⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kʷɔː³³ kaːi̯⁵⁵ lou̯¹³ syː³⁵/

/kʷɔː³³ kaːi̯⁵⁵ lou̯¹³ syː³⁵/

From 過街老鼠——人人喊打／过街老鼠——人人喊打 (guòjiē lǎoshǔ, rénrén hǎn dǎ).


環環相扣

ㄏㄨㄢˊ ㄏㄨㄢˊ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄎㄡˋ

хуаньхуаньсянкоу

/xu̯än³⁵ xu̯än³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ kʰoʊ̯⁵¹/

/waːn²¹ waːn²¹ sœːŋ⁵⁵ kʰɐu̯³³/

/xu̯än³⁵ xu̯än³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ kʰoʊ̯⁵¹/

/waːn²¹ waːn²¹ sœːŋ⁵⁵ kʰɐu̯³³/

(of many things) to be closely connected


輕生重義

ㄑㄧㄥ ㄕㄥ ㄓㄨㄥˋ ㄧˋ

циншэнчжунъи

/t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹/


舞文弄墨

to dance around with words and play with ink

ㄨˇ ㄨㄣˊ ㄋㄨㄥˋ ㄇㄛˋ

/u²¹⁴⁻²¹ wən³⁵ nʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/mou̯¹³ mɐn²¹ lʊŋ²² mɐk̚²/

/u²¹⁴⁻²¹ wən³⁵ nʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/mou̯¹³ mɐn²¹ lʊŋ²² mɐk̚²/

to show off one's literary skills; to be playful with language and words (in writing); to juggle with words


なまんだぶ

なんまんだぶ なんまんだぶ#Japanese

Alternative form of なんまんだぶ (nan man da bu)


なんまんだー

なんまんだぶ なんまんだぶ#Japanese


なんまんだぶ

(colloquial, Buddhism) Namo Amitābhāya, a Buddhist chant

南無阿弥陀仏

南無阿弥陀仏 なむあみだぶつ


yhdessä yössä

(literally) in one night, during one night

(figuratively) overnight (short amount of time)


遠走高飛

to run far away like a beast and fly high like a bird

ㄩㄢˇ ㄗㄡˇ ㄍㄠ ㄈㄟ

юаньцзоугаофэй

/ɥɛn²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵/

/jyːn¹³ t͡sɐu̯³⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ fei̯⁵⁵/

/uan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ko⁴⁴⁻²² hui⁴⁴/

/uan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ hui⁴⁴/

/uan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ko⁴⁴⁻³³ hui⁴⁴/

/ɥɛn²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵/

/jyːn¹³ t͡sɐu̯³⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ fei̯⁵⁵/

/uan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ko⁴⁴⁻²² hui⁴⁴/

/uan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ hui⁴⁴/

/uan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ko⁴⁴⁻³³ hui⁴⁴/

1989, Cui Jian (lyrics and music), “假行僧 [Fake Monk]”, in 新長征路上的搖滾 [Rock 'n' Roll on the New Long March], performed by Cui Jian:

Don't be afraid of being regretful if you fall in love with me / I'll leave here for very faraway places one fine day / I'm unwilling to stay at one place / I'm unwilling to be followed by anyone too

Yào àishàng wǒ nǐ jiù biépà hòuhuǐ, Zǒng yǒu yītiān wǒ yào yuǎnzǒugāofēi, Wǒ bùxiǎng liú zài yīge dìfang, Yě bùyuàn yǒurén gēnsuí

要愛上我你就別怕後悔 總有一天我要遠走高飛 我不想留在一個地方 也不願有人跟隨

要爱上我你就别怕后悔 总有一天我要远走高飞 我不想留在一个地方 也不愿有人跟随

2011, Chan Ya-wen (lyrics and music), “欠情歌”, in 山伯英台, performed by Chan Ya-wen:

[I] leave for a very faraway place, rushing towards prospects; [I] feel aggrieved, want to hide, but there's no way to hide

oán-cháu-ko-hui kóaⁿ hiòng chiân-tô͘, úi-khut beh bih bih bô-lō͘

遠走高飛趕向前途 委屈要躲躲無路

远走高飞赶向前途 委屈要躲躲无路

to leave somewhere for a very faraway place (in order to escape)


までもない

焦るまでもない。

it is unnecessary to; there is no need to


客氣當福氣

⁷khaq-chi ⁵taon ⁷foq-chi; ⁷khaq-chi ¹taon ⁷foq-chi

khah^入 chi taon^去 foh^入 chi; khah^入 chi taon^平 foh^入 chi

⁴khaq-qi ²taan ⁴foq-qi; ⁴khaq-qi ¹taan ⁴foq-qi

/kʰaʔ³³ t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴ tɑ̃⁴⁴ foʔ³³ t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴/

/kʰaʔ³³ t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴ tɑ̃⁵³ foʔ³³ t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴/

/kʰaʔ³³ t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴ tɑ̃⁴⁴ foʔ³³ t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴/

/kʰaʔ³³ t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴ tɑ̃⁵³ foʔ³³ t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴/

(Northern Wu) to take someone else's good treatment for granted; to be ungrateful and entitled to others' kindness and grace


𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌷𐌿𐌷

𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌷 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌷#Gothic

Compound of 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌷 (frah)+ the clitic -𐌿𐌷 (-uh).


另眼相看

ㄌㄧㄥˋ ㄧㄢˇ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄎㄢˋ

линъяньсянкань

/liŋ⁵¹ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ kʰän⁵¹/

/lɪŋ²² ŋaːn¹³ sœːŋ⁵⁵ hɔːn⁵⁵/

/lɪŋ²² ŋaːn¹³ sœːŋ⁵⁵ hɔːn³³/

/liŋ⁵¹ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ kʰän⁵¹/

/lɪŋ²² ŋaːn¹³ sœːŋ⁵⁵ hɔːn⁵⁵/

/lɪŋ²² ŋaːn¹³ sœːŋ⁵⁵ hɔːn³³/

see someone in a new light
see someone in a new light

to see someone in a new light; to view someone differently


思われ

[o̞mo̞β̞a̠ɾe̞]

(as と思われ) (2channel slang) Synonym of と思う (to omou)


that'll do it to you

"Yup. I guess this blond-haired guy pistol-whipped him, out of jealousy over a woman."
"That'll do it to you, all right."

2004, Thomas Sparrow, Northwoods Standoff, Bluestone Press, →ISBN, page 164:

Chong: You look back and realize how silly it was. What it was was success. That'll do it to you. That's why groups break up.

2008 October 23, Chris Riemenschneider, “Where there's smoke, there's ... Cheech and Chong”, in Star Tribune:

Then you add on top the penalties, especially in crucial situations, that'll do it to you. That'll get you beat.

2019 October 27, Jarvis Landry, “Cleveland Browns Postgame Quotes 10/27”, in New England Patriots:

(colloquial) That will have that effect on one.


आस्तीन का सांप

hi-phrase

आस्तीन का सांप • (āstīn kā sāmp)


do quê

Literally, “of what?”, in reference to surnames that use the conjunction de.

Meu nome é Maria.
Maria do quê?
My name is Mary.
Mary of what?

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see do, quê.


de quê

Meu nome é João.
João de quê?
My name is John.
John of what?

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see de, quê.


非常感謝

ㄈㄟ ㄔㄤˊ ㄍㄢˇ ㄒㄧㄝˋ

фэйчан ганьсе

/feɪ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ kän²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛ⁵¹/

/fei̯⁵⁵ sœːŋ²¹ kɐm³⁵ t͡sɛː²²/

/feɪ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ kän²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛ⁵¹/

/fei̯⁵⁵ sœːŋ²¹ kɐm³⁵ t͡sɛː²²/


उड़ती चिड़िया के पर पहचानना

उड़ती चिड़िया के पर पहचानना

उड़ती चिड़िया के पर पहचानना • (uṛtī ciṛiyā ke par pahcānnā)

uṛtī ciṛiyā ke par pahcānnā (romanization)

Literal translation: to recognise a bird flying

en-उड़ती_चिड़िया_के_पर_पहचानना-hi-phrase-GmlOVVxJ


本末顛倒

ㄅㄣˇ ㄇㄛˋ ㄉㄧㄢ ㄉㄠˇ

бэньмодяньдао

/pən²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu̯ɔ⁵¹ ti̯ɛn⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

putting the cart before the horse
put the cart before the horse


推而廣之

ㄊㄨㄟ ㄦˊ ㄍㄨㄤˇ ㄓ

туйэргуанчжи

/tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ku̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/tʰɵy̯⁵⁵ jiː²¹ kʷɔːŋ³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/

/tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ku̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/tʰɵy̯⁵⁵ jiː²¹ kʷɔːŋ³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/


no hay quien

it is impossible; there's no use; nobody can; there's no (used to talk about impossibility)


كل عام وأنتم بخير

head

كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ

كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ • (kullu ʿāmin wa-ʾantum bi-ḵayrin)

كُلُّ عَامٍ وَ أَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ (canonical)
kullu ʿāmin wa-ʾantum bi-ḵayrin (romanization)


nắm thằng có tóc, không ai nắm kẻ trọc đầu

[nam˧˦ tʰaŋ˨˩ kɔ˧˦ tawk͡p̚˧˦ xəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔaːj˧˧ nam˧˦ kɛ˧˩ t͡ɕawk͡p̚˧˨ʔ ʔɗəw˨˩]

[nam˦˧˥ tʰaŋ˦˩ kɔ˨˩˦ tawk͡p̚˦˧˥ kʰəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔaːj˧˧ nam˦˧˥ kɛ˧˨ ʈawk͡p̚˨˩ʔ ʔɗəw˦˩]

[nam˦˧˥ tʰaŋ˦˩ kɔ˨˩˦ tawk͡p̚˦˧˥ xəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔaːj˧˧ nam˦˧˥ kɛ˧˨ ʈawk͡p̚˨˩ʔ ʔɗəw˦˩]

[nam˦˥ tʰaŋ˨˩ kɔ˦˥ tawk͡p̚˦˥ kʰəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔaːj˧˧ nam˦˥ kɛ˨˩˦ ʈawk͡p̚˨˩˨ ʔɗəw˨˩]

[nam˦˥ tʰaŋ˨˩ kɔ˦˥ tawk͡p̚˦˥ xəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔaːj˧˧ nam˦˥ kɛ˨˩˦ ʈawk͡p̚˨˩˨ ʔɗəw˨˩]

(literal) if you're gonna grab onto someone, grab onto one with hair, don't grab onto a bald one

(figurative) if you're gonna come after someone, come after a rich one, don't come after a poor one


sinäpä sen sanoit

you said it (used to express complete agreement with a previous statement by the interlocutor)


toisin kuin

unlike, contrary to, in contrast to, as opposed to


ilman epäilyksen häivääkään

beyond a shadow of a doubt
beyond a shadow of a doubt


kuin mitään ei olisi tapahtunutkaan

kuin mitään ei olisi tapahtunut
kuin mitään ei olisi tapahtunut#Finnish

Alternative form of kuin mitään ei olisi tapahtunut


kuin mitään ei olisi tapahtunut

as if nothing had happened
as if nothing had happened


屌你老味

/tiːu̯³⁵ nei̯¹³ lou̯¹³ mei̯²²⁻³⁵/

/tiːu̯³⁵ nei̯¹³ lou̯¹³ mei̯²²⁻³⁵/

屌你老母 屌你老母#Chinese

(Cantonese, vulgar) Alternative form of 屌你老母 (“fuck you”)


जय श्री राम

hi-phrase

जय श्री राम • (jay śrī rām)

/d͡ʒəj ʃɾiː ɾɑːm/

[d͡ʒɐj‿ʃɾiː‿ɾä̃ːm]

From जय (jay, “victory to, hail”) + श्री (śrī, “sir, lord”) + राम (rām, “Rama”).

af

(Hinduism) victory to Lord Rāma: Jai Shri Ram


the curtain falls

But she's not gone yet and I've made arrangements for one more pig-sticking party up country before the Monkeys come in and the curtain falls for good.

2009, Hugh MacLennan, Return of the Sphinx, McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP, →ISBN:

Probably its leader Paul Berenger is keen to bequeath it as his final legacy before the curtain falls for him.

2019 April 22, T.P. Saran, “Electoral Year and Reforms Due”, in Mauritius Times:

(idiomatic) The end of something has come.


the knives are out

(informal, chiefly UK) People are angry.


請允悲

/t͡ɕʰiŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ yn²¹⁴⁻²¹ peɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰiŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ yn²¹⁴⁻²¹ peɪ̯⁵⁵/

Abbreviation of 請允許我做一個悲傷的表情 (“please allow me to do a sad face”).

zh-l

請允許我做一個悲傷的表情

that's pathetic (indicating scornful pity or contempt)


奉公守法

ㄈㄥˋ ㄍㄨㄥ ㄕㄡˇ ㄈㄚˇ

/fɤŋ⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ fä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fʊŋ²² kʊŋ⁵⁵ sɐu̯³⁵ faːt̚³/

/hɔŋ²²⁻²¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ huat̚³²/

/hɔŋ⁴¹⁻²² kɔŋ³³ siu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ huat̚⁵/

/hɔŋ²²⁻²¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ huat̚³²/

/hɔŋ³³⁻¹¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ huat̚³²/

/hɔŋ³³⁻²¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ siu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ huat̚³²/

/fɤŋ⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ fä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fʊŋ²² kʊŋ⁵⁵ sɐu̯³⁵ faːt̚³/

/hɔŋ²²⁻²¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ huat̚³²/

/hɔŋ⁴¹⁻²² kɔŋ³³ siu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ huat̚⁵/

/hɔŋ²²⁻²¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ huat̚³²/

/hɔŋ³³⁻¹¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ huat̚³²/

/hɔŋ³³⁻²¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ siu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ huat̚³²/

奉公守法的好公民

to follow the law when performing official duties; to be law-abiding


đồng sàng dị mộng

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ saːŋ˨˩ zi˧˨ʔ məwŋ͡m˧˨ʔ]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˦˩ ʂaːŋ˦˩ jɪj˨˩ʔ məwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˦˩ saːŋ˦˩ jɪj˨˩ʔ məwŋ͡m˨˩ʔ]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ ʂaːŋ˨˩ jɪj˨˩˨ məwŋ͡m˨˩˨]

[ʔɗəwŋ͡m˨˩ saːŋ˨˩ jɪj˨˩˨ məwŋ͡m˨˩˨]

(figurative) that people live or work together but have very different interests or agendas


Dios mabalos

bcl-head

Diós mabalós (Basahan spelling ᜇᜒᜂᜐ᜔ ᜋᜊᜎᜓᜐ᜔)

Diyos mabalos
Diyos mabalos#Bikol_Central


dai tabing ano man

dài tábing ano man (Basahan spelling ᜇᜁ ᜆᜊᜒᜅ᜔ ᜀᜈᜓ ᜋᜈ᜔)


daing ano man

daíng ano mán (Basahan spelling ᜇᜁᜅ᜔ ᜀᜈᜓ ᜋᜈ᜔)

From daing (“no, none”) + ano man (“whatever”).


one will know the reason why

'Sir, I know what to do,' retorted Mrs Pipchin, 'and of course shall do it. Susan Nipper,' snapping her up particularly short, 'a month's warning from this hour.'
'Oh indeed!' cried Susan, loftily.
'Yes,' returned Mrs Pipchin, 'and don't smile at me, you minx, or I'll know the reason why! Go along with you this minute!'

1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC:

When the negro smashes into your drawing room some day in the future with a repeating rifle in his hand, his flat nostrils dilated, his yellow eyes and teeth gleaming, you will make good on your protestations of absolute equality or he will know the reason why.

1906, Thomas Dixon Jr., sermon at New York's Baptist Church:

She will be a respectable man's wife, or I will know the reason why!

2011, Bertrice Small, The Dragon Lord's Daughters:

One will demand or expect justification; used in threats.


万事休す

万事休す (canonical)
banji kyūsu (romanization)

[bã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑi kʲɨːsɨ]

From Middle Chinese 萬事休 (mʉɐnᴴ d͡ʒɨᴴ hɨu). Cognate with Chinese 萬事皆休／万事皆休.

cog

Chinese 萬事皆休／万事皆休


抖搜精神

ㄉㄡˇ ㄙㄡ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄕㄣˊ

доусоуцзиншэнь

/toʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ soʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂən³⁵/

/toʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ soʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂən³⁵/

pull oneself together
pull oneself together

to gather one's spirits; to pull oneself together; to brace


滑天下之大稽

ㄏㄨㄚˊ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄓ ㄉㄚˋ ㄐㄧ

хуа тянься чжи дацзи

/xu̯ä³⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tä⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/waːt̚² tʰiːn⁵⁵ haː²² t͡siː⁵⁵ taːi̯²² kʰɐi̯⁵⁵/

to be comical; to be ridiculous; to be laughable


bone apple tea

From a food photo uploaded on Facebook by Dunta Pickett on 1 August 2016, which was captioned “My BIRTHDAY dinner to myself...bone Apple tea.” It was screenshotted and posted on the Worldstar Hip Hop Facebook page and spread as a meme in a few days.

Whoever gets this car next is going to be pissed because the steering wheel is covered in oily dressing. Bone apple tea!

2016 November, Jesse Standing, “Review: Abandoned Salad”, in The Moot Times, University of Calgary, page 10, column 4:

He takes the other spoon, and we each dig out a bite of this gunk. I’m breathing through my mouth so I don’t have to smell so much of it, but all that means is I’m starting to taste it on the air instead. / “Ready?” Perry asks. / “Sure,” I say. “Bone apple tea.” / Perry laughs, and I hope there’s nothing called a bone apple that can be made into a tea, I’m just trying to be smartass while I can still talk without retching.

2017, L.A. Fields, “King of Fruits”, in Steve Berman, editor, His Seed: An Arboretum of Erotica, Unzipped Books, →ISBN, page 93:

“Bone apple tea,” they say to each other as they grill chicken and saute broccoli.

2022 April 1, Good Boy, “The goodest boy”, in The Bull, volume 97, Searcy, Ark.: Harding University, page 4A, column 3:

(humorous) Misconstruction of bon appétit


無老無大

(Hakka) to have no sense of who is senior and who is junior; to show no respect to elders


ありそうもない

ありそうもない話


突然襲擊

ㄊㄨ ㄖㄢˊ ㄒㄧˊ ㄐㄧ

ㄊㄨˊ ㄖㄢˊ ㄒㄧˊ ㄐㄧˊ

/tʰu⁵⁵ ʐän³⁵ ɕi³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/tʰu³⁵ ʐän³⁵ ɕi³⁵ t͡ɕi³⁵/

/tʰu⁵⁵ ʐän³⁵ ɕi³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/tʰu³⁵ ʐän³⁵ ɕi³⁵ t͡ɕi³⁵/


掌を返す

掌を返す (canonical)
tenohira o kaesu (romanization)

彼女の態度は掌を返すように変える。

Kanojo no taido wa tenohira o kaesu yō ni kaeru.

to flip-flop; to do an about-face; to flip over one's hand


掌を返す

掌を返す (canonical)
tanagokoro o kaesu (romanization)

この問題は君にとって掌を返すようだ。

Kono mondai wa kimi ni totte tanagokoro o kaesu yō da.

This problems seems as easy as turning one’s hand over for you.

to do something easy as turning one's hand over


百年歸老

ㄅㄞˇ ㄋㄧㄢˊ ㄍㄨㄟ ㄌㄠˇ

байняньгуйлао

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/paːk̚³ niːn²¹ kʷɐi̯⁵⁵ lou̯¹³/

/paːk̚³ niːn²¹ kʷɐi̯⁵⁵ lou̯¹³/

† - euphemistic; ‡ - usually of the elderly; ¤ - humorous; § - derogatory/disrespectful

被難

to be killed in a disaster, political incident


靜觀其變

ㄐㄧㄥˋ ㄍㄨㄢ ㄑㄧˊ ㄅㄧㄢˋ

цзингуаньцибянь

/t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹ ku̯än⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/t͡sɪŋ²² kuːn⁵⁵ kʰei̯²¹ piːn³³/

/t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹ ku̯än⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/t͡sɪŋ²² kuːn⁵⁵ kʰei̯²¹ piːn³³/

see which way the cat jumps
see which way the cat jumps

wait and see; see which way the cat jumps; to delay taking action based on the outcome of something else.


矜持不苟

ㄐㄧㄣ ㄔˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄍㄡˇ

цзиньчибугоу

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ koʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ koʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/


大起大落

ㄉㄚˋ ㄑㄧˇ ㄉㄚˋ ㄌㄨㄛˋ

/tä⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/taːi̯²² hei̯³⁵ taːi̯²² lɔːk̚²/

/tä⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/taːi̯²² hei̯³⁵ taːi̯²² lɔːk̚²/

to go through the ups and downs of rapid change


摧枯拉朽

crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood

ㄘㄨㄟ ㄎㄨ ㄌㄚ ㄒㄧㄡˇ

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ kʰu⁵⁵ lä⁵⁵ ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰɵy̯⁵⁵ fuː⁵⁵ laːi̯⁵⁵ nɐu̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰɵy̯⁵⁵ fuː⁵⁵ laːi̯⁵⁵ nɐu̯³⁵/


暴露無遺

ㄆㄨˋ ㄌㄨˋ ㄨˊ ㄧˊ

/pʰu⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu⁵¹ u³⁵ i³⁵/

/pou̯²² lou̯²² mou̯²¹ wɐi̯²¹/

/pʰu⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu⁵¹ u³⁵ i³⁵/

/pou̯²² lou̯²² mou̯²¹ wɐi̯²¹/

to be completely exposed; to come out into the open


風雲人物

ㄈㄥ ㄩㄣˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄨˋ

фэнъюньжэньу

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ yn³⁵ ʐən³⁵ u⁵¹/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɐn²¹ jɐn²¹ mɐt̚²⁻³⁵/

/hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hun²³⁻³³ zin²³⁻³³ but̚⁴/

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ yn³⁵ ʐən³⁵ u⁵¹/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɐn²¹ jɐn²¹ mɐt̚²⁻³⁵/

/hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hun²³⁻³³ zin²³⁻³³ but̚⁴/

heroic figure; famed personage; man of the hour


一言蔽之

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ jɛn³⁵ pi⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ jiːn²¹ pɐi̯³³ t͡siː⁵⁵/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ jɛn³⁵ pi⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ jiːn²¹ pɐi̯³³ t͡siː⁵⁵/


風雲變幻

ㄈㄥ ㄩㄣˊ ㄅㄧㄢˋ ㄏㄨㄢˋ

фэнъюньбяньхуань

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ yn³⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯än⁵¹/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɐn²¹ piːn³³ waːn²²/

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ yn³⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯än⁵¹/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɐn²¹ piːn³³ waːn²²/

changeable situation; volatile situation


蹉跎歲月

ㄘㄨㄛ ㄊㄨㄛˊ ㄙㄨㄟˋ ㄩㄝˋ

/t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵⁵ tʰu̯ɔ³⁵ su̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɥɛ⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɔː⁵⁵ tʰɔː²¹ sɵy̯³³ jyːt̚²/

/t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵⁵ tʰu̯ɔ³⁵ su̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɥɛ⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɔː⁵⁵ tʰɔː²¹ sɵy̯³³ jyːt̚²/

to idle away one's time; to waste one's time; to allow time to slip away


馬不停蹄

ㄇㄚˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄊㄧㄥˊ ㄊㄧˊ

/mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹ tʰiŋ³⁵ tʰi³⁵/

/maː¹³ pɐt̚⁵ tʰɪŋ²¹ tʰɐi̯²¹/

/mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ tʰiɪŋ²⁴⁻²² te²⁴/

/mã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ tʰiɪŋ²⁴⁻²² te²⁴/

/mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁵ tʰiɪŋ¹³⁻²² te¹³/

/mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ tʰiɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ te²⁴/

/mã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ tʰiɪŋ²³⁻³³ te²³/

/be⁵²⁻³⁵ puk̚²⁻⁴ tʰeŋ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ toi⁵⁵/

/mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹ tʰiŋ³⁵ tʰi³⁵/

/maː¹³ pɐt̚⁵ tʰɪŋ²¹ tʰɐi̯²¹/

/mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ tʰiɪŋ²⁴⁻²² te²⁴/

/mã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ tʰiɪŋ²⁴⁻²² te²⁴/

/mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁵ tʰiɪŋ¹³⁻²² te¹³/

/mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ tʰiɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ te²⁴/

/mã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ tʰiɪŋ²³⁻³³ te²³/

/be⁵²⁻³⁵ puk̚²⁻⁴ tʰeŋ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ toi⁵⁵/


搓手頓腳

to wring one's hands and stamp one's feet

ㄘㄨㄛ ㄕㄡˇ ㄉㄨㄣˋ ㄐㄧㄠˇ

цошоудуньцзяо

/t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ən⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰɔː⁵⁵ sɐu̯³⁵ tɵn²² kœːk̚³/

/t͡sʰɔː⁵⁵ sɐu̯³⁵ tɵn²² kœːk̚³/


duwang pulong taon na ako

I'm twenty years old
I'm twenty years old


saan ka nakatira

tl-head

saán ka nakatirá? (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜀᜈ᜔ ᜃ ᜈᜃᜆᜒᜇ)

saán ka nakatirá (canonical)
ᜐᜀᜈ᜔ ᜃ ᜈᜃᜆᜒᜇ (Baybayin)

[sɐˌʔaŋ kɐ n̪ɐ.xɐ.t̪ɪˈɾa]


不敢苟同

ㄅㄨˋ ㄍㄢˇ ㄍㄡˇ ㄊㄨㄥˊ

буганьгоутун

/pu⁵¹ kän²¹⁴⁻³⁵ koʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰʊŋ³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ kɐm³⁵ kɐu̯³⁵ tʰʊŋ²¹/

/pu⁵¹ kän²¹⁴⁻³⁵ koʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰʊŋ³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ kɐm³⁵ kɐu̯³⁵ tʰʊŋ²¹/

What you just said makes sense, but there is one thing I can't agree with.

Nǐ gāngcái shuō de hěn hǎo, dànshì yǒu yī diǎn wǒ bùgǎngǒutóng.

你剛才說得很好，但是有一點我不敢苟同。

你刚才说得很好，但是有一点我不敢苟同。


議論紛紛

ㄧˋ ㄌㄨㄣˋ ㄈㄣ ㄈㄣ

илуньфэньфэнь

/i⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu̯ən⁵¹ fən⁵⁵ fən⁵⁵/

/jiː¹³ lɵn²² fɐn⁵⁵ fɐn⁵⁵/

/i⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu̯ən⁵¹ fən⁵⁵ fən⁵⁵/

/jiː¹³ lɵn²² fɐn⁵⁵ fɐn⁵⁵/


ilang taong gulang ka na

iláng taóng gulang ka na? (Baybayin spelling ᜁᜎᜅ᜔ ᜆᜂᜅ᜔ ᜄᜓᜎᜅ᜔ ᜃ ᜈ)

iláng taóng gulang ka na (canonical)
ᜁᜎᜅ᜔ ᜆᜂᜅ᜔ ᜄᜓᜎᜅ᜔ ᜃ ᜈ (Baybayin)

[ʔɪˌlan̪ t̪ɐˌʔoŋ ˈɡuː.lɐŋ kɐ n̪ɐ]

Literally, “How many years old are you now?”.


ako ay dalawampung taong gulang

tl-head

akó ay dalawampúng taóng gulang (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜃᜓ ᜀᜌ᜔ ᜇᜎᜏᜋ᜔ᜉᜓᜅ᜔ ᜆᜂᜅ᜔ ᜄᜓᜎᜅ᜔)

akó ay dalawampúng taóng gulang (canonical)
ᜀᜃᜓ ᜀᜌ᜔ ᜇᜎᜏᜋ᜔ᜉᜓᜅ᜔ ᜆᜂᜅ᜔ ᜄᜓᜎᜅ᜔ (Baybayin)

[ʔɐˌxo ʔaɪ̯ d̪ɐ.lɐ.wɐmˌpun̪ t̪ɐˌʔoŋ ˈɡuː.lɐŋ]


敲詐勒索

ㄑㄧㄠ ㄓㄚˋ ㄌㄜˋ ㄙㄨㄛˇ

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂä⁵¹⁻⁵³ lɤ⁵¹ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

to blackmail and impose exactions on; to extort and racketeer


malipayong Pasko

ceb-head

malipayong Paskó! (Badlit spelling ᜋᜎᜒᜉᜌᜓᜅ᜔ ᜉᜐ᜔ᜃᜓ)


千編一律

千編一律 (canonical)
senpen'ichiritsu (romanization)

[sẽ̞mpẽ̞ɰ̃it͡ɕiɾʲit͡sɨ]

From Chinese 千篇一律 (qiānpiānyīlǜ).
編 is a daiyōji replacing 篇.


maligayang pasko

tl-head

maligayang paskó (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜎᜒᜄᜌᜅ᜔ ᜉᜐ᜔ᜃᜓ)

maligayang paskó (canonical)
ᜋᜎᜒᜄᜌᜅ᜔ ᜉᜐ᜔ᜃᜓ (Baybayin)

maligayang Pasko
maligayang Pasko#Tagalog

Alternative letter-case form of maligayang Pasko


砥礪名節

ㄉㄧˇ ㄌㄧˋ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ

/ti²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵/

/ti²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵/


男盜女娼

ㄋㄢˊ ㄉㄠˋ ㄋㄩˇ ㄔㄤ

наньдаонюйчан

/nän³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ ny²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵⁵/

/naːm²¹ tou̯²² nɵy̯¹³ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵/

/nän³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ ny²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵⁵/

/naːm²¹ tou̯²² nɵy̯¹³ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵/


bitten by the same bug

By refusing to acknowledge the painful reality that most Americans had been bitten by the same bug that afflicted Roosevelt, Lodge, and Beveridge, the anti-imperialists were letting the people off the hook and in their own way preserving the American sense of innocence.

1984, Stuart Creighton Miller, "Benevolent Assimilation": The American Conquest of the Philippines, page 253:

The subject area of the book is in rapid, if not turbulent, change. It is surprising how many of our colleagues have been bitten by the same bug. New ideas, perspectives, approaches, and projects arise everywhere.

2000, N. G. Roling, M. A. E. Wagemakers, Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture, page xxv:

Maybe he had just been bitten by the same bug that infects Jack the Ripper fans and devotees of other horrendous but unsolved crimes.

2001, James Jessen Badal, In the Wake of the Butcher: Cleveland's Torso Murders:

(informal) Having the same enthusiasm or motivation.


ишлер нечикдир

head

ишлер нечикдир?

ишлер нечикдир? • (işler neçikdir?)


танг яхшы болсун

танг яхшы болсун • (tañ yaxşı bolsun)


геч яхшы болсун

геч яхшы болсун • (geç yaxşı bolsun)


chúpate esa

put that in your pipe and smoke it
put that in your pipe and smoke it

put that in your pipe and smoke it; so there; in your face


ish ka bibble

Borrowing from Yiddish, meaning "I should worry". The origins are disputed. One theory is that it is a corruption of the German nicht gefiedelt ("not flustered"). Another possibility is that it comes from German ich kaan bedibbert ("I am abashed"). Possibly a fake Yiddishism.

Guess they thought we would crawfish, But there was never a word or a quibble ; When they offered us freights, among others, We said "Let 'em come, ish-ka-bibble."

1913, The Santa Fe Magazine - Volume 8, page 74:

Surveying your individual reasons, Nature remarks "Ish ka bibble" in a bored tone and goes on to run the square and the level over the job.

1914, Steam Machinery: A Magazine of Men, Machinery and Methods:

"Guess I'll do some diving from the raft today," I said, pointedly, to Sonny. "Ish ka bibble," Sonny said.

1989, Helen Harris Perlman, The Dancing Clock, and Other Childhood Memories, page 95:


当たって砕けろ

当たって砕けろ (canonical)
atatte kudakero (romanization)

Compound of 当たって (“the te form or conjunctive form of 当(あ)たる (ataru)”) + 砕けろ (“imperative form of 砕(くだ)ける (kudakeru)”), literally "to hit and break into pieces"


風生水起

ㄈㄥ ㄕㄥ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄑㄧˇ

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ saːŋ⁵⁵ sɵy̯³⁵ hei̯³⁵/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ saːŋ⁵⁵ sɵy̯³⁵ hei̯³⁵/


対岸の火事

対岸の火事 (canonical)
taigan no kaji (romanization)

対岸 (“opposite shore”) + の (“possessive marker”) + 火事 (“fire”). Compare Chinese 隔岸觀火／隔岸观火 (gé àn guān huǒ).

zh-l

隔岸觀火／隔岸观火 (gé àn guān huǒ)

これは決して対岸の火事ではありません。

Kore wa kesshite taigannokaji de wa arimasen.

This is definitely not just someone else's problem.

no skin off one's nose
no skin off one's nose

fire on the opposite shore, no skin off one's nose, someone else's problem


千変万化

千変万化 (canonical)
senpenbanka (romanization)


is toil le

Is toil leam taigeis.

An toil le Seumas an taigh seo?


cha toil le

Cha toil leam marag dhubh.

I don't like… (literally: is not delight with me …)


päällisin puolin

on the face of it, superficially, on the surface


𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌼𐌿𐌷

𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌼 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌼#Gothic

Compound of 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌼 (fram)+ the clitic -𐌿𐌷 (-uh).


起死回生

ㄑㄧˇ ㄙˇ ㄏㄨㄟˊ ㄕㄥ

/t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯eɪ̯³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵/

/hei̯³⁵ sei̯³⁵ wuːi̯²¹ sɐŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯eɪ̯³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵/

/hei̯³⁵ sei̯³⁵ wuːi̯²¹ sɐŋ⁵⁵/

1627, Feng Menglong, 醒世恆言 (Stories to Awaken the World)

Xiànggōng yīpiàn rècháng jiù nǐ, nǎ zhǐwàng bàodá? Dànyuàn nǐ cǐ qù, gǎixíng cóngshàn, mò fù xiànggōng qǐsǐhuíshēng zhī dé!

相公一片熱腸救你，那指望報答？但願你此去，改行從善，莫負相公起死回生之德！

相公一片热肠救你，那指望报答？但愿你此去，改行从善，莫负相公起死回生之德！

(chiefly of a medical doctor) to bring the dying back to life; to turn around a hopeless situation


以眼還眼

ㄧˇ ㄧㄢˇ ㄏㄨㄢˊ ㄧㄢˇ

ияньхуаньянь

/i²¹⁴⁻³⁵ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯än³⁵ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jiː¹³ ŋaːn¹³ waːn²¹ ŋaːn¹³/

/jiː¹³ ŋaːn¹³ waːn²¹ ŋaːn¹³/

From the Chinese translation of the biblical phrase "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (以眼還眼，以牙還牙／以眼还眼，以牙还牙 (yǐyǎnhuányǎn, yǐyáhuányá)).


וואָס הערט זיך

head

וואָס הערט זיך?

→ Hebrew: מה נשמע (ma nishmá) (calque)


招搖過市

ㄓㄠ ㄧㄠˊ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄕˋ

/ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ jɑʊ̯³⁵ ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/t͡siːu̯⁵⁵ jiːu̯²¹ kʷɔː³³ siː¹³/

/ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ jɑʊ̯³⁵ ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/t͡siːu̯⁵⁵ jiːu̯²¹ kʷɔː³³ siː¹³/

One day, not long after the first month of Confucius's stay in Wey, Duke Ling and the Lady went out with the eunuch Yongqu joining them in their personal carriage. They ordered Confucius to follow them in another carriage as entourage, and paraded through the busy market streets.

The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

Jū Wèi yuè yú, Línggōng yǔ fūrén tóngchē, huànzhě Yōngqú cānshèng. Chū, shǐ Kǒngzǐ wéi cìshèng, zhāoyáo shì guò zhī.

居衛月餘，靈公與夫人同車，宦者雍渠參乘。出，使孔子為次乘，招搖市過之。

居卫月余，灵公与夫人同车，宦者雍渠参乘。出，使孔子为次乘，招摇市过之。

to act ostentatiously in public; to flaunt one's scandals


Déu n'hi do

Literally, “may God give some”, using the 3rd person singular present subjunctive of the archaic verb dar.


ащ рикӏорэр

ащ рикӏорэр • (aś rikʷʼorɛr)

Ащ рикӏорэр сышӏэрэп


as go brách le

Do thug sí rainnt airgid don mbuachaill is as go bráth leis.

1939, Peig Sayers, “Inghean an Cheannaidhe”, in Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études; 270) (overall work in French), Paris: Librairie Honoré Champion, page 196:

She gave the boy some money and off he went.


сыд рикӏорэр

сыд рикӏорэр • (səd rikʷʼorɛr)

Сыд рикӏорэр кӏалэм сышӏэрэп


ratione temporis

(law) By reason of time (for example, referring to the temporal scope of a law or of a court's jurisdiction).


無時八晏

/u¹³ ʂʐ̩¹³ pa̠³ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u¹³ sz̩¹³ pa̠³ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u¹³ ʂʐ̩¹³ pa̠³ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u¹³ sz̩¹³ pa̠³ ŋan⁴⁵/


無晏十晏

/u¹³ ŋan⁴⁵ ʂʐ̩²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u¹³ ŋan⁴⁵ sz̩²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u¹³ ŋan⁴⁵ ʂʐ̩²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u¹³ ŋan⁴⁵ sz̩²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/


無情冇事

/u¹³ t͡sin³ mɒu̯²¹⁻¹¹ sz̩²¹⁻¹¹/

/u¹³ t͡ɕin³ mɒu̯²¹⁻¹¹ sz̩²¹⁻¹¹/

/u¹³ t͡sin³ mɒu̯²¹⁻¹¹ sz̩²¹⁻¹¹/

/u¹³ t͡ɕin³ mɒu̯²¹⁻¹¹ sz̩²¹⁻¹¹/

(Xiang) without cause or reason; for no reason at all


四六兒不懂

ㄙˋ ㄌㄧㄡˋㄦ ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄨㄥˇ

/sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ li̯ɤʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ tʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

(Northeastern Mandarin) to be completely ignorant (of rules, customs, etc.)


全國各地

ㄑㄩㄢˊ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄍㄜˋ ㄉㄧˋ

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ ku̯ɔ³⁵ kɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ti⁵¹/

/t͡sʰyːn²¹ kʷɔːk̚³ kɔːk̚³ tei̯²²/

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ ku̯ɔ³⁵ kɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ti⁵¹/

/t͡sʰyːn²¹ kʷɔːk̚³ kɔːk̚³ tei̯²²/


烏黢麻黑

/u³³ t͡sʰi³³ ma̠³³ xɤ̞²⁴/

/u³³ t͡ɕʰi³³ ma̠³³ xɤ̞²⁴/

/u³³ t͡sʰi³³ ma̠³³ xɤ̞²⁴/

/u³³ t͡ɕʰi³³ ma̠³³ xɤ̞²⁴/


烏同黑暗

/u³³ tʊŋ¹³ xɤ̞²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u³³ tən¹³ xɤ̞²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u³³ tʊŋ¹³ xɤ̞²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u³³ tən¹³ xɤ̞²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/


烏風黑暗

/u³³ xʊŋ³³ xɤ̞²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u³³ xən³³ xɤ̞²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u³³ xʊŋ³³ xɤ̞²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/

/u³³ xən³³ xɤ̞²⁴ ŋan⁴⁵/


一坦平洋

/i²⁴ tʰan⁴¹ pin¹³ i̯æn¹³/

/i²⁴ tʰan⁴¹ pin¹³ i̯æn¹³/

(Xiang) wide expanse of flat land; wide stretch of flat country


DCM

Abbreviation of de cada mes (of each month)


貫徹始終

ㄍㄨㄢˋ ㄔㄜˋ ㄕˇ ㄓㄨㄥ

гуаньчэшичжун

/ku̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʰɤ⁵¹ ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵/

/kuːn³³ t͡sʰiːt̚³ t͡sʰiː³⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵/

/kon⁵⁵ t͡sʰat̚⁵ sɨ³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴/

/kuan²¹⁻⁵³ tʰiɛt̚³²⁻⁴ si⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡siɔŋ⁴⁴/

/kuan⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ tʰiɛt̚⁵⁻²⁴ si⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡siɔŋ³³/

/kuan²¹⁻⁵³ tʰiɛt̚³²⁻⁵ si⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡siɔŋ⁴⁴/

/kuan¹¹⁻⁵³ tʰiɛt̚³²⁻⁴ si⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡siɔŋ⁴⁴/

/kuan²¹⁻⁴¹ tʰiɛt̚³²⁻⁴ si⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡siɔŋ⁴⁴/

/ku̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʰɤ⁵¹ ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵/

/kuːn³³ t͡sʰiːt̚³ t͡sʰiː³⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵/

/kon⁵⁵ t͡sʰat̚⁵ sɨ³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴/

/kuan²¹⁻⁵³ tʰiɛt̚³²⁻⁴ si⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡siɔŋ⁴⁴/

/kuan²¹⁻⁵³ tʰiɛt̚³²⁻⁵ si⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡siɔŋ⁴⁴/

/kuan¹¹⁻⁵³ tʰiɛt̚³²⁻⁴ si⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡siɔŋ⁴⁴/

/kuan²¹⁻⁴¹ tʰiɛt̚³²⁻⁴ si⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡siɔŋ⁴⁴/

to follow through; to carry through to the end


silmät kiinni

with one's eyes closed
with one's eyes closed


silmät auki

with one's eyes open
with one's eyes open


syvällä sisimmässään

syvällä sisimmässäni (first-person singular)
syvällä sisimmässämme (first-person plural)
syvällä sisimmässäsi (second-person singular)
syvällä sisimmässänne (plural second-person)
syvällä sisimmässään (third-person)
syvällä sisimmässänsä (third-person)


kunnes toisin ilmoitetaan

until further notice
until further notice


kaikkien aikojen

kaikkien aikojen paras urheilija

kaikkien aikojen suosituin elokuva


sydämensä kyllyydestä

sydämeni kyllyydestä (first-person singular)
sydämemme kyllyydestä (first-person plural)
sydämesi kyllyydestä (second-person singular)
sydämenne kyllyydestä (plural second-person)
sydämensä kyllyydestä (third-person)

to one's heart's content
to one's heart's content


seinää vasten

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: seinää vasten.


自作孽，不可活

ㄗˋ ㄗㄨㄛˋ ㄋㄧㄝˋ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄏㄨㄛˊ

/t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡su̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ni̯ɛ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ɔ³⁵/

/t͡siː²² t͡sɔːk̚³ jiːp̚² pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ wuːt̚²/

/t͡siː²² t͡sɔːk̚³ jiːt̚² pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ wuːt̚²/

From Mencius (《孟子·公孫丑上》), citing the Book of Documents:
:
The text in the Forged Old Text of the Book of Documents is slightly different (《尚書·太甲》)

By the passage of the Tai Jia, "When Heaven sends down calamities, it is still possible to escape from them; when we occasion the calamities ourselves, it is not possible any longer to live."

Mencius, c. 4ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

“Tàijiǎ” yuē: ‘Tiān zuòniè, yóu kě wéi; zì zuòniè, bùkě huó.’

《太甲》曰：『天作孽，猶可違；自作孽，不可活。』

《太甲》曰：『天作孽，犹可违；自作孽，不可活。』

By my desires I was setting at nought all rules of conduct, and violating by my self-indulgence all rules of propriety, and the result must have been speedy ruin to my person. Calamities sent by Heaven may be avoided, but from calamities brought on by one's self there is no escape.

欲敗度，縱敗禮，以速戾于厥躬。天作孽，猶可違；自作孽，不可逭

to bear the disastrous consequences of one's own misdeeds


痴心妄想

ㄔ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄨㄤˋ ㄒㄧㄤˇ

чисиньвансян

/ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰiː⁵⁵ sɐm⁵⁵ mɔːŋ¹³ sœːŋ³⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰiː⁵⁵ sɐm⁵⁵ mɔːŋ¹³ sœːŋ³⁵/

to obsessively fantasize about something that cannot come true


v žádném případě

under no circumstances
under no circumstances


tyyni myrskyn edellä

Kokous on nyt rauhallinen, mutta tämä on vain tyyntä myrskyn edellä.

The meeting may be peaceful now, but this is only the calm before the storm.

calm before the storm
calm before the storm

(idiomatic) calm before the storm (period of peace before a disturbance or crisis)


your mileage may differ

your mileage may vary
your mileage may vary#English


ROTFC

(Internet slang) Initialism of rolling on the floor crying.


LOLROFL

(Internet slang) Initialism of laughing out loud, rolling on the floor laughing; also LOLROTFL.


YMMD

LOLROTFL, YMMD!!!
May I quote those words occasionally?

2007 November 21, Jürgen Exner, “Re: Calling a SQL Server Stored Procedure from within Perl”, in comp.lang.perl.misc (Usenet):

(Internet slang) Initialism of you made my day.

I made my own Kindle case. (I make bags: it's just something I do. Some people make jam: I make cases.) It's simply a padded slip case (made from rather exciting fabric, though!) to contain it and protect it from knocks and scratches. When I want to use it, I take it, and clip my light to it. It's perfect for me, but YMMD.

2012 May 28, a l l y, “Re: Ask Umra: Kindles”, in uk.media.radio.archers (Usenet):

your mileage may differ
your mileage may differ#English

(Internet slang) Initialism of your mileage may differ.


LOLROTFL

(Internet slang) Initialism of laughing out loud, rolling on the floor laughing; also LOLROFL.


LMAOOL

(Internet slang) Initialism of laughing my ass/arse off out loud.


LMFAOOL

(Internet slang, vulgar) Initialism of laughing my fucking ass/arse off out loud.


ako Bog da

sh-phrase

ȁko Bȏg dȁ (Cyrillic spelling а̏ко Бо̑г да̏)

ȁko Bȏg dȁ (canonical)
а̏ко Бо̑г да̏ (Cyrillic)

Calque of Arabic إن شاء الله (ʔin šāʔ allāh, “if God has willed [it]”). Literally "if God allows (it)." See dȁti for more on dȁ.


裨補闕漏

ㄅㄧˋ ㄅㄨˇ ㄑㄩㄝ ㄌㄡˋ

/pi⁵¹ pu²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵⁵ loʊ̯⁵¹/

/pei̯⁵⁵ pou̯³⁵ kʰyːt̚³ lɐu̯²²/

/pi⁵¹ pu²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵⁵ loʊ̯⁵¹/

/pei̯⁵⁵ pou̯³⁵ kʰyːt̚³ lɐu̯²²/


ако Бог да

sh-phrase

а̏ко Бо̑г да̏

а̏ко Бо̑г да̏ (Latin spelling ȁko Bȏg dȁ)

а̏ко Бо̑г да̏ (canonical)
ȁko Bȏg dȁ (romanization)


s křížkem po funuse

Literally, “with a cross after the funeral”.

lit

Přišel s křížkem po funuse.

He arrived a day late and a dollar short.

a day late and a dollar short
a day late and a dollar short

(idiomatic) a day late and a dollar short (too late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect)


折衝樽俎

ㄓㄜˊ ㄔㄨㄥ ㄗㄨㄣ ㄗㄨˇ

чжэчунцзуньцзу

/ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡su̯ən⁵⁵ t͡su²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡siːt̚³ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɵn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː³⁵/

/t͡siːt̚³ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɵn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː³⁵/

(literally) to stop the enemy at the banquet table

(figurative) to get the better of an enemy during diplomatic functions


宋襄之仁

ㄙㄨㄥˋ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄓ ㄖㄣˊ

сунсянчжижэнь

/sʊŋ⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/sʊŋ³³ sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

/sʊŋ⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/sʊŋ³³ sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

From the story of the Battle of Hongshui between the state of Song and Chu in 638 BCE, in which Duke Xiang of Song, in order to display his benevolence, waited for the Chu army to fully cross the river and rearrange itself into a battle formation before attacking it, leading to the thorough defeat of the Song army.

the ridiculous act of showing benevolence towards one's enemy

Chu (state)
Duke Xiang of Song
Song (state)


尸祿素餐

ㄕ ㄌㄨˋ ㄙㄨˋ ㄘㄢ

/ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ lu⁵¹⁻⁵³ su⁵¹ t͡sʰän⁵⁵/

/siː⁵⁵ lʊk̚² sou̯³³ t͡sʰaːn⁵⁵/

/ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ lu⁵¹⁻⁵³ su⁵¹ t͡sʰän⁵⁵/

/siː⁵⁵ lʊk̚² sou̯³³ t͡sʰaːn⁵⁵/

尸位素餐 尸位素餐#Chinese

(derogatory or humble) Synonym of 尸位素餐 (shīwèisùcān)


nie znam się, to się wypowiem

(idiomatic, sarcastic) a response to an ignorant, uninformed statement


uskokaa tai älkää

believe it or not (polite or plural (to many people))


usko tai älä

believe it or not (singular (to one person))


EEE

embrace, extend and extinguish
embrace, extend and extinguish#English

(marketing) Initialism of embrace, extend and extinguish.


ふcきょう

Made by typing fuckyou to a romaji Japanese IME.

ファッキュー ファッキュー#Japanese

(vulgar, Internet slang) Alternative spelling of ファッキュー (fakkyū, “fuck you”)


凜遵

/lin²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡su̯ən⁵⁵/

/lɐm¹³ t͡sɵn⁵⁵/

/lin²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡su̯ən⁵⁵/

/lɐm¹³ t͡sɵn⁵⁵/

勿謂言之不預也，其凜遵毋忽

1792, Qianlong Emperor, Letter to George III, translated in E. Backhouse and J. O. P. Bland, Annals and Memoirs of the Court of Peking (1914), page 331

Do not say that you were not warned in due time! Tremblingly obey and show no negligence!

Wù wèi yán zhī bù yù yě, qí lǐn zūn wú hū

tremble and obey
tremble and obey#English

(Classical) tremble and obey (phrase used in decrees of the imperial era)


尸利素餐

ㄕ ㄌㄧˋ ㄙㄨˋ ㄘㄢ

/ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ su⁵¹ t͡sʰän⁵⁵/

/siː⁵⁵ lei̯²² sou̯³³ t͡sʰaːn⁵⁵/

/ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ su⁵¹ t͡sʰän⁵⁵/

/siː⁵⁵ lei̯²² sou̯³³ t͡sʰaːn⁵⁵/

尸位素餐 尸位素餐#Chinese


肉眉悻眼

/ʐəu⁴⁵ mi¹¹ ɕĩŋ⁴⁵ nie⁵³/

/ʐəu⁴⁵ mi¹¹ ɕĩŋ⁴⁵ nie⁵³/

(Jin) having a large head, plump face, and being clumsy


肉頭悻腦

/ʐəu⁴⁵ tʰəu¹¹ ɕĩŋ⁴⁵ nau⁵³/

/ʐəu⁴⁵ tʰəu¹¹ ɕĩŋ⁴⁵ nau⁵³/


挨生挨死

/ŋaːi̯²¹ saːŋ⁵⁵ ŋaːi̯²¹ sei̯³⁵/

/ai̯²⁴⁻¹¹ saŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ ai̯²⁴ si³¹/

/ŋaːi̯²¹ saːŋ⁵⁵ ŋaːi̯²¹ sei̯³⁵/

/ai̯²⁴⁻¹¹ saŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ ai̯²⁴ si³¹/

(Cantonese, Hakka) to drag out an ignoble existence; to endure hardships; to live a hard life and work very hard


悻悻而去

ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄦˇ ㄑㄩˋ

синсинъэрцюй

/ɕiŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕiŋ⁵¹ ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy⁵¹/

/hɐŋ²² hɐŋ²² jiː²¹ hɵy̯³³/

/ɕiŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕiŋ⁵¹ ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy⁵¹/

/hɐŋ²² hɐŋ²² jiː²¹ hɵy̯³³/


天昏地暗

ㄊㄧㄢ ㄏㄨㄣ ㄉㄧˋ ㄢˋ

тяньхуньдиань

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ xu̯ən⁵⁵ ti⁵¹⁻⁵³ ˀän⁵¹/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ fɐn⁵⁵ tei̯²² ɐm³³/

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ xu̯ən⁵⁵ ti⁵¹⁻⁵³ ˀän⁵¹/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ fɐn⁵⁵ tei̯²² ɐm³³/


сизин гёрмегеним кёп бола

head

сизин гёрмегеним кёп бола

сизин гёрмегеним кёп бола • (sizin görmegenim köp bola)

sizin görmegenim köp bola (romanization)

en-сизин_гёрмегеним_кёп_бола-kum-phrase-Bj2tBFvE


圪晾半死

/kəʔ⁵⁴⁻² liɒ̃⁴⁵ pæ̃⁴⁵ sz̩⁵³/

/kəʔ⁵⁴⁻² liɒ̃⁴⁵ pæ̃⁴⁵ sz̩⁵³/


返魂乏術

ㄈㄢˇ ㄏㄨㄣˊ ㄈㄚˊ ㄕㄨˋ

фаньхуньфашу

/fän²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ən³⁵ fä³⁵ ʂu⁵¹/

/faːn³⁵ wɐn²¹ fɐt̚² sɵt̚²/

/fän²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ən³⁵ fä³⁵ ʂu⁵¹/

/faːn³⁵ wɐn²¹ fɐt̚² sɵt̚²/


故態復萌

ㄍㄨˋ ㄊㄞˋ ㄈㄨˋ ㄇㄥˊ

/ku⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ fu⁵¹ mɤŋ³⁵/

/kuː³³ tʰaːi̯³³ fʊk̚² mɐŋ²¹/

/ku⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ fu⁵¹ mɤŋ³⁵/

/kuː³³ tʰaːi̯³³ fʊk̚² mɐŋ²¹/

to return to one's old bad habits; to relapse into a former undesirable state


or not

Emphasizes that a particular claim or idea makes no difference regarding what can or has happened.

"I bet the green car will make it unscathed!" said Mildred. Suddenly, there came a loud crunch from the racetrack. "Or not," she sighed.

A sardonic response to a new event that contradicts what the speaker has just stated.


絕子絕孫

ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄗˇ ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄙㄨㄣ

цзюэцзыцзюэсунь

/t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ su̯ən⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ su̯ən⁵⁵/

Nǐ gùyì yānsǐ le liǎng qiān èr bǎi ge xiǎogōng, měi yīge xiǎogōng de xìngmìng nǐ kòu sān bǎi kuài qián! Xìng Zhōu de, nǐ fā de shì juézǐjuésūn de mèixīncái! Nǐ xiànzài hái —

你故意淹死了兩千二百個小工，每一個小工的性命你扣三百塊錢！姓周的，你發的是絕子絕孫的昧心財！你現在還——

你故意淹死了两千二百个小工，每一个小工的性命你扣三百块钱！姓周的，你发的是绝子绝孙的昧心财！你现在还——

(often as a curse) to have no descendants


don't get me wrong

I'm just a bit possessive of him, but don't get me wrong. I'm not so sure I'd kill the groupies that he tags along. It's really not his fault they're there, but that don't mean a thing— I'm still the one he's with, the only one to whom he sings.

Used to clarify that something does not have a meaning that could be misinterpreted.

félreértés ne essék

used to clarify that something could be misinterpreted


uni tulee

"dream (literally)
sleep comes" (literally)

Eikö uni tule?

Can't you fall asleep? / Do you have trouble sleeping?

(idiomatic) Used to represent falling asleep or being able to.


負負得正

ㄈㄨˋ ㄈㄨˋ ㄉㄜˊ ㄓㄥˋ

/fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ fu⁵¹ tɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹/

/fuː²² fuː²² tɐk̚⁵ t͡sɪŋ³³/

/fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ fu⁵¹ tɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹/

/fuː²² fuː²² tɐk̚⁵ t͡sɪŋ³³/

(mathematics, mnemonic) two negatives make a positive; the product of two negative numbers is a positive number


IIWII

Most of the real professionals have slid sideways into Pro Audio or are too busy doing their work to wade through the muck. ¶ So what! IIWII (it is what it is) If you don't like it what choice do we really have but to leave? Just my opinion...

1997 October 11, Eric Blackmer, “Re: Scott flame...New rules in the house!!!...was:Annual AES awards”, in rec.audio.pro (Usenet):

I don't accept what is happening but I know it will be the same until Al passes. I do think you are right in that his inner circle (Madden, Otto, Hendricks, etc) tell him what he wants to hear or they wouldn't be close to him. That just supports what he already "knows". IIWII.......MR

2009 October 14, Momma Raider, “Re: The Al jockers sure are quiet”, in alt.sports.football.pro.oak-raiders (Usenet):

it is what it is
it is what it is#English

(rare, Internet slang) Acronym of it is what it is.


say la vee

I tried that once in an AOL thing called "The Arena", I can't remember who the celebrity was, but I posed some divinely thoughtful, inspired, well-crafted question, and they chose one, instead, that querried her favourite colour, quelle banel. I had mentioned my web site in my question, hoping for some international exposure, but say-la-vee!

1997 August 16, PRINCESSPK, “Re: Opinions wanted for magazine article”, in alt.showbiz.gossip (Usenet):

Filled up the Ashton with Capstan and had a totally British drive home. Thanks to the wizardry of Ashton and Imperial Tobacco, that first smoke in a new pipe was sweet as a nut. Unfortunately I was forced by circumstances to drive a '95 Ford Escort wagon rather than a Roller, Bentley or Aston Martin, but say la vee.

2001 April 25, David H. Crehore, “Re: OT?:pipe musings on the drive home”, in alt.smokers.pipes (Usenet):

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling

(slang, often humorous) Pronunciation spelling of c'est la vie.


this is where I came in

this is where we came in
this is where we came in#English


紅杏出牆

ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄔㄨ ㄑㄧㄤˊ

/xʊŋ³⁵ ɕiŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/hʊŋ²¹ hɐŋ²² t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹/

/xʊŋ³⁵ ɕiŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/hʊŋ²¹ hɐŋ²² t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹/

(of a wife) to have an affair; to cheat on her husband


爐火純青

ㄌㄨˊ ㄏㄨㄛˇ ㄔㄨㄣˊ ㄑㄧㄥ

/lu³⁵ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵/

/lou̯²¹ fɔː³⁵ sɵn²¹ t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵/

/lu³⁵ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵/

/lou̯²¹ fɔː³⁵ sɵn²¹ t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵/

to have reached high perfection or complete mastery


拋妻棄子

ㄆㄠ ㄑㄧ ㄑㄧˋ ㄗˇ

/pʰɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pʰaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐi̯⁵⁵ hei̯³³ t͡siː³⁵/

/pʰaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐi̯⁵⁵ hei̯³³ t͡siː³⁵/


ser la repanocha

—Pero tú tienes una cámara que sí es la repanocha. —Sí, está bien, tiene muchas batallas pero funciona. No es una Hasselblad, claro, pero cumple.

2016, Rebeca Rus, Todas las bodas necesitan un plan B, Harlequin, →ISBN:

Además, mi publicista es la repanocha. Ya está trabajando en una estrategia.

2016, Mhairi McFarlane, ¿Quién es esa chica?, Libros de Seda, →ISBN:

(Spain, colloquial) to be awesome, extraordinary


farinha do mesmo saco

(idiomatic) much of a muchness (indicates little difference between multiple things)


valeu, falou

(Internet slang) used to express the dismissive or abrupt end of a conversation, statement, etc.


ar súil

Níbo in tain no·mbeid ar súil tantum do·gneith toil far coimded.

It must not be when you pl are seen (by him) only that you do your master’s will.


重整旗鼓

ㄔㄨㄥˊ ㄓㄥˇ ㄑㄧˊ ㄍㄨˇ

чунчжэн цигу

/ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰʊŋ²¹ t͡sɪŋ³⁵ kʰei̯²¹ kuː³⁵/

/teŋ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ t͡sĩã⁵²⁻³⁵ ki⁵⁵⁻¹¹ kou⁵²/

/t͡sʰʊŋ²¹ t͡sɪŋ³⁵ kʰei̯²¹ kuː³⁵/

/teŋ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ t͡sĩã⁵²⁻³⁵ ki⁵⁵⁻¹¹ kou⁵²/

to rally one's forces (after a defeat); to begin all over again


senta lá, Cláudia

A variation of a comment made by Xuxa Meneghel in the television programme Clube da Criança (1984) to a child who tried to say something to her. Literally, “sit there, Claudia”.

Used to express the dismissive or abrupt end of a conversation, statement, etc, or to label an argument presented by a rhetorical adversary as not credible. yeah, yeah; gimme a break


鬧太套

/nɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰɑʊ̯⁵¹/

ㄋㄠˋ ㄊㄞˋ ㄊㄠˋㄦ

/nɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰaʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹/

/nɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/nɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰaʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹/

黃曉明 w:zh:黃曉明

(slang) not at all (generally a stab at Huang Xiaoming (黃曉明) for his bad English)


無變

→ English: bo bian

/bo²⁴⁻²¹ piɛn²¹/

/bo²³⁻²¹ piɛn²¹/

/bo⁵⁵⁻¹¹ piaŋ²¹³/

/bo⁵⁵⁻¹¹ pieŋ²¹³/

/bo²⁴⁻²¹ piɛn²¹/

/bo²³⁻²¹ piɛn²¹/

/bo⁵⁵⁻¹¹ piaŋ²¹³/

/bo⁵⁵⁻¹¹ pieŋ²¹³/

(Hakka, Hokkien, Teochew) there is nothing to be done; one can't do anything about it


無辦法

/mo¹¹ pʰan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ fap̚¹/

/bo²⁴⁻²² pan²²⁻²¹ huat̚³²/

/bo²⁴⁻²¹ pan²²⁻²¹ huat̚³²/

/bo⁵⁵⁻¹¹ põĩ¹¹ huak̚²/

/mo¹¹ pʰan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ fap̚¹/

/bo²⁴⁻²² pan²²⁻²¹ huat̚³²/

/bo²⁴⁻²¹ pan²²⁻²¹ huat̚³²/

/bo⁵⁵⁻¹¹ põĩ¹¹ huak̚²/

(Hakka, Southern Min) it can't be helped; there is no choice


冇辦法

(Cantonese) there is nothing to be done; one can't do anything about it


jogar merda no ventilador

[ʒuˈɣaɾ ˈmɛɾ.ðɐ nu βẽ.ti.lɐˈðoɾ]

when the shit hits the fan
when the shit hits the fan

(Brazil, idiomatic, vulgar) to spread bad rumours or compromising information, in such a way that it ought to do damage to the whistleblower himself. See also: when the shit hits the fan


turn of speed

They are larger than any boats previously stationed at Newhaven, are considerably more comfortable, and have a turn of speed that places them well in the forefront.

1939 June, G. W. Tripp, “The Modern Railway Steamer”, in Railway Magazine, page 392:

Of a boat or ship, the ability to move fast when needed.


Dios mabalos saindo gabos

Diyos mabalos saindo gabos#Bikol_Central

Alternative form of Diyos mabalos saindo gabos


qifsha nënën

Short for "të qifsha nënën" (in Gheg: "ta qifsha nãnën/nõnën" ~ "ta kajsha nãnën/nõnën");
* të (“your”)
* qij (“fuck, hew”) + -fsha (“I may”) (optative marker)
* nënë (“mother”) + -n (accusative marker).

(optative mood)
(Të) qifsha nënën!
May I fuck (your) mother!

(idiomatic, dismissive, offensive, markedly vulgar)


bingi ako

bingí akó (canonical)
ᜊᜒᜅᜒ ᜀᜃᜓ (Baybayin)

[bɪˌŋi ʔɐˈxo]


bulag ako

bulág akó (canonical)
ᜊᜓᜎᜄ᜔ ᜀᜃᜓ (Baybayin)


salama kirkkaalta taivaalta

Se tuli kuin salama kirkkaalta taivaalta. / Se tuli salamana kirkkaalta taivaalta.

It came like a bolt from the blue. / It came out of the blue.

(idiomatic) bolt from the blue (complete surprise; something totally unexpected)


it me

Shortened version of the phrase "it's me" in mock-African-American Vernacular English, dropping the verb.

(Internet slang, humorous) This represents me or my feelings.


懲一儆百

ㄔㄥˊ ㄧ ㄐㄧㄥˇ ㄅㄞˇ

чэнъи цзинбай

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰɪŋ²¹ jɐt̚⁵ kɪŋ³⁵ paːk̚³/

/tʰeŋ⁵²⁻³⁵ t͡sek̚⁴⁻² keŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ peʔ²/

/t͡sʰɪŋ²¹ jɐt̚⁵ kɪŋ³⁵ paːk̚³/

/tʰeŋ⁵²⁻³⁵ t͡sek̚⁴⁻² keŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ peʔ²/


半夜五更

/pæ̃⁴⁵ ie⁴⁵ vu⁵³ t͡ɕĩŋ¹¹/

/pæ̃⁴⁵ ie⁴⁵ vu⁵³ t͡ɕĩŋ¹¹/

(Jin) in the middle of the night; late at night


I'll tell you

Well you've got all the rights to his money, I'll tell you.

(idiomatic, colloquial) Synonym of I can tell you


白明黑夜

/pai¹¹ mĩŋ¹¹ xəʔ² ie⁴⁵/

/pai¹¹ mĩŋ¹¹ xəʔ² ie⁴⁵/


包包㘝㘝

/pau̯²⁴⁻¹¹ pau̯²⁴ ŋi̯ap̚² ŋi̯ap̚²/

/pau̯²⁴⁻¹¹ pau̯²⁴ ŋi̯ap̚² ŋi̯ap̚²/


公我贏，字你輸

公我赢，字你输
公我贏、字你輸
公我贏字你輸

If the coin lands on heads I win; if the coin lands on tails you lose.

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ ŋɔː¹³ jɛːŋ²¹ t͡siː²² nei̯¹³ syː⁵⁵/

heads I win, tails you lose
heads I win, tails you lose

(Cantonese, derogatory) one always wins; one wins in any scenario; heads I win, tails you lose


厚古薄今

ㄏㄡˋ ㄍㄨˇ ㄅㄛˊ ㄐㄧㄣ

хоугубоцзинь

/xoʊ̯⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu̯ɔ³⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵/

/hɐu̯¹³ kuː³⁵ pɔːk̚² kɐm⁵⁵/

/xoʊ̯⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu̯ɔ³⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵/

/hɐu̯¹³ kuː³⁵ pɔːk̚² kɐm⁵⁵/

to set great store by the past but look down on the present


run through the garden

dragged through the garden
dragged through the garden#English

Synonym of dragged through the garden (“served with a large variety of toppings and condiments”)


dragged through the garden

“Okay, I think it's coming in now: one cheeseburger cooked under a hubcap to the rare side of medium rare, dragged through the garden with two eggs sunny-side up on top; French fries, and a side of grits.”

2007, Ronnie Blackwell, Serve It Cold, page 150:

'How do you want your burgers? Plain or dragged through the garden?'
'What?'
'Plain or with fixings?'

(informal) Of a burger, hot dog, etc.: served with a large variety of toppings and condiments.


謙沖自牧

ㄑㄧㄢ ㄔㄨㄥ ㄗˋ ㄇㄨˋ

цяньчунцзыму

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹/

/hiːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡siː²² mʊk̚²/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹/

/hiːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡siː²² mʊk̚²/

using humility in practicing self-cultivation


cuál es tu nombre

cuál (“what”) + es (“is”) + tu (“your”) + nombre (“name”).


ke ora iz

Probably borrowed from Italian che ora è, perhaps with influence from iz (“is”).


bo mage vennen an hotèl

where can I find a hotel
where can I find a hotel


biavl khostetz

how much does it cost
how much does it cost


QAC

(New Latin) Abbreviation of quaque ante cibum (“before every meal”).


慎始敬終

ㄕㄣˋ ㄕˇ ㄐㄧㄥˋ ㄓㄨㄥ

шэньшицзинчжун

/ʂən⁵¹ ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵/

/ʂən⁵¹ ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵/

to be cautious and careful from beginning to end


B. L. P.

(archaic) Abbreviation of besa los pies, a formal way to close a letter


B. L. M.

(archaic) Abbreviation of besa la mano, a formal way to close a letter


See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.


nėra to blogo, kuris neišeitų į gerą

nėrà tõ blõgo (canonical)
kurìs neišeĩtų į̃ gẽrą (canonical)

Literally means There's no bad that doesn't go to good.

every cloud has a silver lining
every cloud has a silver lining


These things are almost indestructable. The trick of the trade would be to make sure you took your wall thickness into account when installing the boxes. It's a bit easier to work if the box is a bit too deep. GL2U.

2003 November 15, DaveG, “Re: Receptacle boxes stick out too far”, in alt.home.repair (Usenet):

Romeo
You guys go ahead. I'm gonna sit this one out. GL2U.
Besides, I don't think this is such a good idea. 😟

2015, William Shakespeare, Brett Wright, YOLO Juliet, New York, NY: Random House, →ISBN, page unknown:

(Internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of good luck to you.


next to no time

The roads are very quiet today – we'll be home in next to no time.

When I was a child I spent next to no time with my father.


SWL

“He fired back at her, blaming her for their breakup, saying she was self-absorbed and always put her own needs above his. He predicted that by the time their senior prom rolled around, she would regret letting him go. To which Claire responded: YGTBKM. SWL.” ¶ “Translation?” ¶ “'You've got to be kidding me. Screaming with laughter.'”

2008, Maureen Smith, No One But You, New York, NY: Dafina Books, →ISBN, page 109:

(Internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of screaming with laughter.


YGTBKM

you've got to be kidding me
you've got to be kidding me#English

(Internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of you've got to be kidding me.


MAHA

Modeled after MAGA. Popularized by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in 2024 but earlier uses exist.

I’ve got the hashtag. #MAHA: Make America Healthy Again.

2020 July 4, “Make America Healthy Again: #MAHA”, in The Rush Limbaugh Show:

He shared the phrase "Make America Healthy Again" on social media, along with the abbreviation "MAHA," not unlike MAGA (Make America Great Again), which Trump still uses.

2024 August 26, Chrissy Bobic, “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Has Coined a Term To Explain His Most Important Cause”, in Distractify:

MAHA went viral across social media and led to an explosion of questionable claims regarding health and wellness.

2024 August 26, Mikael Thalen, “MAGA turns to roadkill-eating anti-vaxer with a brain worm to ‘Make America Healthy Again’”, in The Daily Dot:

(US politics) Acronym of Make America Healthy Again.


IDEK

Mercutio
K, have u been dreaming about Queen Mab 👸 again?
Romeo
IDEK who that is.

(Internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of I don't even know.


喪權辱國

ㄙㄤˋ ㄑㄩㄢˊ ㄖㄨˇ ㄍㄨㄛˊ

ㄙㄤˋ ㄑㄩㄢˊ ㄖㄨˋ ㄍㄨㄛˊ

санцюаньжуго

/sɑŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ ʐu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ɔ³⁵/

/sɑŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ ʐu⁵¹ ku̯ɔ³⁵/

/sɔːŋ³³ kʰyːn²¹ jʊk̚² kʷɔːk̚³/

/sɑŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ ʐu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ɔ³⁵/

/sɑŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ ʐu⁵¹ ku̯ɔ³⁵/

/sɔːŋ³³ kʰyːn²¹ jʊk̚² kʷɔːk̚³/

to cause the country to lose its sovereignty and be humiliated


不幸中の幸い

ja-pos

ふこうちゅう の さいわい

不(ふ)幸(こう)中(ちゅう)の幸(さいわ)い • (fukōchū no saiwai)

不幸中の幸い (canonical)
fukōchū no saiwai (romanization)

From 不幸 (“unfortunate”) + 中 (“in the middle of”) + の (“possessive particle”) + 幸い (“fortunate”).

com

誰も死ななかったのは不幸中の幸いでした。

Dare mo shinanakatta no wa fukōchū no saiwai deshita.

It is a consolation that no one was killed.

blessing in disguise
blessing in disguise

small mercy (from some misfortune); silver lining of a dark cloud; consolation in sadness; blessing in disguise


dai ako tatao mag-Ingles

I don't speak English
I don't speak English


tatao ka mag-Ingles

do you speak English
do you speak English


pano mo itaram an … sa Ingles

how do you say … in English
how do you say … in English


鳴かぬなら鳴くまで待とう時鳥

ja-pos

鳴かぬなら鳴くまで待とう時鳥

なかぬ なら なく まで まとう ほととぎす

鳴(な)かぬなら鳴(な)くまで待(ま)とう時鳥(ほととぎす) • (nakanu nara naku made matō hototogisu)

鳴かぬなら鳴くまで待とう時鳥 (canonical)
nakanu nara naku made matō hototogisu (romanization)

From the 甲子夜話 (Kasshi Yawa), a collection of essays by Matsura Seizan written during the late Edo period. This senryū is attributed to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the third of the three major lords of the Sengoku period and the first Tokugawa shogun.
Literally “if the lesser cuckoo does not sing, wait until it sings”.
The essay has the differing reactions of the two other lords of the era:
* Oda Nobunaga: 鳴かぬなら殺してしまえ時鳥 (nakanu nara koroshite shimae hototogisu, “if the lesser cuckoo does not sing, kill it”)
* Toyotomi Hideyoshi: 鳴かぬなら鳴かしてみしょう時鳥 (nakanu nara nakashite mishō hototogisu, “if the lesser cuckoo does not sing, make it sing”)

good things come to those who wait#English

waiting patiently until time is ripe, compare English good things come to those who wait

Daijirin
Edo period
Matsura Seizan
Oda Nobunaga
Sengoku period
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Toyotomi Hideyoshi


pano mo babaybayon an katagang ini

how do you spell this word
how do you spell this word


防患於未然

ㄈㄤˊ ㄏㄨㄢˋ ㄩˊ ㄨㄟˋ ㄖㄢˊ

фанхуань юй вэйжань

/fɑŋ³⁵ xu̯än⁵¹ y³⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹ ʐän³⁵/

/fɔːŋ²¹ waːn²² jyː⁵⁵ mei̯²² jiːn²¹/

/huaŋ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ huaŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ i³³⁻²³ bue¹¹ d͡ziaŋ⁵⁵/

/fɑŋ³⁵ xu̯än⁵¹ y³⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹ ʐän³⁵/

/fɔːŋ²¹ waːn²² jyː⁵⁵ mei̯²² jiːn²¹/

to take preventative measures before a disaster occurs; to prevent trouble before it happens


防患未然

ㄈㄤˊ ㄏㄨㄢˋ ㄨㄟˋ ㄖㄢˊ

фанхуаньвэйжань

/fɑŋ³⁵ xu̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ weɪ̯⁵¹ ʐän³⁵/

/fɔːŋ²¹ waːn²² mei̯²² jiːn²¹/

/hɔŋ²⁴⁻²² huan²²⁻²¹ bi²²⁻²¹ liɛn²⁴/

/hɔŋ²³⁻³³ huan³³⁻²¹ bi³³⁻²¹ ziɛn²³/

/fɑŋ³⁵ xu̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ weɪ̯⁵¹ ʐän³⁵/

/fɔːŋ²¹ waːn²² mei̯²² jiːn²¹/

/hɔŋ²⁴⁻²² huan²²⁻²¹ bi²²⁻²¹ liɛn²⁴/

/hɔŋ²³⁻³³ huan³³⁻²¹ bi³³⁻²¹ ziɛn²³/


魏晉風度

ㄨㄟˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄈㄥ ㄉㄨˋ

вэйцзиньфэнду

/weɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ tu⁵¹/

/weɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ tu⁵¹/

(historical) the unrestrained behaviour of the literati during the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420), characterized by heaving drinking, drug taking, intellectual discussion and retreat to nature


igwa ka nang aki

do you have children
do you have children


magayagayang bagong taon

From magayagayang (“cheerful”) + bagong taon (“new year”)


head

maugmang pasko asin magayagayang bagong taon

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year


namumuot ako saimo

I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you


妥了

/tʰu̯ɔ²¹⁴ lə⁴/

/tʰu̯ɔ²¹⁴ lə⁴/

(colloquial) that's enough; that'll do; to be done; to be ready


pilay palad sa unggoy

Literally, “how many palms does a monkey have”.


四鄰八舍

ㄙˋ ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄅㄚ ㄕㄜˋ

/sz̩⁵¹ lin³⁵ pä⁵⁵ ʂɤ⁵¹/

/sei̯³³ lɵn²¹ paːt̚³ sɛː³³/

/si⁴⁵ lin¹³ pa̠²⁴ ʂɤ̞⁴⁵/

/ɕi⁴⁵ lin¹³ pa̠²⁴ sɤ̞⁴⁵/

/sz̩⁵¹ lin³⁵ pä⁵⁵ ʂɤ⁵¹/

/sei̯³³ lɵn²¹ paːt̚³ sɛː³³/

/si⁴⁵ lin¹³ pa̠²⁴ ʂɤ̞⁴⁵/

/ɕi⁴⁵ lin¹³ pa̠²⁴ sɤ̞⁴⁵/

all the neighbors; the neighbors all around


成人之美

ㄔㄥˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄓ ㄇㄟˇ

чэнжэньчжимэй

čɛnžɛnʹčžimɛj

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ meɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ meɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

The Master said, "The superior man seeks to perfect the admirable qualities of men, and does not seek to perfect their bad qualities. The mean man does the opposite of this."

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐ yuē: “Jūnzǐ chéng rén zhī měi, bù chéng rén zhī è. Xiǎorén fǎn shì.”

子曰：「君子成人之美，不成人之惡。小人反是。」

子曰：「君子成人之美，不成人之恶。小人反是。」

to help or encourage someone accomplish something; to assist

The Spring and Autumn Annals make good on the virtues of its protagonists, but not their vices.

Commentary of Guliang, circa 206 BCE– 9 CE

“Chūnqiū” chéngrénzhīměi, bù chéng rén zhī è.

《春秋》成人之美，不成人之惡。

《春秋》成人之美，不成人之恶。

(chiefly literary) to magnify other people's virtue; to make good someone's honourable intentions


ăn miếng trả miếng

[ʔan˧˧ miəŋ˧˦ t͡ɕaː˧˩ miəŋ˧˦]

[ʔaŋ˧˧ miəŋ˦˧˥ ʈaː˧˨ miəŋ˦˧˥]

[ʔaŋ˧˧ miəŋ˦˥ ʈaː˨˩˦ miəŋ˦˥]

ăn (“to eat”) + miếng (“piece”) + trả (“to pay back”) + miếng.


駄目で元々

ja-phrase

駄(だ)目(め)で元(もと)々(もと) • (dame de motomoto)

駄目で元々 (canonical)
dame de motomoto (romanization)

Literally, "It is bad in the first place".

There is nothing to lose; You can try something because even if you fail it will not make your situation any worse.


明日は我が身

明日は我が身 (canonical)
asu wa wa ga mi (romanization)

[a̠sɨ β̞a̠ β̞a̠ ɡa̠ mʲi]

Clipping of a longer version "今日(きょう)は人(ひと)の上(うえ)明日(あす)は我(わ)が身(み)の上(うえ) (kyō wa hito no ue asu wa wa ga mi no ue, literally “it is on other people today, but it will be on my body tomorrow”)"

ja-r

今日は人の上 明日は我が身の上

きょう は ひと の うえ あす は わ が み の うえ


O$P$

2024 March 18, “Teen arrested for locking Chai Chee flat, leaving O$P$ note”, in The New Paper:

(Singapore) Abbreviation of owe money, pay money: an admonition to debtors, especially by loansharks (Ah Longs).


dove non batte il sole

Calque of English where the sun don't shine.

calque

where the sun don't shine
where the sun don't shine

(idiomatic, euphemistic) where the sun don't shine


no lo sabes tú bien

-Como el de una manzana. Iba tan risueña y saltona, que bien a las claras se veía su perfecta salud. ¡Se me pasaron unas ganas de detenerla y darle un par de besos...! ¡Qué mona es!
-¡Ay, no lo sabes tú bien! -dijo Guerra con efusión, abrazando a su querida-. Dime: si alguna vez la traigo a vivir con nosotros, la querrás como la quiero yo?

1891, Benito Pérez Galdós, Ángel Guerra:

no lo sabes bien
no lo sabes bien#Spanish


BIW

(business, philosophy, economics) Abbreviation of business is war.


𐌷𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌿

𐌷𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹 𐌷𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹#Gothic

Compound of 𐌷𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌹 (habai)+ the clitic -𐌿 (-u).


生靈塗炭

ㄕㄥ ㄌㄧㄥˊ ㄊㄨˊ ㄊㄢˋ

шэнлинтутань

/ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ liŋ³⁵ tʰu³⁵ tʰän⁵¹/

/sɐŋ⁵⁵ lɪŋ²¹ tʰou̯²¹ tʰaːn³³/

/ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ liŋ³⁵ tʰu³⁵ tʰän⁵¹/

/sɐŋ⁵⁵ lɪŋ²¹ tʰou̯²¹ tʰaːn³³/

the people are living in extreme suffering and misery


𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌹𐌳𐌴𐌳𐌹𐌿

𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌹𐌳𐌴𐌳𐌹 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌹𐌳𐌴𐌳𐌹#Gothic

Compound of 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌹𐌳𐌴𐌳𐌹 (hailidēdi)+ the clitic -𐌿 (-u).


和衷共濟

ㄏㄜˊ ㄓㄨㄥ ㄍㄨㄥˋ ㄐㄧˋ

хэчжунгунцзи

/xɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/wɔː²¹ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ kʊŋ²² t͡sɐi̯³³/

/xɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/wɔː²¹ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ kʊŋ²² t͡sɐi̯³³/

Comrades! At today's conference, I also want to represent the Party Central Committee and the State Council to call on the whole Party, the whole Army and the people of all ethnic groups in the whole country to work together to overcome the difficulties, unite and act immediately, and contribute to stopping the turmoil and stabilizing the situation in their respective positions.

1989 May 19, 李鹏 (Li Peng), 在首都党政军干部大会上李鹏同志的讲话 [Speech by Comrade Li Peng at the Conference of Party, Government and Military Cadres in the Capital], on 中华人民共和国国务院公报 1989年第9号

Tóngzhì men! Zài jīntiān de dàhuì shàng, wǒ hái yào dàibiǎo dǎngzhōngyāng hé Guówùyuàn, hàozhào quándǎng quánjūn quánguó gè zú rénmín, hézhōnggòngjì, tuánjié yīzhì, lìjí xíngdòng qǐlái, zài gèzì de gǎngwèi shàng wèi zhìzhǐ dòngluàn hé wěndìng júshì zuòchū gòngxiàn.

同志們！在今天的大會上，我還要代表黨中央和國務院，號召全黨全軍全國各族人民，和衷共濟，團結一致，立即行動起來，在各自的崗位上為制止動亂和穩定局勢做出貢獻。

同志们！在今天的大会上，我还要代表党中央和国务院，号召全党全军全国各族人民，和衷共济，团结一致，立即行动起来，在各自的岗位上为制止动乱和稳定局势做出贡献。

to work together to overcome difficulties


vyön alle

isku vyön alle


……大法好

... ㄉㄚˋ ㄈㄚˇ ㄏㄠˇ

... дафа хао

/tä⁵¹ fä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tä⁵¹ fä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

Back-formation from 法輪大法好／法轮大法好 (Fǎlún Dàfǎ hǎo, “Falun Gong is good”), a slogan of Falun Gong.

zh-l

百合大法好！

Arch大法好！

Praise Sony, and may Heaven destroy Nintendo.

索尼大法好，天滅任地獄

索尼大法好，天灭任地狱

2018 May 12, 御坂0x4e21 (username), answer to the question “男朋友养成了女朋友是一种怎样的体验？”, on Zhihu

GQ大法好！


faoi leith

Do thug sí léi an t‑éadach-so agus do chuaidh sí féin i n‑áit fe leith, is do chuir sí uirthi é.

1939, Peig Sayers, “Inghean an Cheannaidhe”, in Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études; 270) (overall work in French), Paris: Librairie Honoré Champion, page 198:

She took this vestment and went to a separate place, and put it on.


濕古淋當

(Sichuanese, derogatory) dripping wet; soaking wet; drenched


don't ask

(informal) Used to say that something is too strange, embarrassing, or complicated to explain.


before one knows it

before you know it


before one knows where one is

before you know where you are


don't ask me

(informal) I don't know; I have no idea.


une fois n'est pas coutume

doing it once is all right, but let it not turn into a habit; it's ok this time, but let's not make a habit of it