皮包骨頭

ㄆㄧˊ ㄅㄠ ㄍㄨˇ ˙ㄊㄡ

ㄆㄧˊ ㄅㄠ ㄍㄨˊ ˙ㄊㄡ

/pʰi³⁵ pɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ku²¹⁴ tʰoʊ̯⁴/

/pʰi³⁵ pɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ku³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³/

/pʰei̯²¹ paːu̯⁵⁵ kʷɐt̚⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹/

/pʰi³⁵ pɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ku²¹⁴ tʰoʊ̯⁴/

/pʰi³⁵ pɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ku³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³/

/pʰei̯²¹ paːu̯⁵⁵ kʷɐt̚⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹/


莊周夢蝶

ㄓㄨㄤ ㄓㄡ ㄇㄥˋ ㄉㄧㄝˊ

чжуанчжоумэнде

/ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵ mɤŋ⁵¹ ti̯ɛ³⁵/

/t͡sɔːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɐu̯⁵⁵ mʊŋ²² tiːp̚²/

/ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵ mɤŋ⁵¹ ti̯ɛ³⁵/

/t͡sɔːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɐu̯⁵⁵ mʊŋ²² tiːp̚²/

Once, Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering about, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know that he was Zhuang Zhou. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuang Zhou. But he didn't know if he was Zhuang Zhou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming that he was Zhuang Zhou. Between Zhuang Zhou and the butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the "Transformation of Things".

Xī zhě Zhuāng Zhōu mèng wéi húdié, xǔxǔ rán húdié yě, zìyù shì zhì yǔ. Bùzhī Zhōu yě. Érán jué, zé qúqú rán Zhōu yě. Bùzhī Zhōu zhī mèng wéi húdié yǔ, húdié zhī mèng wéi Zhōu yǔ. Zhōu yǔ húdié, zé bì yǒu fēn yǐ. Cǐ zhī wèi wùhuà.

昔者莊周夢為胡蝶，栩栩然胡蝶也，自喻適志與。不知周也。俄然覺，則蘧蘧然周也。不知周之夢為胡蝶與，胡蝶之夢為周與。周與胡蝶，則必有分矣。此之謂物化。

昔者庄周梦为胡蝶，栩栩然胡蝶也，自喻适志与。不知周也。俄然觉，则蘧蘧然周也。不知周之梦为胡蝶与，胡蝶之梦为周与。周与胡蝶，则必有分矣。此之谓物化。

(figurative, philosophy) one is never certain whether what one sees is reality or illusion; changeable nature of human life


it's the truth, Ruth

(Australia, New Zealand, informal) What I am telling you is true.


don't try this at home

Don't try this at home, but now I'm going to walk barefoot over the hot coals.

A caution that the activity being described or demonstrated is not safe for ordinary members of the public to attempt.


Jan en klein Piereke

(Brabant) everyone (esp. common citizen)


血氣方剛

ㄒㄩㄝˋ ㄑㄧˋ ㄈㄤ ㄍㄤ

ㄒㄩㄝˇ ㄑㄧˋ ㄈㄤ ㄍㄤ

ㄒㄧㄝˇ ㄑㄧˋ ㄈㄤ ㄍㄤ

/ɕy̯ɛ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ kɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕy̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ kɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕi̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ kɑŋ⁵⁵/

/hyːt̚³ hei̯³³ fɔːŋ⁵⁵ kɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕy̯ɛ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ kɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕy̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ kɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕi̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ kɑŋ⁵⁵/

/hyːt̚³ hei̯³³ fɔːŋ⁵⁵ kɔːŋ⁵⁵/

Confucius said, "There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth, when the physical powers are not yet settled, he guards against lust. When he is strong and the physical powers are full of vigor, he guards against quarrelsomeness. When he is old, and the animal powers are decayed, he guards against covetousness."

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

Kǒng Zǐ yuē: “Jūnzǐ yǒu sān jiè: shào zhī shí, xuèqì wèi dìng, jiè zhī zài sè; jí qí zhuàng yě, xuèqì fāng gāng, jiè zhī zài dòu; jí qí lǎo yě, xuèqì jì shuāi, jiè zhī zài dé.”

孔子曰：「君子有三戒：少之時，血氣未定，戒之在色；及其壯也，血氣方剛，戒之在鬭；及其老也，血氣既衰，戒之在得。」

孔子曰：「君子有三戒：少之时，血气未定，戒之在色；及其壮也，血气方刚，戒之在斗；及其老也，血气既衰，戒之在得。」

(usually of youth) hot-blooded; full of vigour; buoyant and impetuous


café para todos

(Spain) one-size-fits-all; particularly, the idea that all nationalities and regions of Spain will enjoy equal self-government


pretty please with a cherry on top

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pretty please with a cherry on top.wav

pretty please with sugar on top!
pretty please with sugar on top#English

Synonym of pretty please with sugar on top!


群言堂

ㄑㄩㄣˊ ㄧㄢˊ ㄊㄤˊ

/t͡ɕʰyn³⁵ jɛn³⁵ tʰɑŋ³⁵/

/kʷʰɐn²¹ jiːn²¹ tʰɔːŋ²¹/

/t͡ɕʰyn³⁵ jɛn³⁵ tʰɑŋ³⁵/

/kʷʰɐn²¹ jiːn²¹ tʰɔːŋ²¹/

democratic decision making; decision making by consensus


一言堂

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ jɛn³⁵ tʰɑŋ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ jiːn²¹ tʰɔːŋ²¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²⁴⁻²² tɔŋ²⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ ɡiɛn²⁴⁻²² tɔŋ²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ ɡiɛn¹³⁻²² tɔŋ¹³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²⁴⁻¹¹ tɔŋ²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²³⁻³³ tɔŋ²³/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ jɛn³⁵ tʰɑŋ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ jiːn²¹ tʰɔːŋ²¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²⁴⁻²² tɔŋ²⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ ɡiɛn²⁴⁻²² tɔŋ²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ ɡiɛn¹³⁻²² tɔŋ¹³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²⁴⁻¹¹ tɔŋ²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²³⁻³³ tɔŋ²³/

authoritarian decision making (in which one person decides the matter arbitrarily)


有目無珠

ㄧㄡˇ ㄇㄨˋ ㄨˊ ㄓㄨ

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu⁵¹ u³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ mʊk̚² mou̯²¹ t͡syː⁵⁵/

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu⁵¹ u³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ mʊk̚² mou̯²¹ t͡syː⁵⁵/

有眼無珠 有眼無珠#Chinese

有眼无珠 有眼无珠#Chinese


有眼無珠

有眼无珠
有目無珠
有眼無瞳
肉眼無珠
眼內無珠
盲眼無珠

ㄧㄡˇ ㄧㄢˇ ㄨˊ ㄓㄨ

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ ŋaːn¹³ mou̯²¹ t͡syː⁵⁵/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡su⁴⁴/

/iu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ɡan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bu²³⁻³³ t͡su⁴⁴/

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ ŋaːn¹³ mou̯²¹ t͡syː⁵⁵/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡su⁴⁴/

/iu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ɡan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bu²³⁻³³ t͡su⁴⁴/

(figurative) lacking the ability to see or discern; to have a narrow vision; ignorant


相依為命

相依为命
相須為命
相倚為命
相與為命

ㄒㄧㄤ ㄧ ㄨㄟˊ ㄇㄧㄥˋ

/ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ miŋ⁵¹/

/sœːŋ⁵⁵ jiː⁵⁵ wɐi̯²¹ mɪŋ²²/

/siaŋ³³⁻²³ i³³⁻²³ ui⁵⁵⁻¹¹ mĩã¹¹/

/ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ miŋ⁵¹/

/sœːŋ⁵⁵ jiː⁵⁵ wɐi̯²¹ mɪŋ²²/

/siaŋ³³⁻²³ i³³⁻²³ ui⁵⁵⁻¹¹ mĩã¹¹/

to depend on each other for survival; to rely on one another for life


脣齒相依

ㄔㄨㄣˊ ㄔˇ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄧ

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵⁵/

/sɵn²¹ t͡sʰiː³⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵ jiː⁵⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵⁵/

/sɵn²¹ t͡sʰiː³⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵ jiː⁵⁵/

(figurative) to be closely related and mutually dependent (like the lips and teeth)


I told you

Used to tell the listener that what was said before was true, despite the listener's doubts.

我有共汝讲

góa ū kā lí kóng / góa ǔ kā lí kóng / góa ū kāng lí kóng / góa ǔ kāng lí kóng

én megmondtam (neked, önnek, nektek, or önöknek are optional afterwards, q.v.)


hoe de vork in de steel zit

Literally, “how the fork fits in the handle”.

lit

Ik wil weten hoe de vork in de steel zit.

Hoe de vork in de steel zit is niet bekend.


千真萬確

ㄑㄧㄢ ㄓㄣ ㄨㄢˋ ㄑㄩㄝˋ

ㄑㄧㄢ ㄓㄣ ㄨㄢˋ ㄑㄩㄝˋ

цяньчжэньваньцюэ

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵ wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰiɛn⁵⁵ t͡sən⁵⁵ uan²¹³ t͡ɕʰyo²¹/

/t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɐn⁵⁵ maːn²² kʰɔːk̚³/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴ t͡sən⁴⁴⁻³⁵ ʋan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ kʰɔk̚¹/

/t͡sʰi̯ẽ³³ ʈ͡ʂən³³ u̯an⁴⁵ kʰo²⁴/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ẽ³³ t͡sən³³ u̯an⁴⁵ kʰo²⁴/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵ wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰiɛn⁵⁵ t͡sən⁵⁵ uan²¹³ t͡ɕʰyo²¹/

/t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɐn⁵⁵ maːn²² kʰɔːk̚³/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴ t͡sən⁴⁴⁻³⁵ ʋan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ kʰɔk̚¹/

/t͡sʰi̯ẽ³³ ʈ͡ʂən³³ u̯an⁴⁵ kʰo²⁴/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ẽ³³ t͡sən³³ u̯an⁴⁵ kʰo²⁴/

absolutely true; one can swear it is true


面無表情

ㄇㄧㄢˋ ㄨˊ ㄅㄧㄠˇ ㄑㄧㄥˊ

/mi̯ɛn⁵¹ u³⁵ pi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰiŋ³⁵/

/miːn²² mou̯²¹ piːu̯³⁵ t͡sʰɪŋ²¹/

/mi̯ɛn⁵¹ u³⁵ pi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰiŋ³⁵/

/miːn²² mou̯²¹ piːu̯³⁵ t͡sʰɪŋ²¹/

stolid; showing little expression on the face


直截了當

直截了当
直接了當
直捷了當

ㄓˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄌㄧㄠˇ ㄉㄤˋ

чжицзеляодан

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ li̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑŋ⁵¹/

/t͡sɪk̚² t͡siːt̚² liːu̯¹³ tɔːŋ³³/

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ li̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑŋ⁵¹/

/t͡sɪk̚² t͡siːt̚² liːu̯¹³ tɔːŋ³³/


不擇手段

ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄕㄡˇ ㄉㄨㄢˋ

буцзэшоудуань

/pu⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯än⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ t͡saːk̚² sɐu̯³⁵ tyːn²²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ tiɪk̚⁴⁻³² t͡sʰiu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tuã³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ tiɪk̚⁴⁻³² t͡sʰiu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tuã³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ tiɪk̚⁴⁻³² t͡sʰiu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tuã²²/

/pu⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯än⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ t͡saːk̚² sɐu̯³⁵ tyːn²²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ tiɪk̚⁴⁻³² t͡sʰiu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tuã³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ tiɪk̚⁴⁻³² t͡sʰiu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tuã³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ tiɪk̚⁴⁻³² t͡sʰiu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tuã²²/

(derogatory) to take any measures to do something; to stop at nothing; by hook or by crook; unscrupulously

只要目的正當，可以不擇手段／只要目的正当，可以不择手段

zhǐyào mùdì zhèngdàng, kěyǐ bùzéshǒuduàn


悶悶不樂

ㄇㄣˋ ㄇㄣˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄜˋ

мэньмэньбулэ

/mən⁵¹⁻⁵³ mən⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ lɤ⁵¹/

/muːn²² muːn²² pɐt̚⁵ lɔːk̚²/

/bun²²⁻²¹ bun²²⁻²¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ lɔk̚⁴/

/bun⁴¹⁻²² bun⁴¹⁻²² put̚⁵⁻²⁴ lɔk̚²⁴/

/bun²²⁻²¹ bun²²⁻²¹ put̚³²⁻⁵ lɔk̚¹²¹/

/bun³³⁻¹¹ bun³³⁻¹¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ lɔk̚⁴/

/bun³³⁻²¹ bun³³⁻²¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ lɔk̚⁴/

/mən⁵¹⁻⁵³ mən⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ lɤ⁵¹/

/muːn²² muːn²² pɐt̚⁵ lɔːk̚²/

/bun²²⁻²¹ bun²²⁻²¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ lɔk̚⁴/

/bun⁴¹⁻²² bun⁴¹⁻²² put̚⁵⁻²⁴ lɔk̚²⁴/

/bun²²⁻²¹ bun²²⁻²¹ put̚³²⁻⁵ lɔk̚¹²¹/

/bun³³⁻¹¹ bun³³⁻¹¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ lɔk̚⁴/

/bun³³⁻²¹ bun³³⁻²¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ lɔk̚⁴/


大顯身手

ㄉㄚˋ ㄒㄧㄢˇ ㄕㄣ ㄕㄡˇ

дасяньшэньшоу

/tä⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂən⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

ㄉㄚˋ ㄒㄧㄢˇ ㄕㄣ ㄕㄡˇㄦ

дасяньшэньшоур

/tä⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂən⁵⁵ ʂɤʊ̯ɻʷ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/taːi̯²² hiːn³⁵ sɐn⁵⁵ sɐu̯³⁵/

/tä⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂən⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/taːi̯²² hiːn³⁵ sɐn⁵⁵ sɐu̯³⁵/

This is a good opportunity for you to show off your skills.

Zhè kěshì nǐ dàxiǎnshēnshǒu de hǎo jīhuì ya.

這可是你大顯身手的好機會呀。

这可是你大显身手的好机会呀。

to display all of one's capabilities; to strut one's stuff; to show off one's skills


言過其實

ㄧㄢˊ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄕˊ

/jɛn³⁵ ku̯ɔ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/jiːn²¹ kʷɔː³³ kʰei̯²¹ sɐt̚²/

/ɡiɛn²⁴⁻¹¹ ko¹¹⁻⁵³ ki²⁴⁻¹¹ sit̚⁴/

/ɡiɛn²³⁻³³ kɤ²¹⁻⁴¹ ki²³⁻³³ sit̚⁴/

/jɛn³⁵ ku̯ɔ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/jiːn²¹ kʷɔː³³ kʰei̯²¹ sɐt̚²/

/ɡiɛn²⁴⁻¹¹ ko¹¹⁻⁵³ ki²⁴⁻¹¹ sit̚⁴/

/ɡiɛn²³⁻³³ kɤ²¹⁻⁴¹ ki²³⁻³³ sit̚⁴/

Things have inherent forms; forms have inherent names. Words should not stretch the truth, and truth should not be used to go after immoderate fame.

Wù gù yǒu xíng, xíng gù yǒu míng. Cǐ yán bùdé guòshí, shí bùdé yán míng.

物固有形，形固有名。此言不得過實，實不得延名。

物固有形，形固有名。此言不得过实，实不得延名。

to overstate the facts; to stretch the truth; to exaggerate


沉默寡言

ㄔㄣˊ ㄇㄛˋ ㄍㄨㄚˇ ㄧㄢˊ

чэньмогуаянь

/ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵ mu̯ɔ⁵¹ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɛn³⁵/

/t͡sʰɐm²¹ mɐk̚² kʷaː³⁵ jiːn²¹/

/ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵ mu̯ɔ⁵¹ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɛn³⁵/

/t͡sʰɐm²¹ mɐk̚² kʷaː³⁵ jiːn²¹/


不予理睬

ㄅㄨˋ ㄩˇ ㄌㄧˇ ㄘㄞˇ

/pu⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ jyː¹³ lei̯¹³ t͡sʰɔːi̯³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ jyː¹³ lei̯¹³ t͡sʰɔːi̯³⁵/

to ignore; to dismiss; to pay no attention to


積少成多

ㄐㄧ ㄕㄠˇ ㄔㄥˊ ㄉㄨㄛ

/t͡ɕi⁵⁵ ʂɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

/t͡sɪk̚⁵ siːu̯³⁵ sɪŋ²¹ tɔː⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕi⁵⁵ ʂɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

/t͡sɪk̚⁵ siːu̯³⁵ sɪŋ²¹ tɔː⁵⁵/

to accumulate little by little; many small things add to something great


去蕪存菁

to get rid of the weeds and keep the flowers

ㄑㄩˋ ㄨˊ ㄘㄨㄣˊ ㄐㄧㄥ

цюйуцуньцзин

/t͡ɕʰy⁵¹ u³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ən³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

/hɵy̯³³ mou̯²¹ t͡sʰyːn²¹ t͡sɪŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰy⁵¹ u³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ən³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

/hɵy̯³³ mou̯²¹ t͡sʰyːn²¹ t͡sɪŋ⁵⁵/

separate the wheat from the chaff
separate the wheat from the chaff


壓力山大

ㄧㄚ ㄌㄧˋ ㄕㄢ ㄉㄚˋ

/jä⁵⁵ li⁵¹ ʂän⁵⁵ tä⁵¹/

/jä⁵⁵ li⁵¹ ʂän⁵⁵ tä⁵¹/

Similar-sounding rendition of 亞歷山大／亚历山大 (Yàlìshāndà, “Alexander; Alexandra”).

zh-l

(neologism, humorous) to be under great pressure


付之一笑

ㄈㄨˋ ㄓ ㄧ ㄒㄧㄠˋ

/fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/fuː²² t͡siː⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ siːu̯³³/

/fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/fuː²² t͡siː⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ siːu̯³³/

to laugh something off; to dismiss with a laugh


毋庸置疑

/u³⁵ jʊŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ i³⁵/

/mou̯²¹ jʊŋ²¹ t͡siː³³ jiː²¹/

/u³⁵ jʊŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ i³⁵/

/mou̯²¹ jʊŋ²¹ t͡siː³³ jiː²¹/

no need to question; without any doubt; undoubtedly


相濡以沫

ㄒㄧㄤ ㄖㄨˊ ㄧˇ ㄇㄛˋ

/ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʐu³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/sœːŋ⁵⁵ jyː²¹ jiː¹³ muːt̚²/

/ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʐu³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/sœːŋ⁵⁵ jyː²¹ jiː¹³ muːt̚²/

From Zhuangzi [ca. 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE]

defdate

ca. 3rd – 2nd centuries <small class='ce-date'>BCE</small>

When the springs are dried up, the fishes collect together on the land. Than that they should moisten one another there by the damp about them, and keep one another wet by their slime, it would be better for them to forget one another in the rivers and lakes.

Quán hé, yú xiāngyǔ chǔ yú lù, xiāng xǔ yǐ shī, xiāng rú yǐ mò, bùrú xiāngwàng yú jiānghú.

泉涸，魚相與處於陸，相呴以溼，相濡以沫，不如相忘於江湖。

泉涸，鱼相与处于陆，相呴以湿，相濡以沫，不如相忘于江湖。

(figurative) to help each other pull through a crisis; mutual help when both are in humble situations

(figurative, of a loving couple) to accompany each other through times of prosperity and hardships till the end of time


your chariot awaits

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-your chariot awaits.wav

Purportedly from a Welsh hymn, cited and translated in 1866 by English sermonizer Charles Spurgeon.

Roland, who was holding the dinghy painter, agreed with him. "It's right, Frank," he said. "You know he can never resist a boating trip. O.K., Dick, your chariot awaits."

1957, Frank Evans, The Voyage of the "Petula", page 89:

"Come, Mrs. Taylor," he said, "your chariot awaits. This time you are going to get up on the cart all by yourself."

1972, Marjorie Hayen Taylor, Broken Heart, Mended, page 49:

"Young knight, your chariot awaits," he announced, as a long silver limousine rolled to a stop in front of them.

1987, Betty Henrichs, Casanova's Downfall, page 61:

Travis gestured toward the motorcycle. "Your chariot awaits."

1992, Dallas Schulze, Angel and the Bad Man, page 16:

Hey baby, it's me, I am in the parking lot of your building, your chariot awaits baby.

2009, T. Louise, Right Here, Right Now, page 45:

(humorous, sarcastic) A vehicle, asserted to be luxurious or of high quality, is waiting to transport the person to whom the phrase is said.


一頭霧水

ㄧ ㄊㄡˊ ㄨˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ u⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɐt̚⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ mou̯²² sɵy̯³⁵/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² tʰau²⁴⁻²² bu²²⁻²¹ t͡sui⁵³/

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² tʰau²⁴⁻²² bu⁴¹⁻²² t͡sui⁵⁵⁴/

/t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ tʰau¹³⁻²² bu²²⁻²¹ t͡sui⁵³/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² tʰau²⁴⁻¹¹ bu³³⁻¹¹ t͡sui⁵³/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² tʰau²³⁻³³ bu³³⁻²¹ t͡sui⁴¹/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ u⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɐt̚⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ mou̯²² sɵy̯³⁵/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² tʰau²⁴⁻²² bu²²⁻²¹ t͡sui⁵³/

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² tʰau²⁴⁻²² bu⁴¹⁻²² t͡sui⁵⁵⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² tʰau²⁴⁻¹¹ bu³³⁻¹¹ t͡sui⁵³/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² tʰau²³⁻³³ bu³³⁻²¹ t͡sui⁴¹/

to be completely muddle-headed; to be baffled


腰酸背痛

ㄧㄠ ㄙㄨㄢ ㄅㄟˋ ㄊㄨㄥˋ

яосуаньбэйтун

/jɑʊ̯⁵⁵ su̯än⁵⁵ peɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰʊŋ⁵¹/

/jiːu̯⁵⁵ syːn⁵⁵ puːi̯³³ tʰʊŋ³³/

/jɑʊ̯⁵⁵ su̯än⁵⁵ peɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰʊŋ⁵¹/

/jiːu̯⁵⁵ syːn⁵⁵ puːi̯³³ tʰʊŋ³³/

(medicine) to have a pain in the back, especially the lower back


家常便飯

ㄐㄧㄚ ㄔㄤˊ ㄅㄧㄢˋ ㄈㄢˋ

цзячанбяньфань

/t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ fän⁵¹/

/kaː⁵⁵ sœːŋ²¹ piːn²² faːn²²/

/ka⁴⁴⁻³³ siɔŋ²³⁻³³ piɛn³³⁻²¹ pŋ̍³³/

/ka³³ siɔŋ²⁴⁻²² piɛn⁴¹⁻²² pŋ̍⁴¹/

/ka⁴⁴⁻³³ siɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ piɛn³³⁻¹¹ pŋ̍³³/

/ka⁴⁴⁻²² siɔŋ²⁴⁻²² piɛn²²⁻²¹ pŋ̍²²/

/kɛ⁴⁴⁻²² siaŋ¹³⁻²² piɛn²²⁻²¹ puĩ²²/

/t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ fän⁵¹/

/kaː⁵⁵ sœːŋ²¹ piːn²² faːn²²/

/ka⁴⁴⁻³³ siɔŋ²³⁻³³ piɛn³³⁻²¹ pŋ̍³³/

/ka³³ siɔŋ²⁴⁻²² piɛn⁴¹⁻²² pŋ̍⁴¹/

/ka⁴⁴⁻³³ siɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ piɛn³³⁻¹¹ pŋ̍³³/

/ka⁴⁴⁻²² siɔŋ²⁴⁻²² piɛn²²⁻²¹ pŋ̍²²/

/kɛ⁴⁴⁻²² siaŋ¹³⁻²² piɛn²²⁻²¹ puĩ²²/

typical meal at home; simple home-style meal

(figurative) common occurrence; usual practice; routine


語無倫次

ㄩˇ ㄨˊ ㄌㄨㄣˊ ㄘˋ

/y²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ lu̯ən³⁵ t͡sʰz̩⁵¹/

/jyː¹³ mou̯²¹ lɵn²¹ t͡sʰiː³³/

/ɡu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻¹¹ lun²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sʰu¹¹/

/ɡu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻²² lun²⁴⁻²² t͡sʰu²¹/

/y²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ lu̯ən³⁵ t͡sʰz̩⁵¹/

/jyː¹³ mou̯²¹ lɵn²¹ t͡sʰiː³³/

/ɡu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻¹¹ lun²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sʰu¹¹/

/ɡu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻²² lun²⁴⁻²² t͡sʰu²¹/

to speak incoherently; to ramble in one's statement; confused and incomprehensible speech


a boon and a bane

Something that is both a benefit and an affliction.


boon or bane

Something that can be either a benefit or an affliction.


一肚子壞水

ㄧ ㄉㄨˋ ˙ㄗ ㄏㄨㄞˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ

yīdùzi huàishuǐ [Phonetic:yídùzi huàishuǐ]

идуцзы хуайшуй

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ tu⁵¹ d͡z̥z̩¹ xu̯aɪ̯⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

ㄧ ㄉㄨˋ ˙ㄗ ㄏㄨㄞˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇㄦ

идуцзыхуайшуйр

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ tu⁵¹ d͡z̥z̩¹ xu̯aɪ̯⁵¹ ʂu̯əɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

(derogatory, of a person) to be full of tricks; to be full of evil intentions


కుక్కలున్నాయి జాగ్రత్త

head

కుక్కలున్నాయి జాగ్రత్త • (kukkalunnāyi jāgratta)

en-కుక్కలున్నాయి_జాగ్రత్త-te-phrase-iFvwwLB0


食飽未

English: jiak ba buay

/sɪk̚² paːu̯³⁵ mei̯²²/

/t͡siaʔ⁴⁻² pa⁵²⁻³⁵ bue¹¹/

/sɪk̚² paːu̯³⁵ mei̯²²/

/t͡siaʔ⁴⁻² pa⁵²⁻³⁵ bue¹¹/


千古罪人

ㄑㄧㄢ ㄍㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄟˋ ㄖㄣˊ

цяньгуцзуйжэнь

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹ ʐən³⁵/

/t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ kuː³⁵ t͡sɵy̯²² jɐn²¹/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹ ʐən³⁵/

/t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ kuː³⁵ t͡sɵy̯²² jɐn²¹/


東風化雨

ㄉㄨㄥ ㄈㄥ ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄩˇ

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ xu̯ä⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵ faː³³ jyː¹³/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ xu̯ä⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵ faː³³ jyː¹³/


百年不遇

ㄅㄞˇ ㄋㄧㄢˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄩˋ

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ y⁵¹/

/paːk̚³ niːn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jyː²²/

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ y⁵¹/

/paːk̚³ niːn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jyː²²/

(figurative) once-in-a-hundred-years (event); not seen in a hundred years


百年大計

ㄅㄞˇ ㄋㄧㄢˊ ㄉㄚˋ ㄐㄧˋ

байняньдацзи

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵ tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/paːk̚³ niːn²¹ taːi̯²² kɐi̯³³/

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵ tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/paːk̚³ niːn²¹ taːi̯²² kɐi̯³³/

(figurative) matter of paramount importance; vital long-term project


化雨春風

ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄩˇ ㄔㄨㄣ ㄈㄥ

хуаюйчуньфэн

/xu̯ä⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵/

/faː³³ jyː¹³ t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵/

/xu̯ä⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵/

/faː³³ jyː¹³ t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵/

(figurative) benefits of education; positive influence of a teacher


條分縷析

ㄊㄧㄠˊ ㄈㄣ ㄌㄩˇ ㄒㄧ

тяофэньлюйси

/tʰi̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ fən⁵⁵ ly²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi⁵⁵/

/tʰiːu̯²¹ fɐn⁵⁵ lɵy̯¹³ sɪk̚⁵/

/tʰi̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ fən⁵⁵ ly²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi⁵⁵/

/tʰiːu̯²¹ fɐn⁵⁵ lɵy̯¹³ sɪk̚⁵/

to make a careful and detailed analysis; to analyze thoroughly point by point


how many siblings do you have

Used to ask how many brothers or sisters someone has.


一般嚟講

/jɐt̚⁵ puːn⁵⁵ lei̯²¹ kɔːŋ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ puːn⁵⁵ lɐi̯²¹ kɔːŋ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ puːn⁵⁵ lei̯²¹ kɔːŋ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ puːn⁵⁵ lɐi̯²¹ kɔːŋ³⁵/

(Cantonese) generally speaking; normally; generally


嘘も方便

嘘も方便 (canonical)
uso mo hōben (romanization)

[ɯ̟so̞ mo̞ ho̞ːbẽ̞ɴ]

the end justifies the means
the end justifies the means

sometimes white lies may be justified; the end justifies the means


wel moge het u bekomen

/ˈʋɛl ˌmoːɣə ɦɛt ˌy bəˈkoːmə(n)/

Said after a meal, to wish that the addressed enjoyed it.


do you have any brothers or sisters

Used to ask whether someone has any siblings.


裝瘋賣傻

ㄓㄨㄤ ㄈㄥ ㄇㄞˋ ㄕㄚˇ

чжуанфэнмайша

/ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ maɪ̯⁵¹ ʂä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sɔːŋ⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵ maːi̯²² sɔː²¹/

/ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ maɪ̯⁵¹ ʂä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sɔːŋ⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵ maːi̯²² sɔː²¹/


ninjani

ninjani (to multiple people, to one person unjani)


unjani

unjani (to one person, to multiple people ninjani)


sithini isikhathi

what time is it? (literally: what does the clock say?)


ukhuluma isiNgisi na

do you speak English
do you speak English


一般來說

ㄧ ㄅㄢ ㄌㄞˊ ㄕㄨㄛ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ pän⁵⁵ laɪ̯³⁵ ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ puːn⁵⁵ lɔːi̯²¹ syːt̚³/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ pän⁵⁵ laɪ̯³⁵ ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ puːn⁵⁵ lɔːi̯²¹ syːt̚³/


goodness knows

We mustn't waste the battery: goodness knows how often we shall need it.

1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia:


大勢已去

ㄉㄚˋ ㄕˋ ㄧˇ ㄑㄩˋ

/tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy⁵¹/

/taːi̯²² sɐi̯³³ jiː¹³ hɵy̯³³/

/tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy⁵¹/

/taːi̯²² sɐi̯³³ jiː¹³ hɵy̯³³/

that ship has sailed
that ship has sailed

the game is as good as lost; that ship has sailed


未完待續

ㄨㄟˋ ㄨㄢˊ ㄉㄞˋ ㄒㄩˋ

вэйваньдайсюй

/weɪ̯⁵¹ wän³⁵ taɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕy⁵¹/

/mei̯²² jyːn²¹ tɔːi̯²² t͡sʊk̚²/

/weɪ̯⁵¹ wän³⁵ taɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕy⁵¹/

/mei̯²² jyːn²¹ tɔːi̯²² t͡sʊk̚²/


ποιος θα φυλάξει τους φύλακες

ποιος θα φυλάξει τους φύλακες • (poios tha fyláxei tous fýlakes)

poios tha fyláxei tous fýlakes (romanization)

who watches the watchers
who watches the watchers

who watches the watchers, literally: who will guard the guardians

en-ποιος_θα_φυλάξει_τους_φύλακες-el-phrase-lL-hCwUZ


wie Pilatus ins Credo

Literally, “like Pilate [got] into the creed”. Both the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed mention, apart from Jesus himself, only two human beings: Pilate and the Virgin Mary. This may be regarded an undue honour to the former; even if his being mentioned is in a negative context.

lit

Mein Chef ist zu seinem Job gekommen wie Pilatus ins Credo.

My boss got his job like Pilate got into the creed.

(now rare) undeservingly; in an unearned way; by chance


comme quoi

it goes to show (this recent fact or result confirms what we always thought)


と言うことは

と言うことは (canonical)
to iu koto wa (romanization)

in other words; what I (you, etc.) mean is


口耳相傳

ㄎㄡˇ ㄦˇ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄔㄨㄢˊ

коуэрсянчуань

/kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/

/hɐu̯³⁵ jiː¹³ sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰyːn²¹/

/hɐu̯³⁵ jiː¹³ sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰyːn²¹/

to be passed down orally (from generation to generation)


無一幸免

ㄨˊ ㄧ ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄇㄧㄢˇ

/u³⁵ i⁵⁵ ɕiŋ⁵¹ mi̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/mou̯²¹ jɐt̚⁵ hɐŋ²² miːn¹³/

/u³⁵ i⁵⁵ ɕiŋ⁵¹ mi̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/mou̯²¹ jɐt̚⁵ hɐŋ²² miːn¹³/

nobody was spared from the disaster; no one was fortunate enough to avoid


雕蟲小技

ㄉㄧㄠ ㄔㄨㄥˊ ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄐㄧˋ

дяочунсяоцзи

/ti̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

ㄉㄧㄠ ㄔㄨㄥˊㄦ ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄐㄧˋ

дяочунрсяоцзи

/ti̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʊ̃ɻ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/tiːu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰʊŋ²¹ siːu̯³⁵ kei̯²²/

/ti̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/tiːu̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰʊŋ²¹ siːu̯³⁵ kei̯²²/

insignificant talent; minor accomplishment


辭舊迎新

ㄘˊ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄧㄥˊ ㄒㄧㄣ

/t͡sʰz̩³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹ iŋ³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰiː²¹ kɐu̯²² jɪŋ²¹ sɐn⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰz̩³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹ iŋ³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰiː²¹ kɐu̯²² jɪŋ²¹ sɐn⁵⁵/

to ring out the old and ring in the new; to bid farewell to the old year and welcome in the new


暗送秋波

ㄢˋ ㄙㄨㄥˋ ㄑㄧㄡ ㄅㄛ

/ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ sʊŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ pu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

ㄢˋ ㄙㄨㄥˋ ㄑㄧㄡ ㄅㄛㄦ

/ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ sʊŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ pu̯ɔɻ⁵⁵/

/ɐm³³ sʊŋ³³ t͡sʰɐu̯⁵⁵ pɔː⁵⁵/

/ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ sʊŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ pu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

/ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ sʊŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ pu̯ɔɻ⁵⁵/

/ɐm³³ sʊŋ³³ t͡sʰɐu̯⁵⁵ pɔː⁵⁵/

give someone the eye
give someone the eye

(of a woman) to give someone the eye; to cast coquettish glances at someone

(derogatory) to curry favour with someone secretly


……餐懵

/t͡sʰaːn⁵⁵ mʊŋ³⁵/

/t͡sʰaːn⁵⁵ mʊŋ³⁵/

打餐懵

笑餐懵

搵餐懵

揾餐懵

真係俾你嚇餐懵！

真系俾你吓餐懵！

(Cantonese, after a verb) Describes something that has happened for a long time or multiple times, to the point of stupidity or senselessness


拖泥帶水

ㄊㄨㄛ ㄋㄧˊ ㄉㄞˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ

/tʰu̯ɔ⁵⁵ ni³⁵ taɪ̯⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰɔː⁵⁵ nɐi̯²¹ taːi̯³³ sɵy̯³⁵/

/tʰu̯ɔ⁵⁵ ni³⁵ taɪ̯⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰɔː⁵⁵ nɐi̯²¹ taːi̯³³ sɵy̯³⁵/

(derogatory) to do something in a long-drawn or slovenly manner; to be indecisive or beat about the bush


имало едно време

head

и́мало едно́ вре́ме

и́мало едно́ вре́ме • (ímalo ednó vréme)

и́мало едно́ вре́ме (canonical)
ímalo ednó vréme (romanization)

(used at the beginnings of fairytales) once upon a time


twinkle in one's daddy's eye

a twinkle in one's daddy's eye (canonical)

From a song, "When You Were a Smile on Your Mother's Lips (and a Twinkle in Your Daddy's Eye)", written for the 1934 film, Dames; derived from the presumption that prior to the conception of a baby, the father was sexually aroused, and this arousal was reflected in a pleased look in the father's eyes.

Kid, I've been running fight outfits since long before you were a twinkle in your daddy's eye.

2016, Mackenzie Crowne, To Win Her Heart, page 51:

Bean Toomey was upholding the law when you were still just a twinkle in your daddy's eye.

1994, Suzanne Elizabeth, Kiley's Storm, page 144:

The Great Wilkie and Little Win were the biggest draw on the halls when you were not so much as a twinkle in your daddy's eye.

1977, Paul Bailey, Peter Smart's Confessions, page 96:

Of a person, not yet conceived, particularly when referring to a time period preceding their conception.


時不我待

ㄕˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄉㄞˋ

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ taɪ̯⁵¹/

/siː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ ŋɔː¹³ tɔːi̯²²/

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ taɪ̯⁵¹/

/siː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ ŋɔː¹³ tɔːi̯²²/

The word order features the inversion of verb (待) and object (我) in negative sentences in Classical Chinese.

time waits for no one
time waits for no one


光陰荏苒

ㄍㄨㄤ ㄧㄣ ㄖㄣˇ ㄖㄢˇ

гуанъиньжэньжань

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ in⁵⁵ ʐən²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʐän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ jɐm⁵⁵ jɐm¹³ jiːm¹³/

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ in⁵⁵ ʐən²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʐän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ jɐm⁵⁵ jɐm¹³ jiːm¹³/


многая лета

мно́гая ле́та

мно́гая ле́та • (mnógaja léta)

мно́гая ле́та (canonical)
mnógaja léta (romanization)

Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic мъногаꙗ лѣта (mŭnogaja lěta). Cognate with Ukrainian мно́гая лі́та (mnóhaja líta). Cf. modern Russian мно́гие го́ды (mnógije gódy), мно́го лет (mnógo let) or less commonly мно́гие ле́та (mnógije léta).

bor+

мъногаꙗ лѣта

cog

мно́гая лі́та

(archaic, poetic or ecclesiastic) wish for longevity, many years (of prosperity, health, etc.)

мно́гая лѣ́та — Pre-reform orthography (1918)


按部就班

ㄢˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄅㄢ

аньбуцзюбань

/ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹ pän⁵⁵/

/ɔːn³³ pou̯²² t͡sɐu̯²² paːn⁵⁵/

/an²¹⁻⁵³ pɔ²²⁻²¹ t͡siu²²⁻²¹ pan⁴⁴/

/an⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ pɔ⁴¹⁻²² t͡siu⁴¹⁻²² pan³³/

/an²¹⁻⁵³ pɔ²²⁻²¹ t͡siu²²⁻²¹ pan⁴⁴/

/an¹¹⁻⁵³ pɔ³³⁻¹¹ t͡siu³³⁻¹¹ pan⁴⁴/

/an²¹⁻⁴¹ pɔ³³⁻²¹ t͡siu³³⁻²¹ pan⁴⁴/

/ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹ pän⁵⁵/

/ɔːn³³ pou̯²² t͡sɐu̯²² paːn⁵⁵/

/an²¹⁻⁵³ pɔ²²⁻²¹ t͡siu²²⁻²¹ pan⁴⁴/

/an⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ pɔ⁴¹⁻²² t͡siu⁴¹⁻²² pan³³/

/an²¹⁻⁵³ pɔ²²⁻²¹ t͡siu²²⁻²¹ pan⁴⁴/

/an¹¹⁻⁵³ pɔ³³⁻¹¹ t͡siu³³⁻¹¹ pan⁴⁴/

/an²¹⁻⁴¹ pɔ³³⁻²¹ t͡siu³³⁻²¹ pan⁴⁴/

to do something in an orderly manner; to follow the prescribed order

(figurative) to keep to the conventional ways


要風度不要溫度

要风度不要温度
要風度不要温度

ㄧㄠˋ ㄈㄥ ㄉㄨˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧㄠˋ ㄨㄣ ㄉㄨˋ

yào fēngdù bùyào wēndù [Phonetic:yào fēngdù búyào wēndù]

яо фэнду буяо вэньду

/jɑʊ̯⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ tu⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ jɑʊ̯⁵¹ wən⁵⁵ tu⁵¹/

/jiːu̯³³ fʊŋ⁵⁵ tou̯²² pɐt̚⁵ jiːu̯³³ wɐn⁵⁵ tou̯²²/

(one who would rather) be fashionable than comfortable; (one who) wears little on a cold day to look attractive


TMAI

tell me about it
tell me about it#English

(Internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of tell me about it.


cousu de fil blanc

desc

шито белыми нитками

→ Russian: шито белыми нитками (šito belymi nitkami) (calque)

LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-cousu de fil blanc.wav

Literally, “sewn with white thread”. From the use of white thread to sew pieces of cloth together before the final sewing.

L’intrigue de ce film était vraiment cousue de fil blanc.

The plot of that movie was as predictable as ever.

En un mot, tout est cousu de fil blanc et il faut être aveugle pour, dès le début, ne pas comprendre ce qui est parfaitement évident.

2002, Pierre Laforgue, L'Œdipe romantique: le jeune homme, le désir et l'histoire en 1830, ELLUG, →ISBN, page 75:

(figurative) blatantly obvious, poorly concealed (such as of the plot of a story)


視而不見

ㄕˋ ㄦˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄢˋ

/ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/siː²² jiː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ kiːn³³/

/ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/siː²² jiː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ kiːn³³/

From the Great Learning (《大學》) in the Book of Rites

When the mind is not present, we look without seeing; we hear without understanding; and we eat and do not know the taste of what we eat. This is what is meant by saying that the cultivation of the person depends on the rectifying of the mind.

The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Xīn bùzài yān, shì ér bù jiàn, tīng ér bù wén, shí ér bùzhī qí wèi. Cǐ wèi xiūshēn zài zhèng qí xīn.

心不在焉，視而不見，聽而不聞，食而不知其味。此謂修身在正其心。

心不在焉，视而不见，听而不闻，食而不知其味。此谓修身在正其心。

to turn a blind eye; to deliberately overlook or ignore


悔過自新

ㄏㄨㄟˇ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄗˋ ㄒㄧㄣ

хуэйгоцзысинь

/xu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ ɕin⁵⁵/

/fuːi̯³³ kʷɔː³³ t͡siː²² sɐn⁵⁵/

/xu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ ɕin⁵⁵/

/fuːi̯³³ kʷɔː³³ t͡siː²² sɐn⁵⁵/

turn over a new leaf
turn over a new leaf


there's no "there" there

there is no there there
there is no there there#English

Alternative form of there is no there there


錦囊妙計

→ Korean: 비단 주머니 (bidan jumeoni) (calque)

ㄐㄧㄣˇ ㄋㄤˊ ㄇㄧㄠˋ ㄐㄧˋ

цзиньнанмяоцзи

/t͡ɕin²¹⁴⁻²¹ nɑŋ³⁵ mi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/kɐm³⁵ nɔːŋ²¹ miːu̯²² kɐi̯³³/

/ɡim⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lɔŋ²⁴⁻²² biau²²⁻²¹ ke²¹/

/ɡim⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ lɔŋ²⁴⁻²² biau⁴¹⁻²² ke⁴¹/

/ɡim⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lɔŋ¹³⁻²² biau²²⁻²¹ ke²¹/

/ɡim⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ biau³³⁻¹¹ ke¹¹/

/ɡim⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lɔŋ²³⁻³³ biau³³⁻²¹ ke²¹/

/t͡ɕin²¹⁴⁻²¹ nɑŋ³⁵ mi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/kɐm³⁵ nɔːŋ²¹ miːu̯²² kɐi̯³³/

/ɡim⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lɔŋ²⁴⁻²² biau²²⁻²¹ ke²¹/

/ɡim⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ lɔŋ²⁴⁻²² biau⁴¹⁻²² ke⁴¹/

/ɡim⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lɔŋ¹³⁻²² biau²²⁻²¹ ke²¹/

/ɡim⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ biau³³⁻¹¹ ke¹¹/

/ɡim⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lɔŋ²³⁻³³ biau³³⁻²¹ ke²¹/

From an episode in the fourteenth-century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, in which the strategist Zhuge Liang gives the general Zhao Yun—who is escorting the protagonist Liu Bei to the neighboring realm of Wu, ruled by Sun Quan―three brocade pouches containing cunning instructions on how to thwart Sun Quan's schemes to keep Liu Bei hostage.

Liu Bei
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Sun Quan
Wu
Zhao Yun
Zhuge Liang


there is no there there

From a remark by Gertrude Stein in Everybody's Autobiography (1937), concerning the fact that her childhood home in Oakland, California no longer existed.

She took us to see her granddaughter who was teaching in the Dominican convent in San Raphael, we went across the bay on a ferry, that had not changed but Goat Island might just as well not have been there, anyway what was the use of my having come from Oakland it was not natural to have come from there yes write about it if I like or anything if I like but not there, there is no there there.

1937, Gertrude Stein, Everybody's Autobiography, Vintage Books, published 1973, page 289:

There is a character issue for Mr. Bush in this campaign. The clothes have no emperor. There is no there there.

1992 May 6, Anna Quindlen, “Public & Private: No There There”, in New York Times, retrieved 2017-03-01:

This desire to express national difference comes at a time when the world is shrinking rapidly and travellers arrive halfway across the globe to find that there is no "there" there.

1996 October 12, Sir Terence Conran, “Travel in Style”, in Independent (UK), retrieved 2017-03-01:

Cog is an artificially intelligent computer that is trying to learn about the world. . . . Cog's "mind," similarly, is just a collection of loosely coordinated digital reflexes scattered among its eight processors, with no one place to point to as the seat of intelligence. "There's no there there," notes Brooks with a touch of pride.

2001 June 24, Julian Dibbell, “The Race to Build Intelligent Machines”, in Time, archived from the original on 2015-11-03:

Mill Creek . . . still lacks a geographic heart. . . . There's no "there" there, no center to the city—unless you count the private Mill Creek Country Club or the grocery-store shopping centers.

2003 September 26, M. L. Lyke, “Mill Creek works to stay 'nice'”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 2017-03-01:

With Trump, there’s no there there. That is, no substance—not if substance is taken to mean a coherent set of policy proposals.

2016 January 9, Scot Lehigh, “Don’t presume Trump in New Hampshire”, in Boston Globe, retrieved 2017-03-01:

(idiomatic) The indicated thing, person, or other matter has no distinctive identity, or no significant characteristics, or no functional center point; nothing significant exists in that place; nothing significant is occurring in that situation.

Everybody's Autobiography
Gertrude Stein


自告奮勇

ㄗˋ ㄍㄠˋ ㄈㄣˋ ㄩㄥˇ

цзыгаофэньюн

/t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ kɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ fən⁵¹ jʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡siː²² kou̯³³ fɐn¹³ jʊŋ¹³/

/t͡siː²² kou̯³³ fɐn¹³ jʊŋ¹³/

to offer to do something voluntarily and enthusiastically; to volunteer for


開誠布公

ㄎㄞ ㄔㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄍㄨㄥ

/kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

/hɔːi̯⁵⁵ sɪŋ²¹ pou̯³³ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

/kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

/hɔːi̯⁵⁵ sɪŋ²¹ pou̯³³ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

wear one's heart on one's sleeve
wear one's heart on one's sleeve

to wear one's heart on one's sleeve; to be frank and sincere


當頭棒喝

ㄉㄤ ㄊㄡˊ ㄅㄤˋ ㄏㄜˋ

/tɑŋ⁵⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ pɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ xɤ⁵¹/

/tɔːŋ⁵⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ pʰaːŋ¹³ hɔːt̚³/

/tɑŋ⁵⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ pɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ xɤ⁵¹/

/tɔːŋ⁵⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ pʰaːŋ¹³ hɔːt̚³/

(Buddhism, of a novice monk) to receive a blow with a stick or a yell by his master to bring about instant realization or awakening

(figurative) stern warning; wake-up call


金盆洗手

to wash one's hands in a gold(-coloured) basin

ㄐㄧㄣ ㄆㄣˊ ㄒㄧˇ ㄕㄡˇ

цзиньпэньсишоу

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ pʰən³⁵ ɕi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kɐm⁵⁵ pʰuːn²¹ sɐi̯³⁵ sɐu̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ pʰən³⁵ ɕi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kɐm⁵⁵ pʰuːn²¹ sɐi̯³⁵ sɐu̯³⁵/

(figurative) to abandon one's life as an outlaw (after having made a fortune)

(by extension) to abandon one's decade-long career; to give up on something one does as a routine


一筆勾銷

ㄧ ㄅㄧˇ ㄍㄡ ㄒㄧㄠ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ pi²¹⁴⁻²¹ koʊ̯⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ pɐt̚⁵ ŋɐu̯⁵⁵ siːu̯⁵⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pit̚³²⁻⁴ kau⁴⁴⁻²² siau⁴⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ pit̚⁵⁻²⁴ kau³³ siau³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ pit̚³²⁻⁵ kau⁴⁴⁻²² siau⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pit̚³²⁻⁴ kau⁴⁴⁻³³ siau⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pit̚³²⁻⁴ kau⁴⁴⁻³³ siau⁴⁴/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ pi²¹⁴⁻²¹ koʊ̯⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ pɐt̚⁵ ŋɐu̯⁵⁵ siːu̯⁵⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pit̚³²⁻⁴ kau⁴⁴⁻²² siau⁴⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ pit̚⁵⁻²⁴ kau³³ siau³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ pit̚³²⁻⁵ kau⁴⁴⁻²² siau⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pit̚³²⁻⁴ kau⁴⁴⁻³³ siau⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pit̚³²⁻⁴ kau⁴⁴⁻³³ siau⁴⁴/

to write off at one stroke; to cancel once and for all


一廂情願

ㄧ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄑㄧㄥˊ ㄩㄢˋ

исянцинъюань

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ³⁵ ɥɛn⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɪŋ²¹ jyːn²²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² t͡siɪŋ²⁴⁻²² ɡuan²²/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ siɔŋ³³ t͡siɪŋ²⁴⁻²² ɡuan⁴¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ siɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² t͡siɪŋ¹³⁻²² ɡuan²²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡siɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ ɡuan³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡siɪŋ²³⁻³³ ɡuan³³/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ³⁵ ɥɛn⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɪŋ²¹ jyːn²²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² t͡siɪŋ²⁴⁻²² ɡuan²²/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ siɔŋ³³ t͡siɪŋ²⁴⁻²² ɡuan⁴¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ siɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² t͡siɪŋ¹³⁻²² ɡuan²²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡siɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ ɡuan³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡siɪŋ²³⁻³³ ɡuan³³/

one's own wishful thinking; unilateral willingness; unrequited love


做牛做馬

ㄗㄨㄛˋ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄗㄨㄛˋ ㄇㄚˇ

/t͡su̯ɔ⁵¹ ni̯oʊ̯³⁵ t͡su̯ɔ⁵¹ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sou̯²² ŋɐu̯²¹ t͡sou̯²² maː¹³/

/t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ ɡu²⁴⁻²² t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ be⁵³/

/t͡so⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ ɡu²⁴⁻²² t͡so⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ be⁵⁵⁴/

/t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ ɡu¹³⁻²² t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ be⁵³/

/t͡so¹¹⁻⁵³ ɡu²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡so¹¹⁻⁵³ be⁵³/

/t͡sɤ²¹⁻⁴¹ ɡu²³⁻³³ t͡sɤ²¹⁻⁴¹ be⁴¹/

/t͡sou̯²² ŋɐu̯²¹ t͡sou̯²² maː¹³/

/t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ ɡu²⁴⁻²² t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ be⁵³/

/t͡so⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ ɡu²⁴⁻²² t͡so⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ be⁵⁵⁴/

/t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ ɡu¹³⁻²² t͡so²¹⁻⁵³ be⁵³/

/t͡so¹¹⁻⁵³ ɡu²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡so¹¹⁻⁵³ be⁵³/

/t͡sɤ²¹⁻⁴¹ ɡu²³⁻³³ t͡sɤ²¹⁻⁴¹ be⁴¹/

to work one's butt off; to work extremely hard

to lower one's dignity to do everything and anything for someone


以貌取人

ㄧˇ ㄇㄠˋ ㄑㄩˇ ㄖㄣˊ

/i²¹⁴⁻²¹ mɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵/

/jiː¹³ maːu̯²² t͡sʰɵy̯³⁵ jɐn²¹/

/i²¹⁴⁻²¹ mɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵/

/jiː¹³ maːu̯²² t͡sʰɵy̯³⁵ jɐn²¹/

judge a book by its cover
you can't judge a book by its cover

to judge a book by its cover; to judge people by their appearance


應該的

/iŋ⁵⁵ kaɪ̯⁵⁵ d̥ə²/

/jɪŋ⁵⁵ kɔːi̯⁵⁵ tɪk̚⁵/

/iŋ⁵⁵ kaɪ̯⁵⁵ d̥ə²/

/jɪŋ⁵⁵ kɔːi̯⁵⁵ tɪk̚⁵/

GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified)


突發奇想

ㄊㄨ ㄈㄚ ㄑㄧˊ ㄒㄧㄤˇ

ㄊㄨˊ ㄈㄚ ㄑㄧˊ ㄒㄧㄤˇ

/tʰu⁵⁵ fä⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰu³⁵ fä⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tɐt̚² faːt̚³ kʰei̯²¹ sœːŋ³⁵/

/tʰu⁵⁵ fä⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰu³⁵ fä⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tɐt̚² faːt̚³ kʰei̯²¹ sœːŋ³⁵/

to suddenly come up with an ingenious idea; to suddenly be inspired to do something


不依不撓

ㄅㄨˋ ㄧ ㄅㄨˋ ㄋㄠˊ

/pu⁵¹ i⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ nɑʊ̯³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ jiː⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ naːu̯²¹/

/pu⁵¹ i⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ nɑʊ̯³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ jiː⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ naːu̯²¹/

不依不饒 不依不饒#Chinese

不依不饶 不依不饶#Chinese

Alternative form of 不依不饒／不依不饶 (bùyībùráo, “unforgiving; unwilling to pardon”)


trois fois rien

Literally, “three times nothing”. Compare Dutch drie keer niks.

pour trois fois rien

Ici on mange bien pour trois fois rien.

One can eat well here for almost nothing.

(informal) next to nothing (very little)


不依不饒

ㄅㄨˋ ㄧ ㄅㄨˋ ㄖㄠˊ

/pu⁵¹ i⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ ʐɑʊ̯³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ jiː⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ jiːu̯²¹/

/pu⁵¹ i⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ ʐɑʊ̯³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ jiː⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ jiːu̯²¹/

to not stop pestering (in order to achieve one's goal)


前後不一

ㄑㄧㄢˊ ㄏㄡˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧ

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹/

/t͡sʰiːn²¹ hɐu̯²² pɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹/

/t͡sʰiːn²¹ hɐu̯²² pɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚⁵/


紅光滿面

ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄍㄨㄤ ㄇㄢˇ ㄇㄧㄢˋ

хунгуанманьмянь

/xʊŋ³⁵ ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ mi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/hʊŋ²¹ kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ muːn¹³ miːn²²/

/xʊŋ³⁵ ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ mi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/hʊŋ²¹ kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ muːn¹³ miːn²²/

(of complexion) glowing with health; ruddy and radiant


人間蒸發

ㄖㄣˊ ㄐㄧㄢ ㄓㄥ ㄈㄚ

жэньцзяньчжэнфа

/ʐən³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ fä⁵⁵/

/jɐn²¹ kaːn⁵⁵ t͡sɪŋ⁵⁵ faːt̚³/

/ʐən³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ fä⁵⁵/

/jɐn²¹ kaːn⁵⁵ t͡sɪŋ⁵⁵ faːt̚³/

inexplicably out of sight; to vanish into thin air


s. v.

Abbreviation of sub verbō or sub vōce (under the word); s.v.


mossel noch vis

neither fish nor fowl
neither fish nor fowl


節哀順變

ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄞ ㄕㄨㄣˋ ㄅㄧㄢˋ

цзеайшуньбянь

/t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ ˀaɪ̯⁵⁵ ʂu̯ən⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/t͡siːt̚³ ɔːi̯⁵⁵ sɵn²² piːn³³/

/t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ ai⁴⁴ sun³³⁻¹¹ piɛn¹¹/

/t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ ai⁴⁴ sun³³⁻²¹ piɛn²¹/

/t͡sak̚²⁻⁴ ai³³⁻²³ suŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ piaŋ²¹³/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ ˀaɪ̯⁵⁵ ʂu̯ən⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/t͡siːt̚³ ɔːi̯⁵⁵ sɵn²² piːn³³/

/t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ ai⁴⁴ sun³³⁻¹¹ piɛn¹¹/

/t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ ai⁴⁴ sun³³⁻²¹ piɛn²¹/

/t͡sak̚²⁻⁴ ai³³⁻²³ suŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ piaŋ²¹³/

From the Book of Rites, Book 4 (《禮記·檀弓下》)

The rites of mourning are the extreme expression of grief and sadness. In modulating grief, one accords with changes; this is how the gentleman keeps mindful of those to whom we owe our being.

Sānglǐ, āiqī zhī zhì yě. Jié'āi, shùnbiàn yě; jūnzǐ niàn shǐ zhī zhě yě.

喪禮，哀戚之至也。節哀，順變也；君子念始之者也。

丧礼，哀戚之至也。节哀，顺变也；君子念始之者也。

請節哀順變！

请节哀顺变！

to restrain one's grief and accept fate (used to console family of a deceased person); my condolences


spuit elf geeft ook modder

Literally, “hose eleven gives mud, too”. The origin of the phrase is unclear; hypotheses include:
* from the concept of 11 as a crazy or incomplete number, not quite a dozen (cf. gekkengetal);
* from an old firefighting figure of speech: by the time the eleventh fire hose arrives at the scene of a fire, the canal from which the fire brigade was drawing water may have only mud remaining.

(Netherlands, derogatory) Indicating that a nobody (an irrelevant person) has given a belated, often irrelevant or ignorant, comment.


翻山越嶺

ㄈㄢ ㄕㄢ ㄩㄝˋ ㄌㄧㄥˇ

фаньшаньюэлин

/fän⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ ɥɛ⁵¹ liŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/faːn⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ jyːt̚² lɪŋ¹³/

/faːn⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ jyːt̚² lɛːŋ¹³/

/fän⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ ɥɛ⁵¹ liŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/faːn⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ jyːt̚² lɪŋ¹³/

/faːn⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ jyːt̚² lɛːŋ¹³/

to pass over mountains and ridges; to trek over mountains; to make a long and difficult journey


垂涎三尺

ㄔㄨㄟˊ ㄒㄧㄢˊ ㄙㄢ ㄔˇ

чуйсяньсаньчи

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯eɪ̯³⁵ ɕi̯ɛn³⁵ sän⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɵy̯²¹ jiːn²¹ saːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰɛːk̚³/

/sɵy̯²¹ jiːn²¹ saːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰɛːk̚³/

to drool (over); to yearn for (certain food or an item); to covet


ekcetra

The tax gatherer cleared his throat. 'Well, sir, you see. I explained about the need to employ a standing army, ekcetra, and they said why, and I said because of bandits, ekcetra, and they said bandits never bothered them.”

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling


dštít oheň a síru

From the Old Testament, psalm 11:6 (Dštíti bude na bezbožníky uhlím řeřavým, ohněm a sirou, a duch vichřice [bude] částka kalicha jejich.).

Byl to on. Fanatický služebník krutého Boha, jenž vemlouvavě kázal svým ovečkám, než na ně začal dštít oheň a síru.

2005, Michael Havlen, Bourneův mýtus, Domino, translation of The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum, page 520:

It was the zealous minister of an unmerciful God seducing an audience before assaulting it with fire and brimstone.

rain fire and brimstone
rain fire and brimstone

[…] drak se třemi hlavami řval a sápal se po princezně. Statečný rytíř jedním mocným rázem utnul hned dvě drakovy hlavy. Ten se začal svíjet, chrčet, dštil oheň a síru.

1845–1847, Božena Němcová, Princ Bajaja:

[…] the three-headed dragon roared and tried to grap the princess. The brave knight chopped off two of his heads with a single mighty cut. It started to wriggle and rattle and spouted fire and brimstone.

(of dragons, literally) spout fire and brimstone


εν όψει

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εν όψει • (en ópsei)

el-phrase

εν όψει • (en ópsei)

From Hellenistic Koine Greek ἐν ὄψει (en ópsei): preposition ἐν (en) & singular dative of feminine noun ὄψις (ópsis).
For the preposition, semantic loan from French en vue de.

Βρισκόμαστε εν όψει εκλογών.
Vriskómaste en ópsei eklogón.
We are expecting elections soon.

literally, “We are in view of elections.”

(formal, +genitive) in view of, in front

Πρέπει να προετοιμαστούμε εν όψει των αλλαγών.

We must prepare ourselves in view of the changes [expected].

Prépei na proetoimastoúme en ópsei ton allagón.

(formal) +article in genitive: because of (a cause which will happen in the future)


幾點了

ㄐㄧˇ ㄉㄧㄢˇ ˙ㄌㄜ

/t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ti̯ɛn²¹⁴ lə⁴/

/t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ti̯ɛn²¹⁴ lə⁴/


河水不犯井水

river water not interfering with the wellwater

ㄏㄜˊ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄈㄢˋ ㄐㄧㄥˇ ㄕㄨㄟˇ

héshuǐ bùfàn jǐngshuǐ [Phonetic:héshuǐbúfànjíngshuǐ]

хэшуй буфань цзиншуй

/xɤ³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ fän⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/hɔː²¹ sɵy̯³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ faːn²² t͡sɛːŋ³⁵ sɵy̯³⁵/

井水不犯河水 井水不犯河水#Chinese

Alternative form of 井水不犯河水 (jǐngshuǐ bùfàn héshuǐ, “two things keeping to themselves”)


いずれにしろ

[izɨɾe̞ ɲ̟i ɕiɾo̞]


井水不犯河水

河水不犯井水
河水勿犯井水

ㄐㄧㄥˇ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄈㄢˋ ㄏㄜˊ ㄕㄨㄟˇ

jǐngshuǐ bùfàn héshuǐ [Phonetic:jíngshuǐbúfànhéshuǐ]

цзиншуй буфань хэшуй

/t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ fän⁵¹ xɤ³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sɛːŋ³⁵ sɵy̯³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ faːn²² hɔː²¹ sɵy̯³⁵/

minding their own business
mind one's own business

“wellwater not interfering with the river water”—two things keeping to themselves; everyone minding their own business


అది ఏమిటి

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అది ఏమిటి • (adi ēmiṭi)

Asks the interlocutor to identify an indicated object. what is that?


నీవు ఎవరు

నీవు ఎవరు • (nīvu evaru)


qué tripa se te ha roto

Literally, “which intestine of yours has broken?”. A plausible reference to appendicitis.

lit

(Spain, informal, idiomatic) what's the matter; what's with you


అదేమిటి

head

అది ఏమిటి • (adi ēmiṭi)

అది ఏమిటి (canonical)
adi ēmiṭi (romanization)


您貴姓

ㄋㄧㄣˊ ㄍㄨㄟˋ ㄒㄧㄥˋ

/nin³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕiŋ⁵¹/

/nin³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕiŋ⁵¹/

(formal, polite) What's your (honorable) surname?


掂過轆蔗

掂过辘蔗
掂過碌蔗
𠶧過轆蔗

/tiːm²² kʷɔː³³ lʊk̚⁵ t͡sɛː³³/

/tiːm²² kʷɔː³³ lʊk̚⁵ t͡sɛː³³/

finer than frog hair
finer than frog hair

(Cantonese) finer than frog hair; everything is going well


易過借火

/jiː²² kʷɔː³³ t͡sɛː³³ fɔː³⁵/

/jiː²² kʷɔː³³ t͡sɛː³³ fɔː³⁵/


早生貴子

ㄗㄠˇ ㄕㄥ ㄍㄨㄟˋ ㄗˇ

цзаошэнгуйцзы

/t͡sɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sou̯³⁵ sɐŋ⁵⁵ kʷɐi̯³³ t͡siː³⁵/

/t͡sou̯³⁵ sɐŋ⁵⁵ kʷɐi̯³³ t͡siː³⁵/

to give birth to a son soon; wish you early birth of a healthy baby (propitiatory compliment to the newly-weds)


مدري

مَدْري • (madri)

ما (mā, “do not”) + أدري (ʔadri, “I know”).


Near-synonym: MSF

Male here looking for female for hot romantic date ¶ M4F fun cool clean safe single white male call […]

2020 October 1, “Reader matches”, in Chicago Reader, volume 50, number 1, Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Reader L3C, →ISSN, Classifieds, page 43:

(in personal ads or Internet slang) Initialism of male for female.

(Internet slang) Initialism of masc for femme.


what color is the sun in your world

What color is the sun in your world (canonical)

By the way Bill, exactly what color is the sun in your world? You are so far out there I swear you're going to get a nosebleed from the altitude alone.

1997 December 2, SeventhStar (user name), “Flame Universe Who's Who: The Flame Giant”, in alt.flame (Usenet), message-ID <6621fj$ean@ecuador.earthlink.net>:

Tell me: what color is the sun in your world?/You've been sneaking off to the peyote patch again, haven't you?

1999 April 6, John Smith (user name), “a pagan a day keeps the ice cubes away”, in alt.religion.islam (Usenet), message-ID <7edjti$b8b$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>:

You aren't even a credible liar: you just want to make up stories and hope that SOMEONE will believe you. What color is the sun in your world anyway?

2004 November 25, Ed King (user name), “The nastiness, sickness and war.”, in alt.freemasonry (Usenet), message-ID <VA.00001351.0f61d8ab@earthlink.net>:

(derogatory) Rhetorical question used to imply that the party addressed is out of touch with reality.


би монголоор ярьдаггүй

би монголоор ярьдаггүй • (bi mongoloor jarʹdaggüj)

[pi mɔɴ.ɢŏ.ɮɔːr jær.tɐ̆ɢ̟.ɡʉ͜i]

en-би_монголоор_ярьдаггүй-mn-phrase-G7q2Rivp


Insek kwakang baboy tikangkang

Insek kwákang (canonical)
baboy tikangkang! (canonical)

[ˌʔin̪.s̪ek ˌkwɐ.kɐŋ ˌba.boɪ̯ t̪ɪˈkaŋ.kɐŋ]

Coolie
History of the Philippines (1565–1898)

From Insik (“Chinese”) + wakang (“ethnic slur expression used to tease Chinese”) + baboy (“pig”) + tikangkang (“to fall or lie down with the legs raised”).
Literally, “Chinese (laborer), pig (with) legs up in the air!”. Also rhyming as a doggerel. Likely used during the late 1800s in the Late Spanish Colonial Era in the Philippines, when opium dens were rampant and many overseas Chinese migrants worked as low-wage laborers. Compare with Cebuano Insik wakang, kaon, kalibang!, Tagalog Intsik beho, tulo laway!

lit

(ethnic slur, slang, derogatory, offensive, dated) A doggerel used to tease or insult a Chinese person or Filipinos of Chinese descent.


дөрөҫөн әйткәндә

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дөрөҫөн әйткәндә • (döröśön əytkəndə)

Балаларға, дөрөҫөн әйткәндә, яҡшылап тамаҡ та алып булмай.

To tell the truth, (we) cannot even provide children with adequate food.

Balalarğa, döröśön əytkəndə, yaqşılap tamaq ta alıp bulmay.


not a bother on someone

He spent no more than a couple of hours in hospital, not a bother on him.

2005, Mary T. O'Connor, On the beat: a woman's life in the Gárda Síochána, page 112:

(UK, Ireland, regional) Someone is fine; all is well with someone.


切克鬧

ㄑㄧㄝˋ ㄎㄜˋ ㄋㄠˋ

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛ⁵¹⁻⁵³ kʰɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ nɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛ⁵⁵ kʰɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ nɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛ⁵¹⁻⁵³ kʰɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ nɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛ⁵⁵ kʰɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ nɑʊ̯⁵¹/

Borrowed from English check it out, in English rap and hip hop songs.

Yo! Yo! Check it out! A set of jianbing guozi [Chinese-style crêpe with youtiao filling inside], please! (humorous)

2021, Love Live! Superstar!!, Episode 10 (spoken by Tang Keke)

Yào! Yào! Qièkènào! Jiānbǐng guǒzi lái yī tào!

要！要！切克鬧！煎餅果子來一套！

要！要！切克闹！煎饼果子来一套！

(neologism, slang, humorous) check it out


落拓不羈

ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄊㄨㄛˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧ

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/lɔːk̚² tʰɔːk̚³ pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/lɔːk̚² tʰɔːk̚³ pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/


放蕩不羈

ㄈㄤˋ ㄉㄤˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧ

фандан буцзи

/fɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/fɔːŋ³³ tɔːŋ²² pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/

/fɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/fɔːŋ³³ tɔːŋ²² pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/

unconventional and unrestrained; wanton and unrestrained; dissolute


放誕不羈

ㄈㄤˋ ㄉㄢˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧ

фанданьбуцзи

/fɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tän⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/fɔːŋ³³ taːn³³ pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/

/fɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tän⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/fɔːŋ³³ taːn³³ pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/


豪放不羈

ㄏㄠˊ ㄈㄤˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧ

/xɑʊ̯³⁵ fɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/hou̯²¹ fɔːŋ³³ pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/

/xɑʊ̯³⁵ fɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/hou̯²¹ fɔːŋ³³ pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/


放浪不羈

ㄈㄤˋ ㄌㄤˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧ

фанлан буцзи

/fɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ lɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/fɔːŋ³³ lɔːŋ²² pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/

/fɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ lɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/fɔːŋ³³ lɔːŋ²² pɐt̚⁵ kei̯⁵⁵/


披星戴月

ㄆㄧ ㄒㄧㄥ ㄉㄞˋ ㄩㄝˋ

/pʰi⁵⁵ ɕiŋ⁵⁵ taɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɥɛ⁵¹/

/pʰei̯⁵⁵ sɪŋ⁵⁵ taːi̯³³ jyːt̚²/

/pʰi⁵⁵ ɕiŋ⁵⁵ taɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɥɛ⁵¹/

/pʰei̯⁵⁵ sɪŋ⁵⁵ taːi̯³³ jyːt̚²/

(figurative) to get up by starlight and not stop working until the moon rises; to work or travel through night and day


低三下四

ㄉㄧ ㄙㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄙˋ

/ti⁵⁵ sän⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ sz̩⁵¹/

/tɐi̯⁵⁵ saːm⁵⁵ haː²² sei̯³³/

/ti⁵⁵ sän⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ sz̩⁵¹/

/tɐi̯⁵⁵ saːm⁵⁵ haː²² sei̯³³/


太阿倒持

ㄊㄞˋ ㄜ ㄉㄠˋ ㄔˊ

/tʰaɪ̯⁵¹ ˀɤ⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩³⁵/

/tʰaːi̯³³ ɔː⁵⁵ tou̯³⁵ t͡sʰiː²¹/

/tʰaɪ̯⁵¹ ˀɤ⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩³⁵/

/tʰaːi̯³³ ɔː⁵⁵ tou̯³⁵ t͡sʰiː²¹/

to surrender one's power to another at one's own peril


傷筋動骨

ㄕㄤ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄉㄨㄥˋ ㄍㄨˇ

шанцзиньдунгу

/ʂɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sœːŋ⁵⁵ kɐn⁵⁵ tʊŋ²² kʷɐt̚⁵/

/ʂɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sœːŋ⁵⁵ kɐn⁵⁵ tʊŋ²² kʷɐt̚⁵/

traditional Chinese medicine
traditional Chinese medicine

(traditional Chinese medicine) to have a sprain or fracture

(figurative) to suffer from serious injury; to have major mishap or changes


ご飯にする？お風呂にする？それとも私？

ja-phrase

ごはん に する？おふろ に する？それ とも わたし？

ご飯(はん)にする？お風(ふ)呂(ろ)にする？それとも私(わたし)？ • (gohan ni suru? ofuro ni suru? sore tomo watashi?)

ご飯にする？お風呂にする？それとも私？ (canonical)

“Would you like dinner? Would you like a bath? Or would you like me?”—新婚三択(しんこんさんたく) (shinkonsantaku, “the three-choice question for a newly-wed”).

ja-r

A stock phrase in Japanese pop culture supposedly used by the wife in a newly-wed couple to invite her new husband to bed.

en-ご飯にする？お風呂にする？それとも私？-ja-phrase-j9bU7og4

ご飯にする？お風呂にする？それとも…わ・た・し？

gohan ni suru? ofuro ni suru? sore tomo … wa ta shi?


AWALT

Coordinate term: NAMALT

I'm from Russia. It's not better there than it is anywhere else... . stop thinking different places are better about women or whatnot. You're forgetting the single most important rule. AWALT [All Women Are Like That].

2019, "CzarCronik", quoted in Amanda DiGioia, Duelling, the Russian Cultural Imagination, and Masculinity in Crisis, unnumbered page

In expressing any attitude beyond the “it’s over” narrative, or refusing to believe AWALT, the incel is denoted as “coping”, a negatively charged label indicating that you have yet to completely swallow the blackpill, and are therefore naïve and “low IQ”.

2020, Katrine Rummelhoff, "Incels and Misogyny; what’s so appealing about hatred?", thesis submitted to the University of Oslo, pages 59-60

Personal stories about unhappy relationships, cheating partners and manipulative ex-wives were often described in detail, usually to illustrate AWALT and serve as the basis for the MGTOW lifestyle.

2020, Scott Wright, Verity Trott, Callum Jones, “‘The pussy ain’t worth it, bro’: assessing the discourse and structure of MGTOW”, in Information, Communication & Society, volume 23:

(manosphere slang) Initialism of all women are like that.


跌打損傷

ㄉㄧㄝ ㄉㄚˇ ㄙㄨㄣˇ ㄕㄤ

ㄉㄧㄝˊ ㄉㄚˇ ㄙㄨㄣˇ ㄕㄤ

/ti̯ɛ⁵⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ su̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ti̯ɛ³⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ su̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɑŋ⁵⁵/

/tiːt̚³ taː³⁵ syːn³⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵/

/ti̯ɛ⁵⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ su̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ti̯ɛ³⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ su̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɑŋ⁵⁵/

/tiːt̚³ taː³⁵ syːn³⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵/

(traditional Chinese medicine) fractures or other injuries from falls, blows, contusions, sprains and so on; all musculoskeletal injuries


鬼佬月餅——悶極

/kʷɐi̯³⁵ lou̯³⁵ jyːt̚² pɛːŋ³⁵ muːn²² kɪk̚²/

A xiehouyu, from the fact that Cantonese 悶極 (mun6 gik6) sounds like English mooncake.

鬼佬月饼——闷极
番鬼佬月餅——悶極


一念之差

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ni̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ niːm²² t͡siː⁵⁵ t͡sʰaː⁵⁵/

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ni̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ niːm²² t͡siː⁵⁵ t͡sʰaː⁵⁵/

the difference caused by a single thought; momentary slip; ill-considered action


烏煙瘴氣

ㄨ ㄧㄢ ㄓㄤˋ ㄑㄧˋ

/u⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/

/wuː⁵⁵ jiːn⁵⁵ t͡sœːŋ³³ hei̯³³/

/u⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/

/wuː⁵⁵ jiːn⁵⁵ t͡sœːŋ³³ hei̯³³/

(of an atmosphere) filled with black smoke and toxic gas; turgid atmosphere; pandemonium


see also

A see also reference from a main heading is set as a subheading; a see also reference from a subheading is set as a sub-subheading.

1998, Merriam-Webster's Manual for Writers and Editors, page 256:

A suggestion that other topics of study are related to a current topic.

اُنْظُرْ أَيْضًا

a suggestion that other topics of study are related to a current topic


光復舊物

ㄍㄨㄤ ㄈㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄨˋ

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ u⁵¹/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ fʊk̚² kɐu̯²² mɐt̚²/

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ u⁵¹/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ fʊk̚² kɐu̯²² mɐt̚²/

to recover what has been lost (to an invader)


なにそれ？おいしいの？

ja-phrase

なに それ？ おいし.い の？

(informal, humorous) A phrase used to feign ignorance to the existence of a concept.


hässliches Entlein

Das hässliche Entlein

ugly duckling (an ugly young person expected to turn beautiful)


滾瓜爛熟

ripe as a melon that rolls from its vine

ㄍㄨㄣˇ ㄍㄨㄚ ㄌㄢˋ ㄕㄨˊ

ㄍㄨㄣˇ ㄍㄨㄚ ㄌㄢˋ ㄕㄡˊ

гуньгуаланьшу

/ku̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ä⁵⁵ län⁵¹ ʂu³⁵/

гуньгуаланьшоу

/ku̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ä⁵⁵ län⁵¹ ʂoʊ̯³⁵/

/kʷɐn³⁵ kʷaː⁵⁵ laːn²² sʊk̚²/

/ku̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ä⁵⁵ län⁵¹ ʂu³⁵/

/ku̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ä⁵⁵ län⁵¹ ʂoʊ̯³⁵/

/kʷɐn³⁵ kʷaː⁵⁵ laːn²² sʊk̚²/

(to know something) by heart; (recite, etc.) fluently


head

Ива́н роди́л девчо́нку, веле́л тащи́ть пелёнку • (Iván rodíl devčónku, velél taščítʹ peljónku)

Ива́н роди́л девчо́нку (canonical)
веле́л тащи́ть пелёнку (canonical)
Iván rodíl devčónku (romanization)
velél taščítʹ peljónku (romanization)

[ɪˈvan rɐˈdʲiɫ dʲɪfˈt͡ɕɵnkʊ | vʲɪˈlʲeɫ tɐˈɕːitʲ pʲɪˈlʲɵnkʊ]

Chosen for the rhyme. Literally, “Ivan gave birth to a girl, and ordered [someone] to bring a nappy”.

m-g

Ivan gave birth to a girl, and ordered 􂀿someone􂁀 to bring a nappy

lit

Иван родил девчонку, велел тащить пелёнку

(mnemonic) grammatical cases of the Russian language

en-Иван_родил_девчонку,_велел_тащить_пелёнку-ru-phrase-FtEDu9DQ


له كل المجد

head

لَهُ كُلُّ ٱلْمَجْدِ

لَهُ كُلُّ ٱلْمَجْدِ • (lahu kullu l-majdi)

لَهُ كُلُّ ٱلْمَجْدِ (canonical)
lahu kullu l-majdi (romanization)

اَلسَّيِّدُ ٱلْمَسِيحُ —لَهُ كُلُّ ٱلْمَجْدِ— أَمَرَنَا بِالسَّعْيِ وَراءَ ٱلْقَداسَةِ.
as-sayyidu l-masīḥu —lahu kullu l-majdi— ʔamaranā bi-s-saʕyi warāʔa l-qadāsati.
Christ, all glory be to him, has commanded us to strive for holiness.

(Christianity) all glory be to him; an expression of praise commonly used after mentioning Christ


憤世嫉俗

ㄈㄣˋ ㄕˋ ㄐㄧˊ ㄙㄨˊ

/fən⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕi³⁵ su³⁵/

/fɐn¹³ sɐi̯³³ t͡sɐt̚² t͡sʊk̚²/

/fən⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕi³⁵ su³⁵/

/fɐn¹³ sɐi̯³³ t͡sɐt̚² t͡sʊk̚²/

bié tīng tā de huà, tā shì ge fènshìjísú de jiāhuo

別聽他的話，他是個憤世嫉俗的家伙

别听他的话，他是个愤世嫉俗的家伙

Bayside Shakedown 2, 2003 (OpenSubtitles)

háishì fènshìjísú de yàngzǐ, nǐ yīdiǎn méi biàn

還是憤世嫉俗的樣子，你一點沒變

还是愤世嫉俗的样子，你一点没变


啞口無言

ㄧㄚˇ ㄎㄡˇ ㄨˊ ㄧㄢˊ

/jä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ jɛn³⁵/

/aː³⁵ hɐu̯³⁵ mou̯²¹ jiːn²¹/

/a⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻²² ɡiɛn²⁴/

/a⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰɔ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bu²³⁻³³ ɡiɛn²³/

/a⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻¹¹ ɡiɛn²⁴/

/jä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ jɛn³⁵/

/aː³⁵ hɐu̯³⁵ mou̯²¹ jiːn²¹/

/a⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kʰau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻²² ɡiɛn²⁴/

/a⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰɔ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bu²³⁻³³ ɡiɛn²³/

/a⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bu²⁴⁻¹¹ ɡiɛn²⁴/

to be speechless in response to being interrogated or refuted


曠日持久

ㄎㄨㄤˋ ㄖˋ ㄔˊ ㄐㄧㄡˇ

/kʰu̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʐ̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kʷʰɔːŋ³³ jɐt̚² t͡sʰiː²¹ kɐu̯³⁵/

/kʷʰɔːŋ³³ jɐt̚² t͡sʰiː²¹ kɐu̯³⁵/

There was a man fond of hunting who was not able to catch game for a long time.

Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE

Yǒu hào liè zhě, kuàngrìchíjiǔ ér bùdé shòu.

有好獵者，曠日持久而不得獸。

有好猎者，旷日持久而不得兽。


千變萬化

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (千變萬化):
* → Japanese: 千変万化(せんぺんばんか) (senpenbanka)
* → Korean: 천변만화(千變萬化) (cheonbyeonmanhwa)
* → Vietnamese: thiên biến vạn hoá (千變萬化)

ㄑㄧㄢ ㄅㄧㄢˋ ㄨㄢˋ ㄏㄨㄚˋ

цяньбяньваньхуа

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯ä⁵¹/

/t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ piːn³³ maːn²² faː³³/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻²² piɛn²¹⁻⁵³ ban²²⁻²¹ hua²¹/

/t͡sʰiɛn³³ piɛn⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ ban⁴¹⁻²² hua⁴¹/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻²² piɛn²¹⁻⁵³ ban²²⁻²¹ hua²¹/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ piɛn¹¹⁻⁵³ ban³³⁻¹¹ hua¹¹/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ piɛn²¹⁻⁴¹ ban³³⁻²¹ hua²¹/

/t͡sʰi̯ẽ³³ pi̯ẽ⁴⁵ u̯an⁴⁵ ɸa̠⁴⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ẽ³³ pi̯ẽ⁴⁵ u̯an⁴⁵ ɸa̠⁴⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯ä⁵¹/

/t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ piːn³³ maːn²² faː³³/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻²² piɛn²¹⁻⁵³ ban²²⁻²¹ hua²¹/

/t͡sʰiɛn³³ piɛn⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ ban⁴¹⁻²² hua⁴¹/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻²² piɛn²¹⁻⁵³ ban²²⁻²¹ hua²¹/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ piɛn¹¹⁻⁵³ ban³³⁻¹¹ hua¹¹/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ piɛn²¹⁻⁴¹ ban³³⁻²¹ hua²¹/

/t͡sʰi̯ẽ³³ pi̯ẽ⁴⁵ u̯an⁴⁵ ɸa̠⁴⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ẽ³³ pi̯ẽ⁴⁵ u̯an⁴⁵ ɸa̠⁴⁵/

an innumerable amount of changes; countless changes


基情四射

ㄐㄧ ㄑㄧㄥˊ ㄙˋ ㄕㄜˋ

/t͡ɕi⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ³⁵ sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂɤ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ³⁵ sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂɤ⁵¹/

Based on 激情四射; see 基情 (jīqíng) for more.

(neologism, humorous) to radiate gay affection in all directions; gayish; overly brotherly love emanating from the scene


久而久之

ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄦˊ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄓ

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/kɐu̯³⁵ jiː²¹ kɐu̯³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/

/kɐu̯³⁵ jiː²¹ kɐu̯³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/

in the course of time; over a long period of time


人頭湧湧

/jɐn²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹ jʊŋ³⁵ jʊŋ³⁵/

/jɐn²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹ jʊŋ³⁵ jʊŋ³⁵/

(Cantonese) to have large crowds of people


得個……字

/tɐk̚⁵ kɔː³³ t͡siː²²/

/tɐk̚⁵ kɔː³³ t͡siː²²/

得個食字

得个食字

only allowed to see [and not touch]; only for looks

得個睇字

得个睇字

得個講字

得个讲字

(Cantonese) only
merely…; nothing else but


in spe

From Latin in (“in”, used with the ablative) + spē, ablative singular of spēs (“hope”). The phrase, then, literally translates as "in [the] hope; hopeful".

De technische universiteit zat vol ingenieurs in spe.

The technical university was full of prospective engineers.


in spe

Borrowed from Latin in spē (literally “in [the] hope; hopeful”).

bor+

Ich bin mir ganz sicher, aber du weißt es nicht / Ich weiß es insgeheim / Mein zukünftiger Ex-Freund / Mein Ex-Freund in spe das wirst du sein

1992, “Mein zukünftiger Ex-Freund”, in Sei À Gogo, performed by Die Lassie Singers:


拾金不昧

ㄕˊ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄟˋ

шицзиньбумэй

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ meɪ̯⁵¹/

/sɐp̚² kɐm⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ muːi̯²²/

/sip̚⁴⁻² kim³³⁻²³ puk̚²⁻⁴ mue³⁵/

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ meɪ̯⁵¹/

/sɐp̚² kɐm⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ muːi̯²²/

/sip̚⁴⁻² kim³³⁻²³ puk̚²⁻⁴ mue³⁵/

to not pocket the money or other valuables one picks up; to return lost property to its owner


long hair don't care

Chosen for the rhyme, and in reference to the habit of many male hippies of growing their hair long.

This time she left the ponytail down. She had really long pretty black hair that fell on her dark brown shoulders. She had been growing it since seventh grade when her sister told her “Long Hair Don't Care.”

2011, Sarai Juelz, The Triple B Girl's Club, page 28:

Or was she the type that may have been insecure about her dark complexion in the age of redbone skin tones, yellow models, 'long hair don't care'.

2012, Richard Warren Crosson, Souljastory@itrilla.com: Too Hot for Urban Lit, volume 1:

He used to joke that their team name should be long hair don't care, because not only do both of them have hair that hangs down to their buttocks, but they are both lazy as all get out when it came to half ass doing their job.

2015, Eric Franklin, From The Heart: From The Case Files of Andrew Mason, page 217:

A slogan of the hippy movement, dismissing perceived prudish and conservative attitudes of previous generations.


frohes Schaffen

Literally, “merry working!”, or more loosely translated as “energetic working!”.

lit

Na gut, dann bis später und frohes Schaffen noch!

All right, so see you later and have a productive day!

a greeting sometimes used towards someone who is working, most often when leaving them


دير بالك

head

دِيرْ بَالِكْ

دِيرْ بَالِكْ • (dīr bālik)

دِيرْ بَالِكْ (canonical)
dīr bālik (romanization)


دير بالك

دِيرْ بَالِكْ

دِيرْ بَالِكْ • (dīr bālik)


يواش يواش

يَواش يَواش • (yawāš yawāš)

يَواش يَواش (canonical)
yawāš yawāš (romanization)

From Persian یواش یواش (yawāš yawāš) or Ottoman Turkish یواش یواش (yavaş yavaş)

يواش يواش لا تطيح من القاري!

Slow down lest you fall from the bicycle!


一蹶不振

ㄧ ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄣˋ

ицзюэбучжэнь

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂən⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ kʰyːt̚³ pɐt̚⁵ t͡sɐn³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ kuat̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sin⁵³/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ kuat̚⁵⁻²⁴ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ t͡sin⁵⁵⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ kuat̚³²⁻⁵ put̚³²⁻⁵ t͡sin⁵³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ kuat̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sin⁵³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ kuat̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sin⁴¹/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂən⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ kʰyːt̚³ pɐt̚⁵ t͡sɐn³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ kuat̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sin⁵³/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ kuat̚⁵⁻²⁴ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ t͡sin⁵⁵⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ kuat̚³²⁻⁵ put̚³²⁻⁵ t͡sin⁵³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ kuat̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sin⁵³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ kuat̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sin⁴¹/

(figurative) the subject flipped over after wobbling


וכדומה

וְכַדּוֹמֶה • (v'khadomé)

וְכַדּוֹמֶה (canonical)
v'khadomé (romanization)


וכד׳

וְכַדּוֹמֶה וכדומה#Hebrew

Abbreviation of וְכַדּוֹמֶה (v'khadomé).


桜散る

桜散る (canonical)
sakura chiru (romanization)

[sa̠kɯ̟ɾa̠ t͡ɕiɾɯ̟]

From 桜 (さくら, sakura, “cherry tree, cherry blossom”) and 散る (ちる, chiru, “to fall, to scatter”).

(idiomatic, especially in telegrams) Used in reference to an exam failure.

Used in reference to cherry blossom blooming or falling.


桜咲く

桜咲く (canonical)
sakura saku (romanization)

From 桜 (さくら, sakura, “cherry tree, cherry blossom”) and 咲く (さく, saku, “to bloom”).

(idiomatic, especially in telegrams) Used in reference to an exam success.


every woman for herself

Expression of indifference: every woman should forget about comradeship and save themselves.


every man for hisself

every man for himself
every man for himself#English

(nonstandard) Synonym of every man for himself


再接再厲

再接再厉
再接再勵
再接再礪

ㄗㄞˋ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄗㄞˋ ㄌㄧˋ

цзайцзецзайли

/t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹/

/t͡sɔːi̯³³ t͡siːp̚³ t͡sɔːi̯³³ lɐi̯²²/

/t͡sai²¹⁻⁵³ t͡siap̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sai²¹⁻⁵³ le²²/

/t͡sai⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ t͡siap̚⁵⁻²⁴ t͡sai⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ le⁴¹/

/t͡sai²¹⁻⁵³ t͡siap̚³²⁻⁵ t͡sai²¹⁻⁵³ le²²/

/t͡sai¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡siap̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sai¹¹⁻⁵³ le³³/

/t͡sai²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡siap̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sai²¹⁻⁴¹ le³³/

/t͡sai²¹³⁻⁵⁵ t͡siap̚²⁻⁴ t͡sai²¹³⁻⁵⁵ li³⁵/

/t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹/

/t͡sɔːi̯³³ t͡siːp̚³ t͡sɔːi̯³³ lɐi̯²²/

to make persistent efforts; to redouble one's efforts; to keep up one's good work


一表人才

ㄧ ㄅㄧㄠˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄘㄞˊ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ pi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ piːu̯³⁵ jɐn²¹ t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ piau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ zin²³⁻³³ t͡sai²³/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ pi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ piːu̯³⁵ jɐn²¹ t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ piau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ zin²³⁻³³ t͡sai²³/

(usually used to describe a man) to be a person of striking appearance; to be fine-looking and talented


一波三折

one stroke, three changes in direction of the brush

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ pu̯ɔ⁵⁵ sän⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ pɔː⁵⁵ saːm⁵⁵ t͡siːt̚³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰo⁴⁴⁻²² sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡siɛt̚³²/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ pʰo³³ sam³³ t͡siɛt̚⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ pʰo⁴⁴⁻²² sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡siɛt̚³²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰo⁴⁴⁻³³ sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡siɛt̚³²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡siɛt̚³²/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ pu̯ɔ⁵⁵ sän⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ pɔː⁵⁵ saːm⁵⁵ t͡siːt̚³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰo⁴⁴⁻²² sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡siɛt̚³²/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ pʰo³³ sam³³ t͡siɛt̚⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ pʰo⁴⁴⁻²² sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡siɛt̚³²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰo⁴⁴⁻³³ sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡siɛt̚³²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡siɛt̚³²/

(originally) calligraphic flourish with many twists

(figurative) to be full of ups and downs; to have many twists and turns


不明不白

ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄅㄞˊ

/pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ paɪ̯³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹ pɐt̚⁵ paːk̚²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁴ peʔ⁴/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² put̚⁵⁻²⁴ peʔ²⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ biɪŋ¹³⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁵ peʔ¹²¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ peʔ⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²³⁻³³ put̚³²⁻⁴ peʔ⁴/

/pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ paɪ̯³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹ pɐt̚⁵ paːk̚²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁴ peʔ⁴/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² put̚⁵⁻²⁴ peʔ²⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ biɪŋ¹³⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁵ peʔ¹²¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ peʔ⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²³⁻³³ put̚³²⁻⁴ peʔ⁴/

without a clear reason; for no reason; unjustly


不折不扣

ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄜˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄡˋ

/pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ kʰoʊ̯⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ t͡siːt̚³ pɐt̚⁵ kʰɐu̯³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau²¹/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ t͡siɛt̚⁵⁻²⁴ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ kʰau⁴¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁵ put̚³²⁻⁵ kʰau²¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau¹¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau²¹/

/pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ kʰoʊ̯⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ t͡siːt̚³ pɐt̚⁵ kʰɐu̯³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau²¹/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ t͡siɛt̚⁵⁻²⁴ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ kʰau⁴¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁵ put̚³²⁻⁵ kʰau²¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau¹¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau²¹/

unreservedly; fully; thoroughly; out and out; through and through


不堪設想

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄢ ㄕㄜˋ ㄒㄧㄤˇ

/pu⁵¹ kʰän⁵⁵ ʂɤ⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɐm⁵⁵ t͡sʰiːt̚³ sœːŋ³⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰam⁴⁴⁻²² siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁵³/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ kʰam³³ siɛt̚⁵⁻²⁴ siɔŋ⁵⁵⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ kʰam⁴⁴⁻²² siɛt̚³²⁻⁵ siɔŋ⁵³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰam⁴⁴⁻³³ siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁵³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰam⁴⁴⁻³³ siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁴¹/

/pu⁵¹ kʰän⁵⁵ ʂɤ⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɐm⁵⁵ t͡sʰiːt̚³ sœːŋ³⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰam⁴⁴⁻²² siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁵³/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ kʰam³³ siɛt̚⁵⁻²⁴ siɔŋ⁵⁵⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ kʰam⁴⁴⁻²² siɛt̚³²⁻⁵ siɔŋ⁵³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰam⁴⁴⁻³³ siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁵³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰam⁴⁴⁻³³ siɛt̚³²⁻⁴ siɔŋ⁴¹/

後果不堪設想。

后果不堪设想。

To be overthrown is painful and is unbearable to contemplate for those overthrown, for example, for the Kuomintang reactionaries whom we are now overthrowing and for Japanese imperialism which we together with other peoples overthrew some time ago.

1949, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《論人民民主專政》 (On the People's Democratic Dictatorship). English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

Lìrú yǎnqián Guómíndǎng fǎndòngpài bèi wǒmen suǒ tuīfān, guòqù Rìběn dìguó zhǔyì bèi wǒmen hé gèguó rénmín suǒ tuīfān, duìyú bèituīfānzhě lái shuō, zhè shì tòngkǔ de, bùkānshèxiǎng de.

例如眼前國民黨反動派被我們所推翻，過去日本帝國主義被我們和各國人民所推翻，對於被推翻者來說，這是痛苦的，不堪設想的。

例如眼前国民党反动派被我们所推翻，过去日本帝国主义被我们和各国人民所推翻，对于被推翻者来说，这是痛苦的，不堪设想的。

too dreadful to contemplate; too horrible to imagine


nije šija nego vrat

sh-phrase

nije šija nego vrat (Cyrillic spelling није шија него врат)

није шија него врат (Cyrillic)

without a difference
distinction without a difference

tomayto, tomahto, potayto, potahto (dismissing a distinction as without a difference)


није шија него врат

није шија него врат (Latin spelling nije šija nego vrat)


一派胡言

ㄧ ㄆㄞˋ ㄏㄨˊ ㄧㄢˊ

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ pʰaɪ̯⁵¹ xu³⁵ jɛn³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ pʰaːi̯³³ wuː²¹ jiːn²¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰai²¹⁻⁵³ hɔ²⁴⁻²² ɡiɛn²⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ pʰai⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ hɔ²⁴⁻²² ɡiɛn²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ pʰai²¹⁻⁵³ hɔ¹³⁻²² ɡiɛn¹³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰai¹¹⁻⁵³ hɔ²⁴⁻¹¹ ɡiɛn²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰai²¹⁻⁴¹ hɔ²³⁻³³ ɡiɛn²³/

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ pʰaɪ̯⁵¹ xu³⁵ jɛn³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ pʰaːi̯³³ wuː²¹ jiːn²¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰai²¹⁻⁵³ hɔ²⁴⁻²² ɡiɛn²⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ pʰai⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ hɔ²⁴⁻²² ɡiɛn²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ pʰai²¹⁻⁵³ hɔ¹³⁻²² ɡiɛn¹³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰai¹¹⁻⁵³ hɔ²⁴⁻¹¹ ɡiɛn²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ pʰai²¹⁻⁴¹ hɔ²³⁻³³ ɡiɛn²³/

I've heard that someone is defaming Chongqing, and the targets include me and my family. Someone even says that my son is driving a red Ferrari when studying abroad. That's complete nonsense! I feel very angry! That's complete nonsense!

9 Mar 2012, Bo Xilai's response to reporters' questions on Chongqing Municipal People's Congresshttps://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese_news/2012/03/120309_china_boxilai_smear

Wǒ tīngshuō yǒurén zhèng gěi Chóngqìng “pōzāngshuǐ”, bāokuò gěi wǒ běnrén, gěi jiātíng pōzāngshuǐ, shènzhì shuō wǒ érzǐ zài wàimiàn xuéxí kāi “hóngsè Fǎlālì”. Yīpàihúyán! Wǒ gǎnjiào fēicháng qìfèn, yīpàihúyán!

我聽說有人正給重慶「潑髒水」，包括給我本人、給家庭潑髒水，甚至說我兒子在外面學習開「紅色法拉利」。一派胡言！我感覺非常氣憤，一派胡言！

我听说有人正给重庆「泼脏水」，包括给我本人、给家庭泼脏水，甚至说我儿子在外面学习开「红色法拉利」。一派胡言！我感觉非常气愤，一派胡言！


一掃而空

ㄧ ㄙㄠˇ ㄦˊ ㄎㄨㄥ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ sɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ kʰʊŋ⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ sou̯³³ jiː²¹ hʊŋ⁵⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ sau²¹⁻⁴¹ zi²³⁻³³ kʰɔŋ⁴⁴/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ sɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ kʰʊŋ⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ sou̯³³ jiː²¹ hʊŋ⁵⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ sau²¹⁻⁴¹ zi²³⁻³³ kʰɔŋ⁴⁴/


不可理喻

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄌㄧˇ ㄩˋ

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ y⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ lei̯¹³ jyː²²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ li⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ zu³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ li⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lu²²/

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ y⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ lei̯¹³ jyː²²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ li⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ zu³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ li⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lu²²/

做一件不可理喻的事

簡直不可理喻。

简直不可理喻。

to defy reason; to be unreasonable because of stupidity or stubbornness


bratři držme se

Utěšenější místo jsem po celé vsi nezahlédl; pár jív, chaloupka „bratři držme se", na rybníku plavou kachny, na břeh vycházejí husy a otřepávají se.

1963, Světová literatura, volume 8, number 6, page 64:

I have not seen a nicer place all around the village; a couple of goat willows, a nice little flimsy cottage, ducks swimming in a pond and geese walking to the shore and shaking off the water.

Prodavačky mají impozantní výhled na protější barabiznu v předsmrtném stádiu „bratři držme se".

1995, Martina Cufalová, “TCHAJ-WAN země černovlasých andělů”, in Koktejl, number 03:

The shop assistants have an impressive view to the opposite flimsy shanty in its final stage.

Žádná z koaličních stran nemůže profitovat z předčasných voleb, a proto lze předpokládat, že slabá koalice bude pokračovat v duchu hesla „bratři, držme se“.

2006 July 6, Jefim Fištejn, “Trable paní Merkelové”, in Revue Politika:

None of the coaliton parties can benefit from the early elections and so it can be assumed that the weak coalition will keep trying to stay together.

(idiomatic, colloquial) flimsy, not keeping together very well


toujours perdrix

A Pseudo-Gallicism, derived from toujours + perdrix, literally “always partridge”. The phrase is not used in French.

pseudo-loan

"Toujours perdrix," is a complaint which we particularly wish to avoid in our embellishments.

1842, “The New Sporting Magazine New Series. Vol. II. Published by R. Ackermann”, in Google, page 262:

"I am sorry we did not see him," cried Paula ; "he is a very nice young man : as to the General he is toujours perdrix."

1851, “The compulsory marriage; and its consequences. A novel. In three volumes. Vol. I.”, in Google, London, page 286:

"Toujours perdrix !" She turned, laughing at the surprise, and flushing with pleasure.

1872, “The Argosy. Edited by Mrs. Henry Wood. Volume XIV. July to December, 1872”, in Google, London, page 60:

"Perdrix, perdrix, toujours perdrix." "Roose, Roose, toujours Roose, Robson Roose."

1886, The Pall Mall Budget. No. 941.–Vol. XXXIV. Thursday, October 7, 1886, p. 3 (Google US)

Too much of a good thing
too much of a good thing

Toujours Perdrix ! That's loving to satiety–
There is no fun in life without variety !

1848, The New Monthly Magazine and Humorist. Edited by Harrison Ainsworth. Vol. 84. Being the Third Part For 1848, London, p. 40 (Google, Google):


天助我也

ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄨˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄧㄝˇ

тянь чжу во е

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ jɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː²² ŋɔː¹³ jaː¹³/

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ jɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː²² ŋɔː¹³ jaː¹³/

The heavens are helping me! How lucky am I! (said when one receives unexpected help, or when the situation changes to become favourable to the speaker)


不可或缺

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄏㄨㄛˋ ㄑㄩㄝ

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ɔ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ waːk̚² kʰyːt̚³/

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ɔ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ waːk̚² kʰyːt̚³/


NGL

Alternative form: ngl

NGL, I actually enjoyed the movie.

NGL...I felt pretty robbed when I found out that my high school experience was nothing like Disney's High School Musical.

2024 May 2, Nicole Pomarico, Kayleigh Roberts, Starr Bowenbank, “The Best Graduation Songs of All Time”, in Cosmopolitan:

(Internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of (I'm) not gonna lie: to tell the truth.


does Dolly Parton sleep on her back

An allusion to the singer's large breasts, which might make sleeping on one's front difficult.

is the Pope Catholic
is the Pope Catholic#English

(colloquial, rhetorical question) Synonym of is the Pope Catholic


so help me

Am I awake or am I dead. Spencer, my boy, you're a fool—I've got it. I've got the palpitation of the heart, so help me. Why didn't I stay away and not come back after fifteen years.

1904, William F. Cattell, A Receipt for $10,000, page 16:

I hereby swear to become the manager of either the football, basket ball, track, cross-country, baseball, soccer or tennis teams before my graduation. So help me, and keep me at it.

1919, The Junior Class of The Ohio State University, The Makio, page 483:

'You come one step closer to me with that gherkin,' she said, 'and I'll have the law on you, so help me I will.'

2004, Allan Frewin Jones, Lesley Pollinger, Teach Yourself Writing: for Children, page 84:


天災人禍

ㄊㄧㄢ ㄗㄞ ㄖㄣˊ ㄏㄨㄛˋ

тяньцзайжэньхо

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵ xu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔːi̯⁵⁵ jɐn²¹ wɔː²²/

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵ xu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔːi̯⁵⁵ jɐn²¹ wɔː²²/

natural disasters and man-made calamities; catastrophes


刀山火海

ㄉㄠ ㄕㄢ ㄏㄨㄛˇ ㄏㄞˇ

даошаньхохай

/tɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tou̯⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ fɔː³⁵ hɔːi̯³⁵/

/tɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tou̯⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ fɔː³⁵ hɔːi̯³⁵/

mountains of daggers and seas of flames; (figurative) extreme danger


成行成市

ㄔㄥˊ ㄏㄤˊ ㄔㄥˊ ㄕˋ

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ xɑŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/sɪŋ²¹ hɔːŋ²¹ sɪŋ²¹ siː¹³/

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ xɑŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/sɪŋ²¹ hɔːŋ²¹ sɪŋ²¹ siː¹³/

(of many stalls and shops) to gather to become a brisk market; to be flourishing; to be booming


大錯特錯

ㄉㄚˋ ㄘㄨㄛˋ ㄊㄜˋ ㄘㄨㄛˋ

/tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/taːi̯²² t͡sʰɔː³³ tɐk̚² t͡sʰɔː³³/

/taːi̯²² t͡sʰɔː³³ tɐk̚² t͡sʰɔː³³/

to be as wrong as wrong can be; to be utterly wrong; to be grievously mistaken


ami sok, az sok

ami (“what”) sok (“much”), az (“that”) sok (“much”), literally: "what is much, is much".

(especially as an expression of exasperation) enough is enough (the limit of patience or tolerance has been reached)


솔까말

Contraction of 솔직히 까놓고 말해서 (soljikhi kkanoko malhaeseo).

ko-l

(neologism, slang) frankly speaking, speaking honestly, to be honest (TBH)


趕盡殺絕

ㄍㄢˇ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄕㄚ ㄐㄩㄝˊ

ганьцзиньшацзюэ

/kän²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕin⁵¹ ʂä⁵⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵/

/kɔːn³⁵ t͡sɵn²² saːt̚³ t͡syːt̚²/

/kän²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕin⁵¹ ʂä⁵⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵/

/kɔːn³⁵ t͡sɵn²² saːt̚³ t͡syːt̚²/

to drive away and kill all; to kill to the last one; to exterminate


may the 4th be with you

May the Fourth be with you
May the Fourth be with you#English

Alternative form of May the Fourth be with you


愁眉苦臉

ㄔㄡˊ ㄇㄟˊ ㄎㄨˇ ㄌㄧㄢˇ

чоумэйкулянь

/ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ meɪ̯³⁵ kʰu²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɐu̯²¹ mei̯²¹ fuː³⁵ liːm¹³/

/sɐu̯²¹ mei̯²¹ fuː³⁵ liːm¹³/

with knitted brows and a doleful look; looking distressed


May the Fourth be with you

Blend of May the Fourth + may the Force be with you.


may the force be with you

may the Force be with you
may the Force be with you#English

Alternative letter-case form of may the Force be with you


無所事事

ㄨˊ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄕˋ ㄕˋ

/u³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/mou̯²¹ sɔː³⁵ siː²² siː²²/

/u³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/mou̯²¹ sɔː³⁵ siː²² siː²²/

The kid has nothing to do but hang around the street corners.

Zhè háizi wúsuǒshìshì, zhǐshì zài jiētóu xiándàng.

這孩子無所事事，只是在街頭閒盪。

这孩子无所事事，只是在街头闲荡。


may the Force be without you

may the Force not be with you
may the Force not be with you#English

(idiomatic, humorous, rare) Synonym of may the Force not be with you


may the Force not be with you

(idiomatic, humorous) Used to wish someone bad luck.


dziadek płakał, jak sprzedawał

Literally, “grandfather cried when he sold”. Based on the widespread Polish practice of importing used cars from Germany and other Western European countries, often bought from elderly residents. Implies that the previous owner had to sell the car below market value, and thus it can be expected to be a great deal.

lit

(idiomatic, humorous) stereotypical embellished sales pitch


to your health

Cheers; bottoms up (a phrase used when making a toast).

egészségedre

informal term addressed at a single person; for its variants, see Usage notes there


勞燕分飛

ㄌㄠˊ ㄧㄢˋ ㄈㄣ ㄈㄟ

лаояньфэньфэй

/lɑʊ̯³⁵ jɛn⁵¹ fən⁵⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵/

/lɑʊ̯³⁵ jɛn⁵¹ fən⁵⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵/

the shrike (伯勞／伯劳) and the swallow (燕) part and fly in different directions


to je gól

Literally, “that's a goal” (originally an exclamation when a goal is scored in a sports match).

„Navíc jsem před prázdninama začal chodit s Katkou,“ pokračoval Vojta. […]
„No to je gól!“ zvolal jsem se špatně skrývaným potěšením.

2013, Pavel Bušta, Expres Praha Radotín, Praha: Mladá fronta, page 32:

“What's more, I started dating with Katka,” Vojta continued. […]
“That is a turn up for the book!” I exclaimed, hiding my delight badly.

turn up for the book
turn up for the book

(idiomatic, informal, colloquial) that is a turn up for the book (expressing a surprise from an unexpected result of a situation, which is usually but not necessarily pleasant or relieving)

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see to, být, gól.


meu povo e minha pova

While meu povo means "my people", pova uses -a, the feminine suffix, creating a nonce word to emphasize the inclusion of females in "people".

(Brazil, nonce word, humorous) used to address an audience, especially in mockery of the style of speech used by politicians


さすけね

(Fukushima) Synonym of 大丈夫 (“okay, all right”)


ngàn cân treo sợi tóc

[ŋaːn˨˩ kən˧˧ t͡ɕɛw˧˧ səːj˧˨ʔ tawk͡p̚˧˦]

[ŋaːŋ˦˩ kəŋ˧˧ ʈɛw˧˧ ʂəːj˨˩ʔ tawk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[ŋaːŋ˦˩ kəŋ˧˧ ʈɛw˧˧ səːj˨˩ʔ tawk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[ŋaːŋ˨˩ kəŋ˧˧ ʈɛw˧˧ ʂəːj˨˩˨ tawk͡p̚˦˥]

[ŋaːŋ˨˩ kəŋ˧˧ ʈɛw˧˧ səːj˨˩˨ tawk͡p̚˦˥]

Probably a calque of Chinese 千鈞一髮／千钧一发 (thiên quán nhất phát); literally: “A thousand jun hangs from a strip of hair.”
The variant with Northern nghìn for "thousand" is attested, but is much less common in contemporary Vietnamese.

bor

Người dân tại chảo lửa Mosul, Iraq, luôn phải sống trong cảnh "ngàn cân treo sợi tóc", đương đầu với mưa bom, bão đạn, gần như mỗi ngày.

2017, Vũ Hoàng, “Cảnh 'ngàn cân treo sợi tóc' nơi tuyến lửa chống IS”, in VnExpress:

Civilians in volatile Mosul, Iraq, continuously lead precarious lives, having to deal with bombs raining down and showers of bullets almost daily.


let's get this party started

let's get the party started
let's get the party started#English

Alternative form of let's get the party started


let's get the party started

"Has he got a pulse?"
"With that hole in his head? You kiddin', a pulse? Give me a break, will ya? He's about as dead as they come. Helluva place to do yourself. Hey, look at this, he's got part of his neck chain in his mouth."
“The dude was loco, man. He was tryin’ to eat gold. Call it in and let’s get the party started. Got to get the body out and the mess cleaned up before light. Wouldn’t want the turistas upset.”

1997, Leonard B. Scott, Solemn Duty, New York: Ballantine Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 64:

(idiomatic, informal) Let's go; let's get this done; let's start more intense action.


nihil est

don't mention it (ritual reply to "Thank you")


換位思考

ㄏㄨㄢˋ ㄨㄟˋ ㄙ ㄎㄠˇ

хуаньвэй сыкао

/xu̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ weɪ̯⁵¹ sz̩⁵⁵ kʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

You should learn to put yourself in other people's shoes.

你要學會換位思考。

你要学会换位思考。

put oneself in someone's shoes
put oneself in someone's shoes


批碗摔箸

/pʰue⁴⁴⁻²² uã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ siak̚³²⁻⁴ ti²²/

/pʰe⁴⁴⁻²² uã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ siak̚³²⁻⁵ ti²²/

/pʰue⁴⁴⁻²² uã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ siak̚³²⁻⁴ ti²²/

/pʰe⁴⁴⁻²² uã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ siak̚³²⁻⁵ ti²²/

(Southern Min) to lose one's temper to the point that one has a violent and frenzied behavior


𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌶𐌿

𐌸𐌰𐌿 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌶𐌿 𐌹𐌺 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌱𐌰𐍂𐌽𐌰𐌱𐌰𐍃 𐌽𐌹 𐌷𐌰𐌱𐍉𐍃 𐍅𐌰𐌻𐌳𐌿𐍆𐌽𐌹 𐌳𐌿 𐌽𐌹 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽?

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? (KJV)

þau ainzu ik jah barnabas ni habōs waldufni du ni waurkjan?

𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃#Gothic

Compound of 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ains)+ the clitic -𐌿 (-u).


撒手人寰

ㄙㄚ ㄕㄡˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄏㄨㄢˊ

сашоужэньхуань

/sä⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ xu̯än³⁵/

/saːt̚³ sɐu̯³⁵ jɐn²¹ waːn²¹/

/sä⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ xu̯än³⁵/

/saːt̚³ sɐu̯³⁵ jɐn²¹ waːn²¹/


不明覺厲

ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄌㄧˋ

/pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ li⁵¹/

/pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ li⁵¹/

From the following phrase:
:
Shortened to make it resemble a genuine Chinese chengyu (idiom).
Made popular by a compilation of Internet neologisms posted on Sina Weibo on June 16, 2013.

Although I don't understand what you are saying, I think it sounds very awesome.

Suīrán bù míngbai nǐ zài shuō shénme, dànshì tīng qǐlái gǎnjué hěn lìhài de yàngzǐ.

雖然不明白你在說什麼，但是聽起來感覺很厲害的樣子。

虽然不明白你在说什么，但是听起来感觉很厉害的样子。

(Mainland China, neologism, Internet slang) Although I don't know what you are saying or doing, I think you are (or it is) amazing.


細思恐極

ㄒㄧˋ ㄙ ㄎㄨㄥˇ ㄐㄧˊ

/ɕi⁵¹ sz̩⁵⁵ kʰʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi³⁵/

/ɕi⁵¹ sz̩⁵⁵ kʰʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi³⁵/

Shortened from the following phrase:
:
replacing 想 with 思 which is used more in written language, to make it resemble a genuine Chinese chengyu (idiom).
Made popular by a compilation of Internet neologisms posted on Sina Weibo on June 16, 2013.

Thinking about it carefully, I find it extremely terrifying.

仔細想想，覺得恐怖至極。

仔细想想，觉得恐怖至极。

(Mainland China, neologism, Internet slang) The more one thinks about it, the more petrified one becomes.


喜大普奔

ㄒㄧˇ ㄉㄚˋ ㄆㄨˇ ㄅㄣ

/ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹ pʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ pən⁵⁵/

/ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹ pʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ pən⁵⁵/

From Baidu Huaxueba. Acrostic-style contraction of four synonymous idioms (see below), producing a four-character word that resembles a genuine Chinese chengyu (idiom).

Delighted to see and hear;
To the great satisfaction of people;
The whole world joins in the jubilation;
And people rush about spreading the news.

xǐwénlèjiàn, dàkuàirénxīn, pǔtiāntóngqìng, bēnzǒuxiānggào

喜聞樂見、大快人心、普天同慶、奔走相告

喜闻乐见、大快人心、普天同庆、奔走相告

(Mainland China, neologism, Internet slang, sometimes sarcastic) Used to announce uplifting news or express congratulations.


然並卵

ㄖㄢˊ ㄅㄧㄥˋ ㄌㄨㄢˇ

жань бин луань

/ʐän³⁵ piŋ⁵¹ lu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/ʐän³⁵ piŋ⁵¹ lu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

A pseudo-chengyu condensed from:
:
Originated from the Jiangxi-born streamer Mr. Quin. 卵 (lon³) here is a profanity in Gan dialect meaning "dick" or "fucking" (as an intensifier), compare Cantonese 撚 (lan²) or Min Nan 𡳞 (lān).

然而並沒有什麼卵用

然而并没有什么卵用

(neologism, slang) however it's of no use


猴年馬月

ㄏㄡˊ ㄋㄧㄢˊ ㄇㄚˇ ㄩㄝˋ

/xoʊ̯³⁵ ni̯ɛn³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɥɛ⁵¹/

ㄏㄡˊㄦ ㄋㄧㄢˊ ㄇㄚˇ ㄩㄝˋ

хоурняньмаюэ

/xɤʊ̯ɻʷ³⁵ ni̯ɛn³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɥɛ⁵¹/

/xoʊ̯³⁵ ni̯ɛn³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɥɛ⁵¹/

/xɤʊ̯ɻʷ³⁵ ni̯ɛn³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɥɛ⁵¹/

From 驢年馬月／驴年马月 (lǘniánmǎyuè, “year of the donkey (in the Zodiac); God knows when”).
Alternatively, from dialectal 何年嘛月 (“what year, what month?”).

zh-l

等到猴年馬月

等到猴年马月

an unknown and long time; donkey's years; God knows when


城會玩

ㄔㄥˊ ㄏㄨㄟˋ ㄨㄢˊ

чэн хуэй вань

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ wän³⁵/

ㄔㄥˊ ㄏㄨㄟˋ ㄨㄢˊㄦ

чэнхуэйваньр

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ wɑɻ³⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ wän³⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ wɑɻ³⁵/

You city dwellers really know how to have fun.

你們城裡人真會玩。

你们城里人真会玩。

out of the ordinary
out of the ordinary#English

(Mainland China, neologism, slang, originally sarcastic) Used to respond to someone who did something that is out of the ordinary, hard to understand, or new and strange.


why not Zoidberg

From a phrase on a popular Internet meme that is attributed to the character Dr. Zoidberg from Futurama, who receives little attention from other characters.

For a good candidate for the 2016 Presidential election, why not Zoidberg?

Perhaps rewording the headline? Changing the button text? What about adding a picture near the form? What if we removed the last question on the form? Why not Zoidberg?

2013, Thomas Eisenmann, Managing Startups: Best Blog Posts:

(Internet slang, rhetorical, sarcastic) Call of attention to something that is ridiculous.


有邊讀邊

ㄧㄡˇ ㄅㄧㄢ ㄉㄨˊ ㄅㄧㄢ

ю бянь ду бянь

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tu³⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

ㄧㄡˇ ㄅㄧㄢㄦ ㄉㄨˊ ㄅㄧㄢㄦ

юбяньрдубяньр

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi̯ɑɻ⁵⁵ tu³⁵ pi̯ɑɻ⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ piːn⁵⁵ tʊk̚² piːn⁵⁵/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ piɛn⁴⁴ tʰɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn⁴⁴/

/iu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ piɛn³³ tʰɔk̚²⁴⁻² piɛn³³/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ piɛn⁴⁴ tʰɔk̚¹²¹⁻²¹ piɛn⁴⁴/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ piɛn⁴⁴ tʰɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn⁴⁴/

/iu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ piɛn⁴⁴ tʰɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn⁴⁴/

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tu³⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi̯ɑɻ⁵⁵ tu³⁵ pi̯ɑɻ⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ piːn⁵⁵ tʊk̚² piːn⁵⁵/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ piɛn⁴⁴ tʰɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn⁴⁴/

/iu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ piɛn³³ tʰɔk̚²⁴⁻² piɛn³³/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ piɛn⁴⁴ tʰɔk̚¹²¹⁻²¹ piɛn⁴⁴/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ piɛn⁴⁴ tʰɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn⁴⁴/

/iu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ piɛn⁴⁴ tʰɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn⁴⁴/

Chinese character
Chinese character#English

A method people use to pronounce a Chinese character when they do not know its exact pronunciation: one of the (often two) components of the character is taken as a phonetic and that pronunciation is used, sometimes erroneously.


來歷不明

ㄌㄞˊ ㄌㄧˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄧㄥˊ

/laɪ̯³⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵/

/lɔːi̯²¹ lɪk̚² pɐt̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹/

/lai²³⁻³³ liɪk̚⁴⁻³² put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²³/

/lai²⁴⁻¹¹ liɪk̚⁴⁻³² put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴/

/laɪ̯³⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵/

/lɔːi̯²¹ lɪk̚² pɐt̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹/

/lai²³⁻³³ liɪk̚⁴⁻³² put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²³/

/lai²⁴⁻¹¹ liɪk̚⁴⁻³² put̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴/


一馬當先

ㄧ ㄇㄚˇ ㄉㄤ ㄒㄧㄢ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑŋ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ maː¹³ tɔːŋ⁵⁵ siːn⁵⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² siɛn⁴⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ mã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tɔŋ³³ siɛn³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² siɛn⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ siɛn⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ siɛn⁴⁴/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑŋ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ maː¹³ tɔːŋ⁵⁵ siːn⁵⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² siɛn⁴⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ mã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tɔŋ³³ siɛn³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² siɛn⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ siɛn⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ mã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ siɛn⁴⁴/

to gallop at the head; to take the lead; to be in the foremost rank


不謀而合

ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄡˊ ㄦˊ ㄏㄜˊ

/pu⁵¹ moʊ̯³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xɤ³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ mɐu̯²¹ jiː²¹ hɐp̚²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bɔ²³⁻³³ zi²³⁻³³ hap̚⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bɔ²⁴⁻²² li²⁴⁻²² hap̚⁴/

/pu⁵¹ moʊ̯³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xɤ³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ mɐu̯²¹ jiː²¹ hɐp̚²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bɔ²³⁻³³ zi²³⁻³³ hap̚⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bɔ²⁴⁻²² li²⁴⁻²² hap̚⁴/

to happen to hold the same views; to agree without previous collaboration


不眠不休

ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄧㄢˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄡ

/pu⁵¹ mi̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ miːn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jɐu̯⁵⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bin²⁴⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁴ hiu⁴⁴/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ bin²⁴⁻²² put̚⁵⁻²⁴ hiu³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ bin¹³⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁵ hiu⁴⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bin²⁴⁻¹¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ hiu⁴⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bin²³⁻³³ put̚³²⁻⁴ hiu⁴⁴/

/pu⁵¹ mi̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ miːn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jɐu̯⁵⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bin²⁴⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁴ hiu⁴⁴/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ bin²⁴⁻²² put̚⁵⁻²⁴ hiu³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ bin¹³⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁵ hiu⁴⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bin²⁴⁻¹¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ hiu⁴⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ bin²³⁻³³ put̚³²⁻⁴ hiu⁴⁴/

to toil without taking a break to rest or sleep


朗朗上口

ㄌㄤˇ ㄌㄤˇ ㄕㄤˋ ㄎㄡˇ

ланланшанкоу

/lɑŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ lɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɑŋ⁵¹ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

(of poetry or phrases) flowing off the tongue with ease


一籌莫展

ㄧ ㄔㄡˊ ㄇㄛˋ ㄓㄢˇ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ mu̯ɔ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯²¹ mɔːk̚² t͡siːn³⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ tiu²⁴⁻²² bɔk̚⁴⁻³² tiɛn⁵³/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ tiu²⁴⁻²² bɔk̚²⁴⁻² tiɛn⁵⁵⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ tiu¹³⁻²² bɔk̚¹²¹⁻²¹ tiɛn⁵³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ tiu²⁴⁻¹¹ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² tiɛn⁵³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ tiu²³⁻³³ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² tiɛn⁴¹/

/t͡sek̚⁴⁻² tʰiu⁵⁵⁻¹¹ mok̚⁴⁻² tiaŋ⁵²/

/jɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯²¹ mɔːk̚² t͡siːn³⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ tiu²⁴⁻²² bɔk̚⁴⁻³² tiɛn⁵³/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ tiu²⁴⁻²² bɔk̚²⁴⁻² tiɛn⁵⁵⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ tiu¹³⁻²² bɔk̚¹²¹⁻²¹ tiɛn⁵³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ tiu²⁴⁻¹¹ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² tiɛn⁵³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ tiu²³⁻³³ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² tiɛn⁴¹/

/t͡sek̚⁴⁻² tʰiu⁵⁵⁻¹¹ mok̚⁴⁻² tiaŋ⁵²/

to be unable to find a solution; to be at wits' end


不可多得

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄉㄜˊ

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ tɤ³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ tɔː⁵⁵ tɐk̚⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁴⁴⁻²² tit̚³²/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ kʰo⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ to³³ tit̚⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁴⁴⁻²² tit̚³²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁴⁴⁻³³ tit̚³²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ tit̚³²/

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ tɤ³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ tɔː⁵⁵ tɐk̚⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁴⁴⁻²² tit̚³²/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ kʰo⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ to³³ tit̚⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁴⁴⁻²² tit̚³²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ to⁴⁴⁻³³ tit̚³²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ tit̚³²/

to be hard to come by; to be rare to have


乏人問津

ㄈㄚˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄨㄣˋ ㄐㄧㄣ

фажэньвэньцзинь

/fä³⁵ ʐən³⁵ wən⁵¹ t͡ɕin⁵⁵/

/fɐt̚² jɐn²¹ mɐn²² t͡sɵn⁵⁵/

/huat̚⁴⁻³² zin²³⁻³³ bun³³⁻²¹ t͡sin⁴⁴/

/fä³⁵ ʐən³⁵ wən⁵¹ t͡ɕin⁵⁵/

/fɐt̚² jɐn²¹ mɐn²² t͡sɵn⁵⁵/

/huat̚⁴⁻³² zin²³⁻³³ bun³³⁻²¹ t͡sin⁴⁴/

to have few people making enquiries about the matter; to be unable to attract people's attention


不勞而獲

ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄠˊ ㄦˊ ㄏㄨㄛˋ

/pu⁵¹ lɑʊ̯³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ lou̯²¹ jiː²¹ wɔːk̚²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ lɤ²³⁻³³ zi²³⁻³³ hiɪk̚⁴/

/pu⁵¹ lɑʊ̯³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ lou̯²¹ jiː²¹ wɔːk̚²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ lɤ²³⁻³³ zi²³⁻³³ hiɪk̚⁴/

Who doesn't want to be a rich kid born with a silver spoon? Who doesn't want to get something for nothing?

Shéi bù yuànyì yī chūshēng jiù shì hán zhe jīnyàoshi de fùjiā háizi, shéi bù yuànyì bùláo'érhuò?

誰不願意一出生就是含著金鑰匙的富家孩子，誰不願意不勞而獲？

谁不愿意一出生就是含著金钥匙的富家孩子，谁不愿意不劳而获？

to reap without sowing; to live off the toil of other people


不足為奇

ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄨˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄑㄧˊ

/pu⁵¹ t͡su³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵ wɐi̯²¹ kʰei̯²¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ ui²⁴⁻²² ki²⁴/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ t͡siɔk̚⁵⁻²⁴ ui²⁴⁻²² ki²⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁵ ui¹³⁻²² ki¹³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ ui²⁴⁻¹¹ ki²⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ ui²³⁻³³ ki²³/

/pu⁵¹ t͡su³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵ wɐi̯²¹ kʰei̯²¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ ui²⁴⁻²² ki²⁴/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ t͡siɔk̚⁵⁻²⁴ ui²⁴⁻²² ki²⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁵ ui¹³⁻²² ki¹³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ ui²⁴⁻¹¹ ki²⁴/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ ui²³⁻³³ ki²³/

He has history. That he defected is not at all surprising.

Tā de pànbiàn shì yǒu láilì de, bùzúwéiqí.

他的叛變是有來歷的，不足為奇。

他的叛变是有来历的，不足为奇。

to be commonplace and not at all surprising


不一而足

ㄅㄨˋ ㄧ ㄦˊ ㄗㄨˊ

/pu⁵¹ i⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡su³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚⁵ jiː²¹ t͡sʊk̚⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ it̚³²⁻⁴ zi²³⁻³³ t͡siɔk̚³²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ it̚³²⁻⁴ li²⁴⁻²² t͡siɔk̚³²/

/pu⁵¹ i⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡su³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚⁵ jiː²¹ t͡sʊk̚⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ it̚³²⁻⁴ zi²³⁻³³ t͡siɔk̚³²/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ it̚³²⁻⁴ li²⁴⁻²² t͡siɔk̚³²/

The original and literal meaning in the Gongyang was "to not make full (the approval) all at once", i.e., to be conditional and graduated in dispensing approval. It was also written as "不壹而足" in the Gongyang, and typically used in the phrase
:
As chengyu, the phrase has been re-analysed semantically in common usage and shifted in meaning.

To approve of a barbarian, one does not do so to the full degree all at once.

Commentary of Gongyang, c. 206 BCE– 9 CE

許夷狄者不一而足也。

许夷狄者不一而足也。

cannot be described only by one example; by no means an isolated case; to be numerous; innumerable


五彩繽紛

五彩缤纷
五彩賓紛
五采繽紛

ㄨˇ ㄘㄞˇ ㄅㄧㄣ ㄈㄣ

уцайбиньфэнь

/u²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pin⁵⁵ fən⁵⁵/

/ŋ̍¹³ t͡sʰɔːi̯³⁵ pɐn⁵⁵ fɐn⁵⁵/

/ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pʰin⁴⁴⁻²² hun⁴⁴/

/ŋɔ̃⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sʰai⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ pʰin³³ hun³³/

/ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pʰin⁴⁴⁻²² hun⁴⁴/

/ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pʰin⁴⁴⁻³³ hun⁴⁴/

/ŋɔ̃⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ pʰin⁴⁴⁻³³ hun⁴⁴/

/u²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pin⁵⁵ fən⁵⁵/

/ŋ̍¹³ t͡sʰɔːi̯³⁵ pɐn⁵⁵ fɐn⁵⁵/

/ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pʰin⁴⁴⁻²² hun⁴⁴/

/ŋɔ̃⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sʰai⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ pʰin³³ hun³³/

/ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pʰin⁴⁴⁻²² hun⁴⁴/

/ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pʰin⁴⁴⁻³³ hun⁴⁴/

/ŋɔ̃⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ pʰin⁴⁴⁻³³ hun⁴⁴/

all the colours in profusion; full of bright colours; multicoloured; garish display


dát někomu pětikorunu

Literally, “to give somebody a 5-crown coin”.

lit

Tvářil se tak nešťastně, že by mu člověk dal pětikorunu.

He looked so unhappy that one felt real sympathy to him.

Nyní byla o rok starší, ale vypadala jako děvčátko, které snad ani není schopné tak děsivě hrůzný čin spáchat. Děvčátko, jemuž by člověk dal pětikorunu, aby si šlo koupit pytlík bonbónů a nepřekáželo v soudní síni, kde se projednává tak hrůzný zločin, že o něm skoro nebylo radno hovořit.

2013 July 18, Václav Tikovský, “Olga Hepnarová”, in Reflex:

Jirka později ve své knize Rozmarná léta napsal, že by mi nejradši dal pětikorunu, protože jsem vzbuzoval svým úsměvem soucit.

2014 July 12, Dana Kaplanová, “Ostře sledovaný Václav Neckář”, in Novinky.cz:

Nejlepší jsou v tomhle směru děti a jejich reakce, to by jim člověk někdy dal pětikorunu.

2015 March 26, rjm, “Být bez ruky? Je to dar, tvrdí rozhodčí z Trutnovska, který miluje fotbal”, in iSport.cz:

(idiomatic, colloquial) to feel sympathy to somebody

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see dát, někdo, pětikoruna.


ještě tahat kačera

Literally, “still be pulling a toy duck”.

[…]o velení přednášel na vojenské akademii v době, kdy Bellman ještě tahal kačera.

2015, Kateřina Kryštůfková, Policie, Kniha Zlín, translation of Politi by Jo Nesbø, page 79:

[…] he was already lecturing on commanding at the military academy in the time when Bellman was still a small child.

(idiomatic, colloquial) still be a small child (referring to a time long ago, when a certain person was still a small child, often in contrast to someone else who was an adult and experienced at the time in question)


was gibt's Neues

was gibt es Neues

sometimes in writing, rarely so pronounced


practice, practice, practice

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-practice, practice, practice.wav

emphatic guidance on the importance of practice to learning a skill or similar


ať tak či onak

in any case, come what may, at any rate, in any event, either way


十劃都未有一撇

十划都未有一撇
十畫都未有一撇

There still hasn't been even one left-falling stroke in ten strokes

/sɐp̚² waːk̚² tou̯⁵⁵ mei̯²² jɐu̯¹³ jɐt̚⁵ pʰiːt̚³/

/sip̚³² vak̚³²⁻²¹ tu⁵⁵ ᵐbei³² jiu³³ jit̚⁵⁵ pʰet̚³²⁻²¹/

(Cantonese) nothing tangible in sight; things have not even begun to take shape


namazat si někoho na chleba

Literally, “spread somebody on one's bread”.

Vod prvního ledna začneš a nezapomeň chlapům napsat výkonnostní, jinak si tě o vejplatě namažou na chleba.

1985, Jaroslav Čejka, Kulisáci, Praha: Mladá fronta, page 166:

[…] stačí vynechat směnu a z každého bude hned sabotér, namažou si nás na chleba, kdy se jim zlíbí.

1986, Vladimír Michal, Střípky hvězd, České Budějovice: Jihočeské nakladatelství, page 9:

„Musíme Frenkýho vrátit do akvárka dřív, než si Mark všimne, že zmizel. Jinak…“
„Sitě namaže na chleba,“ dořekl za mě Pradeep.

2015, Alice Chocholoušková, Moje velká tlustá zombí ryba, Praha: Fragment, translation of My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O'Hara, →ISBN, page 22:

"We've gotta get Frankie back in his bowl before Mark notices he's gone. Or else—".
"You're dead meat." Pradeep finished my words.

(idiomatic, colloquial) overpower somebody


otro gallo cantaría

The full phrase is "Si Pedro no hubiera negado a Jesucristo tres veces, otro gallo cantaría", meaning "if Peter hadn't denied Jesus three times, another cockerel would sing", in reference to the biblical story of the Denial of Peter.

woulda, coulda, shoulda
woulda, coulda, shoulda

if pigs had wings they would fly
if pigs had wings they would fly

if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle
if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle

woulda, coulda, shoulda; if pigs had wings they would fly; if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle


cada palo que aguante su vela

Literally, “[let] every stick hold up its sail”.

every man for himself
every man for himself


hay ropa tendida

Literally, “there's clothing hung out”. This expression stemmed from prisons, where it was used to warn of the presence of the guards.

(idiomatic) someone is within earshot; someone might be listening in to the conversation


jako psí kulky

Tuto kliku pro tebe pucuju denně, už se blejská jako psí kulky.

2008, Jiří Voskovec, Jan Werich, Korespondence, Praha: Akropolis, →ISBN, page 184:

A už tu byla i paní Vávrová osobně s Námořníčkem na ramínku, byl bílý jako padlý sníh, tmavomodré lemování, kotvičky se blýskaly, i když bylo pod mrakem —jako psí kulky,[…]

2000, Ivan Binar, Sedm kapitol ze života Václava Netušila, Praha: Hynek, page 311:

Sem a tam pobíhají tři děti, přesto se podlaha leskne čistotou. “Jako psí kulky, viďte,” rozesměje se Karolína[…]

2016 November 14, Lucie Macháčková, “Náročná kariéra? Matka na plný úvazek”, in Týden.cz:

(simile, colloquial) refers to something that shines very much


他媽

/tʰä⁵⁵ mä⁵⁵/

/tʰä⁵⁵ mä⁵⁵/


head

con esto y un bizcocho, hasta mañana a las ocho

Playful rhyme. Literally, “with this and a cake, see you tomorrow at eight o'clock”.

lit

see you later, alligator
see you later, alligator

let's call it a day; let's wrap it up; see you later, alligator


特麼

(Internet slang, euphemistic) Alternative form of 他媽／他妈 (tāmā)


比手畫腳

ㄅㄧˇ ㄕㄡˇ ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄐㄧㄠˇ

ㄅㄧˇ ㄕㄡˇ ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄐㄧㄠˇ

бишоухуацзяо

/pi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ä⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pei̯³⁵ sɐu̯³⁵ waːk̚² kœːk̚³/

/pei̯³⁵ sɐu̯³⁵ waːk̚² kœːk̚³/

to use movement of either the hands or of some other body limb in order to supplement that which can not be expressed in words; to use sign language; to communicate by using hand gestures


shegin

head

shegin (past and conditional begin, dependent form negin)

begin (conditional past)
form negin (dependent)

Negin goll ayns shen?

Begin dou screeu eh.

Shegin da'n voir aym loayrt rhyt.

Shegin dooin loayrt Gaelg, nagh negin dooin?

as begin daue jannoo speinaghayn jeh fuygh


shynney

shynney (past and conditional bynney, dependent form nhynney)

bynney (conditional past)
form nhynney (dependent)

From s' + a cranberry morpheme which may be cognate to Irish aoibhinn.

Shynney lhiam eh.

Bynney lhiam çheet.

eshyn shynney lesh e ven


s'mie lesh

s'mie lesh (past and conditional by vie lesh, dependent form mie lesh)

by vie lesh (conditional past)
form mie lesh (dependent)

S'mie lhiam bainney.

S'mie lesh Juan snaue.


s'cair

s'cair (past and conditional by chair, dependent form gair)

by chair (conditional past)
form gair (dependent)

S'cair dhyt jannoo myr shen.

By chair da jannoo eh.

one ought, one should (in the past and conditional)


rain stopped play

(idiomatic) The cessation of an activity or operation due to rain (by analogy with cricket).


冷手執個熱煎堆

to pick up a hot sesame ball with a cold hand

/laːŋ¹³ sɐu̯³⁵ t͡sɐp̚⁵ kɔː³³ jiːt̚² t͡siːn⁵⁵ tɵy̯⁵⁵/

(Cantonese) to gain an unexpected advantage


咁大隻蛤乸隨街跳

such a large frog jumping around in the streets

gam³ daai⁶ zek³ gaap³ naa² ceoi⁴ gaai¹ tiu³

gam³ daai⁶ dzek⁸ gap⁸ naa² tsoey⁴ gaai¹ tiu³

gam³ daai⁶ dzek⁸ gaap⁸ naa² tsoey⁴ gaai¹ tiu³

/kɐm³³ taːi̯²² t͡sɛːk̚³ kɐp̚³ naː³⁵ t͡sʰɵy̯²¹ kaːi̯⁵⁵ tʰiːu̯³³/

/kɐm³³ taːi̯²² t͡sɛːk̚³ kaːp̚³ naː³⁵ t͡sʰɵy̯²¹ kaːi̯⁵⁵ tʰiːu̯³³/

bin¹ jau⁵ gam³ daai⁶ zek³ gap³ naa² ceoi⁴ gaai¹ tiu³ gaa³?

邊有咁大隻蛤乸隨街跳㗎？

边有咁大只蛤乸随街跳㗎？

(Cantonese) something too good to be true


眼闊肚窄

The eyes are wide, but the belly is narrow

/ŋaːn¹³ fuːt̚³ tʰou̯¹³ t͡saːk̚³/

/ŋaːn¹³ fuːt̚³ tʰou̯¹³ t͡saːk̚³/

have eyes bigger than one's stomach
have eyes bigger than one's stomach

bite off more than one can chew
bite off more than one can chew

(Cantonese) to have eyes bigger than one's stomach; to bite off more than one can chew


三口六面

/saːm⁵⁵ hɐu̯³⁵ lʊk̚² miːn²²/

/saːm⁵⁵ hɐu̯³⁵ lʊk̚² miːn²²/

Explain yesterday's incident to me face-to-face.

cam⁴ jat⁶ go² daan¹ je⁵ tung⁴ ngo⁵ saam¹ hau² luk⁶ min⁶ gong² cing¹ co².

尋日嗰單嘢同我三口六面講清楚。

寻日嗰单嘢同我三口六面讲清楚。


přijít na buben

Literally, “come to the drum”.
When somebody went bankrupt in the past and their property was to be sold in an auction, it used to be announced to the public by drummers, who first beat the drums to acquire the attention and then read the announcement.

Kdyby se takový handlíř nevyznal v účetnictví, za chvilku by přišel na buben.

2015, Eva Brindová, Je tam, je tam, je tam čert!, E-knihy jedou, page 10:

If such a horsetrader did not know the accounting, he would go bust in a while.

(idiomatic, colloquial, of a person or company) go bankrupt, lose all money. Compare go bust


心知肚明

ㄒㄧㄣ ㄓ ㄉㄨˋ ㄇㄧㄥˊ

синьчжидумин

/ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵/

/sɐm⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ tʰou̯¹³ mɪŋ²¹/

/ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵/

/sɐm⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ tʰou̯¹³ mɪŋ²¹/


可圈可點

ㄎㄜˇ ㄑㄩㄢ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄧㄢˇ

кэцюанькэдянь

/kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn⁵⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ti̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/hɔː³⁵ hyːn⁵⁵ hɔː³⁵ tiːm³⁵/

/hɔː³⁵ hyːn⁵⁵ hɔː³⁵ tiːm³⁵/

(of performance, achievement, etc.) praiseworthy; remarkable; commendable

(Hong Kong) doubtful; needing careful consideration


nejlepší inspirace je termín

Výhodou podepsané smlouvy je pevně stanovený termín odevzdání rukopisu, protože jak je známo, nejlepší inspirace je termín.

2014, Dočekalová Markéta, Tvůrčí psaní: v otázkách a odpovědích, Praha: Grada Publishing, →ISBN, page 29:

The advantage of a signed contract is a fixed deadline of submitting the typescript, because it is universally acknowledged that a deadline is the best inspiration.

[…]i profesionální autoři s oblibou uvádějí, že jejich nejlepší inspirací je termín odevzdání rukopisu.

2015 April 24, Blanka Čechová, “Kterak psát, zn. rychle a dobře”, in Ad Notam, volume 21, number 2, page 52:

[…] professional authors also like saying that their best inspiration is the deadline of submitting a typescript.

(idiomatic) a deadline is the best inspiration


překročit svůj stín

Literally, “to step over one's own shadow”.

lit

I přes výhrady, které jsem tu pronesl, musím konstatovat, že Toms se úkolu zhostil dobře a se ctí. Navíc zřetelně překročil svůj stín historika úzkého rozhledu, […].

1994, Ivan Martinovský, “Jaroslav Toms: Přehled vývoje česko-německých vztahů na území České republiky od 12. století do roku 1947”, in Minulostí západočeského kraje, volume 29, →ISBN, page 298:

Despite the objections I have mentioned here I have to say that Toms performed well and with honour. What is more, he clearly punched above his weight as a narrow-minded historian, […]

punch above one's weight
punch above one's weight


矯枉過正

ㄐㄧㄠˇ ㄨㄤˇ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄓㄥˋ

цзяовангочжэн

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ wɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹/

/kiːu̯³⁵ wɔːŋ³⁵ kʷɔː³³ t͡sɪŋ³³/

/kiːu̯³⁵ wɔːŋ³⁵ kʷɔː³³ t͡sɪŋ³³/

to overcorrect; to hypercorrect; to overcompensate


奄奄一息

ㄧㄢˇ ㄧㄢˇ ㄧ ㄒㄧ

/jɛn²¹⁴⁻³⁵ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ɕi⁵⁵/

/jɛn⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ɕi³⁵/

/jiːm⁵⁵ jiːm⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ sɪk̚⁵/

/iam⁵³⁻⁴⁴ iam⁵³⁻⁴⁴ it̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²/

/am⁴⁴⁻³³ am⁴⁴⁻³³ it̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²/

/jɛn²¹⁴⁻³⁵ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ɕi⁵⁵/

/jɛn⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ɕi³⁵/

/jiːm⁵⁵ jiːm⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ sɪk̚⁵/

/iam⁵³⁻⁴⁴ iam⁵³⁻⁴⁴ it̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²/

/am⁴⁴⁻³³ am⁴⁴⁻³³ it̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²/

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


like it or leave it

like it or lump it
like it or lump it#English


not my circus, not my monkeys

I repeated it like a mantra: Not my circus. Not my monkeys. Except it was my circus. Because, as I lay there, I noticed all my things out of place from the room search. This was my circus. I was stuck with these monkeys.

2015, J. J. Johnson, Believarexic, Open Road Media, →ISBN:

none of my business
none of someone's business

(colloquial) It is not my problem; it's none of my business; indicates that one is not responsible for controlling or changing a volatile or delicate situation.

different clowns, same circus

likewise a circus metaphor emphasizing human folly


τρίβω τα μάτια μου

head

τρίβω τα μάτια μου • (trívo ta mátia mou)

τρίβω τρίβω#Greek

μάτι μάτι#Greek

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see τρίβω (trívo), μάτι (máti).

en-τρίβω_τα_μάτια_μου-el-phrase-4MT22WNR


走遍天下

ㄗㄡˇ ㄅㄧㄢˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

цзоубяньтянься

/t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi̯ɛn⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

/t͡sɐu̯³⁵ pʰiːn³³ tʰiːn⁵⁵ haː²²/

/t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi̯ɛn⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

/t͡sɐu̯³⁵ pʰiːn³³ tʰiːn⁵⁵ haː²²/

A mastery of maths, physics and chemistry is a key to global success. (common saying)

Xuéhǎo shùlǐhuà, zǒubiàntiānxià dōu bùpà.

學好數理化，走遍天下都不怕。

学好数理化，走遍天下都不怕。

to wander through the world; to travel all over the world


騎驢找馬

to ride on a donkey and look for a horse

ㄑㄧˊ ㄌㄩˊ ㄓㄠˇ ㄇㄚˇ

/t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ly³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ly³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

(figurative, colloquial) to settle for what one has for the moment (e.g. job, girlfriend, etc.) while actively looking for something better


空前絕後

ㄎㄨㄥ ㄑㄧㄢˊ ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄏㄡˋ

кунцяньцзюэхоу

/kʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹/

/hʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰiːn²¹ t͡syːt̚² hɐu̯²²/

/kʰʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹/

/hʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰiːn²¹ t͡syːt̚² hɐu̯²²/

unprecedented and never to be duplicated; the first and the last; unmatched; unique


過目難忘

ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄇㄨˋ ㄋㄢˊ ㄨㄤˋ

/ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹ nän³⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹/

/kʷɔː³³ mʊk̚² naːn²¹ mɔːŋ²¹/

/ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹ nän³⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹/

/kʷɔː³³ mʊk̚² naːn²¹ mɔːŋ²¹/

to be hard to forget when one has run eyes over something; unforgettable


there is a new sheriff in town

En-au-there is a new sheriff in town.ogg

Meant to evoke the image of a traditional Southern or Western U.S. town having a new sheriff come to power and shake things up for the town.

(idiomatic) A new individual has come to power and will be making changes.


wala magpalibak

(idiomatic, humorous) speak of the devil; an expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene