一石二鳥

ㄧ ㄕˊ ㄦˋ ㄋㄧㄠˇ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ ˀɤɻ⁵¹ ni̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɐt̚⁵ sɛːk̚² jiː²² niːu̯¹³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚⁴⁻³² zi³³⁻²¹ niãu⁴¹/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ ˀɤɻ⁵¹ ni̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɐt̚⁵ sɛːk̚² jiː²² niːu̯¹³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚⁴⁻³² zi³³⁻²¹ niãu⁴¹/

Wasei kango (和製漢語), orthographically borrowed from Japanese 一(いっ)石(せき)二(に)鳥(ちょう) (isseki nichō); itself a calque of English kill two birds with one stone.

wasei kango

kill two birds with one stone
kill two birds with one stone

to kill two birds with one stone; to do one task and finish two or more goals


不可思議

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄙ ㄧˋ

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ i⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ siː⁵⁵ jiː¹³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ su⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡi³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ su⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡi³³/

/puk̚²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵²⁻³⁵ sɯ³³⁻²³ ŋi⁵²/

/pəʔ³³ kʰu⁵⁵ sz̩³³ n̠ʲi²¹/

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ i⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ siː⁵⁵ jiː¹³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ su⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡi³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ su⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡi³³/

/puk̚²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵²⁻³⁵ sɯ³³⁻²³ ŋi⁵²/

/pəʔ³³ kʰu⁵⁵ sz̩³³ n̠ʲi²¹/

Calque of Sanskrit अचिन्त्य (acintya, “inconceivable”) or calque of Pali acinteyya (“imponderable”).

cal

這件事聽起來簡直不可思議。 [MSC, trad.]
这件事听起来简直不可思议。 [MSC, simp.]

From the sound of it, this is something that is simply incomprehensible.

Zhè jiàn shì tīngqilai jiǎnzhí bùkěsīyì. [Pinyin]

無仝ê新聞台，竟然lóng報導差不多仝款ê新聞內容，che有影是不可思議ê現象。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
无仝ê新闻台，竟然lóng报导差不多仝款ê新闻内容，che有影是不可思议ê现象。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

From: 2005, anon., M̄-nā 無路用, 更加是阻礙!! (blog rant about poor news coverage: Not only is it not useful, it is a hindrance!)

Even different news stations all still report almost the same news content. This really is an incomprehensible phenomenon.

bô-kâng ê sin-bûn-tâi, kéng-jiân lóng pò-tō chha-put-to kâng-khóan ê sin-bûn lāi-iông, che ū-iáⁿ sī put-khó-su-gī ê hiān-siōng. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

(Buddhism) incomprehensible by the human mind


不可思議

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄙ ㄧˋ

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ i⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ siː⁵⁵ jiː¹³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ su⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡi³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ su⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡi³³/

/puk̚²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵²⁻³⁵ sɯ³³⁻²³ ŋi⁵²/

/pəʔ³³ kʰu⁵⁵ sz̩³³ n̠ʲi²¹/

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ i⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ siː⁵⁵ jiː¹³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ su⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡi³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ su⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡi³³/

/puk̚²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵²⁻³⁵ sɯ³³⁻²³ ŋi⁵²/

/pəʔ³³ kʰu⁵⁵ sz̩³³ n̠ʲi²¹/


一日不見，如隔三秋

ㄧ ㄖˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄢˋ

ㄖㄨˊ ㄍㄜˊ ㄙㄢ ㄑㄧㄡ

jat¹ jat⁶ bat¹ gin³, jyu⁴ gaak³ saam¹ cau¹

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ kɤ³⁵ sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

jat⁷ jat⁹ bat⁷ gin³, jy⁴ gaak⁸ saam¹ tsau¹

/jɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚² pɐt̚⁵ kiːn³³ jyː²¹ kaːk̚³ saːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯⁵⁵/

From the Classic of Poetry, poem 72 (《詩經·王風·采葛》):
:
彼采蕭兮，一日不見，如三秋兮。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]彼采萧兮，一日不见，如三秋兮。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11ᵗʰ – 7ᵗʰ centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Bǐ cǎi xiāo xī, yīrì bùjiàn, rú sān qiū xī. [Pinyin]
There he is gathering the oxtail-southern-wood!
A day without seeing him, Is like three years!

lang

(《詩經·王風·采葛》)

(《詩經·王風·采葛》)

zh-x

彼 采 蕭 兮，@一日 @不見，@如 @三 @秋 兮。

Not seeing (somebody) for a day is like being apart for three autumns.

a single day apart seems like three years


一言九鼎

one utterance, [worth the weight of] nineding (鼎) vessels

ㄧ ㄧㄢˊ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄉㄧㄥˇ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ jɛn³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ tiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɐt̚⁵ jiːn²¹ kɐu̯³⁵ tɪŋ³⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²³⁻³³ kiu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tiɪŋ⁴¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²⁴⁻¹¹ kiu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tiɪŋ⁵³/

/jɐt̚⁵ jiːn²¹ kɐu̯³⁵ tɪŋ³⁵/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²³⁻³³ kiu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tiɪŋ⁴¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ ɡiɛn²⁴⁻¹¹ kiu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tiɪŋ⁵³/

words of enormous weight; solemn promise or pledge


一日三秋

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹ sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚² saːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯⁵⁵/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ lit̚²⁴⁻² sam³³ t͡sʰiu³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ lit̚⁴⁻³² sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ lit̚⁴⁻³² sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵⁴ lit̚⁵⁴⁻³² sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ lit̚⁴³⁻²¹ sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚²⁻⁵ d͡zit̚⁵⁻² sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ d͡zit̚⁴⁻¹ sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ zit̚⁴⁻³² sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ d͡zit̚⁴³⁻²¹ sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ d͡zit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹ sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚² saːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐu̯⁵⁵/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ lit̚²⁴⁻² sam³³ t͡sʰiu³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ lit̚⁴⁻³² sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ lit̚⁴⁻³² sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁵⁴ lit̚⁵⁴⁻³² sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ lit̚⁴³⁻²¹ sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚²⁻⁵ d͡zit̚⁵⁻² sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ d͡zit̚⁴⁻¹ sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ zit̚⁴⁻³² sam⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ d͡zit̚⁴³⁻²¹ sam⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sʰiu⁴⁴/

Short for 一日不見，如隔三秋／一日不见，如隔三秋 (yīrìbùjiàn, rúgésānqiū).

zh-etym-short

A single day apart seems like three years.


人面桃花

ㄖㄣˊ ㄇㄧㄢˋ ㄊㄠˊ ㄏㄨㄚ

жэньмяньтаохуа

/ʐən³⁵ mi̯ɛn⁵¹ tʰɑʊ̯³⁵ xu̯ä⁵⁵/

/jɐn²¹ miːn²² tʰou̯²¹ faː⁵⁵/

/ʐən³⁵ mi̯ɛn⁵¹ tʰɑʊ̯³⁵ xu̯ä⁵⁵/

/jɐn²¹ miːn²² tʰou̯²¹ faː⁵⁵/

去年今日此門中，人面桃花相映紅。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]去年今日此门中，人面桃花相映红。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Tang dynasty, 崔護, 題都城南莊
Qùnián jīnrì cǐ mén zhōng, rénmiàntáohuā xiàngyìng hóng. [Pinyin]
One year ago, behind this door,
There was a girl whose face was as beautiful as the peach blossoms beside her.

zh-x

去年 今日 此 門 中，人面桃花 相映 紅。

a man's nostalgic memory of an old sweetheart


三令五申

ㄙㄢ ㄌㄧㄥˋ ㄨˇ ㄕㄣ

саньлинъушэнь

/sän⁵⁵ liŋ⁵¹ u²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂən⁵⁵/

/saːm⁵⁵ lɪŋ²² ŋ̍¹³ sɐn⁵⁵/

/sam⁴⁴⁻²² liɪŋ²²⁻²¹ ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sin⁴⁴/

/sam³³ liɪŋ⁴¹⁻²² ŋɔ̃⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ sin³³/

/sam⁴⁴⁻²² liɪŋ²²⁻²¹ ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sin⁴⁴/

/sam⁴⁴⁻³³ liɪŋ³³⁻¹¹ ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sin⁴⁴/

/sam⁴⁴⁻³³ liɪŋ³³⁻²¹ ŋɔ̃⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ sin⁴⁴/

/sã³³⁻²³ leŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ ŋou³⁵⁻¹¹ siŋ³³/

/sän⁵⁵ liŋ⁵¹ u²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂən⁵⁵/

/saːm⁵⁵ lɪŋ²² ŋ̍¹³ sɐn⁵⁵/

/sam⁴⁴⁻²² liɪŋ²²⁻²¹ ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sin⁴⁴/

/sam³³ liɪŋ⁴¹⁻²² ŋɔ̃⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ sin³³/

/sam⁴⁴⁻²² liɪŋ²²⁻²¹ ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sin⁴⁴/

/sam⁴⁴⁻³³ liɪŋ³³⁻¹¹ ŋɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sin⁴⁴/

/sam⁴⁴⁻³³ liɪŋ³³⁻²¹ ŋɔ̃⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ sin⁴⁴/

/sã³³⁻²³ leŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ ŋou³⁵⁻¹¹ siŋ³³/

儘管你三令五申，有許多員工就是不肯照辦。 [MSC, trad.]
尽管你三令五申，有许多员工就是不肯照办。 [MSC, simp.]

No matter how much you warn and admonish them, there are many employees who just aren't willing to do as they are told.

Jǐnguǎn nǐ sānlìngwǔshēn, yǒu xǔduō yuángōng jiùshì bù kěn zhàobàn. [Pinyin]

to repeatedly order, instruct, admonish or warn


口蜜腹劍

ㄎㄡˇ ㄇㄧˋ ㄈㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄢˋ

коумифуцзянь

/kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mi⁵¹⁻⁵³ fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/hɐu̯³⁵ mɐt̚² fʊk̚⁵ kiːm³³/

/kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mi⁵¹⁻⁵³ fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/hɐu̯³⁵ mɐt̚² fʊk̚⁵ kiːm³³/

First used for describing Li Linfu, a Tang politician:
:
李林甫為相，尤忌文學之士，或陽與之善，啖以甘言而陰陷之。世謂李林甫「口有蜜，腹有劍。」 [Literary Chinese, trad.]李林甫为相，尤忌文学之士，或阳与之善，啖以甘言而阴陷之。世谓李林甫「口有蜜，腹有剑。」 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
From: 1084 CE, Sima Guang, Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government
Lǐ Línfǔ wèi xiàng, yóu jì wénxué zhī shì, huò yáng yǔ zhī shàn, dàn yǐ gān yán ér yīn xiàn zhī. Shì wèi Lǐ Línfǔ “kǒu yǒu mì, fù yǒu jiàn.” [Pinyin]
Li Linfu was the Grand Chancellor. He was envious of those people with knowledge. He pretended to be nice to those people, spoke sweet words with them but defamed them secretly. Therefore, Li Linfu was said to be with honey on the mouth but a sword inside his heart.

@^李 @^林-@甫 為 相 ， 尤 忌 文學 之 士 ， 或 陽 與 之 善 ， 啖 以 甘 言 而 陰 陷 之 。 世 謂 @^李 @^林-@甫 「 口 有 蜜 ， 腹 有 劍 。」

honey from the mouth, a sword from the belly


夕陽西下

ㄒㄧ ㄧㄤˊ ㄒㄧ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

ㄒㄧˋ ㄧㄤˊ ㄒㄧ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

/ɕi⁵⁵ jɑŋ³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

/ɕi⁵¹ jɑŋ³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

/t͡sɪk̚² jœːŋ²¹ sɐi̯⁵⁵ haː²²/

/ɕi⁵⁵ jɑŋ³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

/ɕi⁵¹ jɑŋ³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

/t͡sɪk̚² jœːŋ²¹ sɐi̯⁵⁵ haː²²/


大紅大紫

ㄉㄚˋ ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄉㄚˋ ㄗˇ

/tä⁵¹ xʊŋ³⁵ tä⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/taːi̯²² hʊŋ²¹ taːi̯²² t͡siː³⁵/

/tä⁵¹ xʊŋ³⁵ tä⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/taːi̯²² hʊŋ²¹ taːi̯²² t͡siː³⁵/

這個歌星正大紅大紫著呢。 [MSC, trad.]
这个歌星正大红大紫着呢。 [MSC, simp.]

Zhège gēxīng zhèng dàhóngdàzǐ zhe ne. [Pinyin]

to be very popular; to be a prominent person


一舉兩得

ja-r

いっ%きょ%りょう%とく

CJKV/code

いっ%きょ%りょう%とく

Sino-Xenic (一舉兩得):
* → Japanese: 一(いっ)挙(きょ)両(りょう)得(とく) (ikkyoryōtoku)
* → Korean: 일거양득(一擧兩得) (ilgeoyangdeuk)

CJKV

いっ%きょ%りょう%とく

ㄧ ㄐㄩˇ ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄉㄜˊ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕy²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɤ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ kɵy̯³⁵ lœːŋ¹³ tɐk̚⁵/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕy²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɤ³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ kɵy̯³⁵ lœːŋ¹³ tɐk̚⁵/

:
吾得臨淄，即西安孤，必覆亡矣。所謂一舉而兩得者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]吾得临淄，即西安孤，必覆亡矣。所谓一举而两得者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Dongguan Han Ji, 1ˢᵗ century CE– 2ⁿᵈ century CE
Wú dé Línzī, jí Xī'ān gū, bì fùwáng yǐ. Suǒwèi yī jǔ ér liǎng dé zhě yě. [Pinyin]
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

zh-x

吾 得 ^臨淄，即 ^西安 孤，必 覆亡 矣。所謂 一 舉 而 兩 得 者 也。


一網打盡

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (一網打盡):
* → Japanese: 一網打尽(いちもうだじん) (ichimōdajin)
* → Korean: 일망타진(一網打盡) (ilmangtajin)

ㄧ ㄨㄤˇ ㄉㄚˇ ㄐㄧㄣˋ

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ wɑŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕin⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ mɔːŋ¹³ taː³⁵ t͡sɵn²²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ bɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sin²²/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ bɔŋ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sin⁴¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ bɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sin²²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ bɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sin³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ bɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sin³³/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ wɑŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕin⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ mɔːŋ¹³ taː³⁵ t͡sɵn²²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ bɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sin²²/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ bɔŋ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sin⁴¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ bɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sin²²/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ bɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sin³³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ bɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sin³³/

Japanese and Korean sources attribute the source to 《宋史·卷三一四·范純仁傳》, although the Hanyu Da Cidian gives an earlier quotation from 《東軒筆錄》卷四.

lang

《宋史·卷三一四·范純仁傳》

《宋史·卷三一四·范純仁傳》

to round up the herd with one throw; roundup, wholesale arrest


大海撈針

ㄉㄚˋ ㄏㄞˇ ㄌㄠ ㄓㄣ

дахайлаочжэнь

/tä⁵¹ xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵/

/taːi̯²² hɔːi̯³⁵ laːu̯²¹ t͡sɐm⁵⁵/

/tua²²⁻²¹ hai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo²⁴⁻²² t͡siam⁴⁴/

/tä⁵¹ xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵/

/taːi̯²² hɔːi̯³⁵ laːu̯²¹ t͡sɐm⁵⁵/

/tua²²⁻²¹ hai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo²⁴⁻²² t͡siam⁴⁴/

needle in a haystack
needle in a haystack


大意失荊州

ㄉㄚˋ ㄧˋ ㄕ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄓㄡ

даи ши Цзинчжоу

/tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵/

/tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵/

From the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Guan Yu had been assigned to defend Jingzhou. In a temporary lapse of judgement, he decided to go on the attack against Cao Cao. In doing so, he unwittingly gave Sun Quan an opportunity to attack Jingzhou. Guan Yu was captured, and later executed.

我們絕對不能因輕敵而大意失荊州。 [MSC, trad.]
我们绝对不能因轻敌而大意失荆州。 [MSC, simp.]

We absolutely must not regard the enemy too lightly, and thereby make a bad call and lose the farm.

Wǒmen juéduì bùnéng yīn qīngdí ér dàyì shī Jīngzhōu. [Pinyin]

to have a temporary lapse in judgement that results in a major defeat; make a bad call and lose the farm


覆水難收

ㄈㄨˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄕㄡ

фушуйнаньшоу

/fu⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵ ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵/

/fʊk̚⁵ sɵy̯³⁵ naːn²¹ sɐu̯⁵⁵/

/fu⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵ ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵/

/fʊk̚⁵ sɵy̯³⁵ naːn²¹ sɐu̯⁵⁵/

First attested in the Book of the Later Han.

It is difficult toretrieve water after (its container) has been knocked over

there's no point crying over spilt milk
there's no point crying over spilt milk


功虧一簣

ㄍㄨㄥ ㄎㄨㄟ ㄧ ㄎㄨㄟˋ

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ kʷʰɐi̯⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ kʷɐi̯²²/

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ kʷʰɐi̯⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ kʷɐi̯²²/

From the Forged Old Text chapters of the Book of Documents (《尚書·旅獒》):
:
嗚呼！夙夜罔或不勤，不矜細行，終累大德。為山九仞，功虧一簣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]呜呼！夙夜罔或不勤，不矜细行，终累大德。为山九仞，功亏一篑。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Book of Documents, circa 4ᵗʰ – 3ʳᵈ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Wūhū! Sù yè wǎng huò bù qín, bù jīn xì xíng, zhōng lěi dà dé. Wéi shān jiǔ rèn, gōng kuī yī kuì. [Pinyin]
Oh! early and late never be but earnest. If you do not attend jealously to your small actions, the result will be to affect your virtue in great matters; in raising a mound of nine fathoms, the work may be unfinished for want of one basket (of earth).
The phrase likely originated as a paraphrase from the Analects, Book 9 (《論語·子罕》):
:
子曰：「譬如為山，未成一簣，止，吾止也；譬如平地，雖覆一簣，進，吾往也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子曰：「譬如为山，未成一篑，止，吾止也；譬如平地，虽覆一篑，进，吾往也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐyuē: “Pìrú wéi shān, wèi chéng yī kuì, zhǐ, wú zhǐ yě; pìrú píng dì, suī fù yī kuì, jìn, wú wǎng yě.” [Pinyin]
The Master said, "(The prosecution of learning) may be compared to what may happen in raising a mound. If there want but one basket of earth to complete the work, and I stop, the stopping is my own work. It may be compared to throwing down the earth on the level ground. Though but one basketful is thrown at a time, the advancing with it is my own going forward."

zh-x

嗚呼！夙 夜 罔 或 不 勤，不 矜 細 行，終 累 大 德。為{wéi} 山 九 仞，功.虧.一.簣。

子曰：「譬如 為{wéi} 山，未 成 一 簣，止，吾 止 也；譬如 平 地，雖 覆 一 簣，進，吾 往 也。」

to fall short of success due to the lack of a final effort


捷足先登

the quick of foot will be the first to ascend

ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄗㄨˊ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄉㄥ

цзецзусяньдэн

/t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ t͡su³⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tɤŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡siːt̚³ t͡sʊk̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ tɐŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡siap̚⁴⁻³² t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ siɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tiɪŋ⁴⁴/

/t͡siap̚⁴⁻³² t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ siɛn⁴⁴⁻²² tiɪŋ⁴⁴/

/t͡siɛt̚⁴⁻³² t͡siɔk̚³²⁻⁴ siɛn⁴⁴⁻²² tiɪŋ⁴⁴/

/t͡siap̚⁴⁻² t͡sok̚² sãĩ³³⁻²³ teŋ³³/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ t͡su³⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tɤŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡siːt̚³ t͡sʊk̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ tɐŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡siap̚⁴⁻² t͡sok̚² sãĩ³³⁻²³ teŋ³³/

early bird gets the worm
early bird gets the worm

to take the first step; to act early on; the early bird gets the worm


多多益善

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (多多益善):
* → Korean: 다다익선(多多益善) (dadaikseon)

ㄉㄨㄛ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄧˋ ㄕㄢˋ

/tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂän⁵¹/

/tɔː⁵⁵ tɔː⁵⁵ jɪk̚⁵ siːn²²/

/to⁴⁴⁻³³ to⁴⁴⁻³³ iɪk̚³²⁻⁴ siɛn³³/

/tɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ tɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ iɪk̚³²⁻⁴ siɛn³³/

/tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂän⁵¹/

/tɔː⁵⁵ tɔː⁵⁵ jɪk̚⁵ siːn²²/

/to⁴⁴⁻³³ to⁴⁴⁻³³ iɪk̚³²⁻⁴ siɛn³³/

/tɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ tɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ iɪk̚³²⁻⁴ siɛn³³/

From a quote by the Han dynasty general Han Xin, recorded in Shiji: Once Emperor Gaozu of Han talks with him about how many soldiers a military officer can command. Han Xin asserted that the emperor can command no more than one million, but when asked about himself, he said:
:
臣多多而益善耳。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
Chén duōduō ér yì shàn ěr. [Pinyin]
As for me, the more, the better.

zh-x

臣 多多 而 益 善 耳。

the more the merrier
the more the merrier

Emperor Gaozu of Han
Han Xin
Han dynasty
Shiji

韓信點兵，多多益善

Han Xin counts his troops, the more the merrier


入鄉隨俗

when entering a village, follow the customs

ㄖㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄙㄨㄟˊ ㄙㄨˊ

/ʐu⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ su̯eɪ̯³⁵ su³⁵/

/jɐp̚² hœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɵy̯²¹ t͡sʊk̚²/

/lip̚⁴⁻³² hiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ sui²⁴⁻¹¹ siɔk̚⁴/

/lip̚⁴⁻³² hiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² sui²⁴⁻²² siɔk̚⁴/

/zip̚⁴⁻³² hiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ sui²³⁻³³ siɔk̚⁴/

/d͡zip̚⁴⁻² hĩẽ³³⁻²³ sui⁵⁵⁻¹¹ sok̚⁴/

/ʐu⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ su̯eɪ̯³⁵ su³⁵/

/jɐp̚² hœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɵy̯²¹ t͡sʊk̚²/

/lip̚⁴⁻³² hiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ sui²⁴⁻¹¹ siɔk̚⁴/

/lip̚⁴⁻³² hiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² sui²⁴⁻²² siɔk̚⁴/

/zip̚⁴⁻³² hiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ sui²³⁻³³ siɔk̚⁴/

/d͡zip̚⁴⁻² hĩẽ³³⁻²³ sui⁵⁵⁻¹¹ sok̚⁴/

when in Rome, do as the Romans do
when in Rome, do as the Romans do


一針見血

to see blood with one (prick of the) needle

ㄧ ㄓㄣ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄒㄧㄝˇ

ичжэньцзяньсе

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jɐt̚⁵ t͡sɐm⁵⁵ kiːn³³ hyːt̚³/

/jɐt̚⁵ t͡sɐm⁵⁵ kiːn³³ hyːt̚³/

但這孩子卻也有可敬的地方：他的從容，他的沉默，他的獨斷獨行，他的一去不回頭，都是力的表現，都是強者適者的表現。決不婆婆媽媽的，決不粘粘搭搭的，一針見血，一刀兩斷，這正是白種人之所以為白種人。 [MSC, trad.]
但这孩子却也有可敬的地方：他的从容，他的沉默，他的独断独行，他的一去不回头，都是力的表现，都是强者适者的表现。决不婆婆妈妈的，决不粘粘搭搭的，一针见血，一刀两断，这正是白种人之所以为白种人。 [MSC, simp.]

But there was something about the child that could be respected. His leisurely way, his reticence, his arbitrariness, his way of walking ahead without looking back. These were manifestations of his power, the power of the strongest, of the fittest. The child was, by no means, overly careful, or irresolute. The child could hit the nail on the head and make a clean break. The child was a quintessential Caucasian.

Dàn zhè háizi què yě yǒu kějìng de dìfang: tā de cóngróng, tā de chénmò, tā de dúduàndúxíng, tā de yī qù bù huítóu, dōu shì lì de biǎoxiàn, dōu shì qiángzhě shìzhě de biǎoxiàn. Juébù pópomāma de, juébù niánniándādā de, yīzhēnjiànxiě, yīdāoliǎngduàn, zhè zhèngshì báizhǒngrén zhī suǒ yǐ wéi báizhǒngrén. [Pinyin]

hit the nail on the head
hit the nail on the head


崇山峻嶺

ㄔㄨㄥˊ ㄕㄢ ㄐㄩㄣˋ ㄌㄧㄥˇ

чуншаньцзюньлин

/ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ³⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ t͡ɕyn⁵¹ liŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sʊŋ²¹ saːn⁵⁵ t͡sɵn²² lɪŋ¹³/

/ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ³⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ t͡ɕyn⁵¹ liŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sʊŋ²¹ saːn⁵⁵ t͡sɵn²² lɪŋ¹³/

From the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, by Wang Xizhi.
「此地有崇山峻嶺，茂林修竹。」 [MSC, trad.]「此地有崇山峻岭，茂林修竹。」 [MSC, simp.]
From: Jin Dynasty (265–420), 王羲之 (Wang Xizhi), Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion
“cǐ dì yǒu chóngshānjùnlǐng, màolínxiūzhú.” [Pinyin]
Here there are high mountains and lofty peaks; an exuberant growth of trees and bamboos.

「此 地 有 崇山峻嶺，茂林修竹。」


惠風和暢

ㄏㄨㄟˋ ㄈㄥ ㄏㄜˊ ㄔㄤˋ

хуэйфэнхэчан

/xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ xɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵¹/

/wɐi̯²² fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɔː²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ³³/

/xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ xɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵¹/

/wɐi̯²² fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɔː²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ³³/


茂林修竹

ㄇㄠˋ ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄒㄧㄡ ㄓㄨˊ

маолиньсючжу

/mɑʊ̯⁵¹ lin³⁵ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu³⁵/

/mɐu̯²² lɐm²¹ sɐu̯³³ t͡sʊk̚⁵/

/mɑʊ̯⁵¹ lin³⁵ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu³⁵/

/mɐu̯²² lɐm²¹ sɐu̯³³ t͡sʊk̚⁵/

From Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion, by Wang Xizhi.
「此地有崇山峻嶺，茂林修竹。」 [MSC, trad.]「此地有崇山峻岭，茂林修竹。」 [MSC, simp.]
From: Jin Dynasty (265–420), 王羲之 (Wang Xizhi), Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion
“cǐ dì yǒu chóngshānjùnlǐng, màolínxiūzhú.” [Pinyin]
Here there are high mountains and lofty peaks; an exuberant growth of trees and bamboos.

「此 地 有 崇山峻嶺，茂林修竹。」

an exuberant growth of trees and bamboos; (figurative) place with serene and beautiful landscapes


入境隨俗

ㄖㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄥˋ ㄙㄨㄟˊ ㄙㄨˊ

/ʐu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹ su̯eɪ̯³⁵ su³⁵/

/ʐu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹ su̯eɪ̯³⁵ su³⁵/

Literally: Enter an area, follow the local customs.

(chiefly Taiwan) when in Rome, do as the Romans do


女大不中留

ㄋㄩˇ ㄉㄚˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄨㄥ ㄌㄧㄡˊ

нюй да бу чжун лю

/ny²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ li̯oʊ̯³⁵/

a grown daughter cannot be kept unmarried for long


大同小異

ㄉㄚˋ ㄊㄨㄥˊ ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄧˋ

/tä⁵¹ tʰʊŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵¹/

/taːi̯²² tʰʊŋ²¹ siːu̯³⁵ jiː²²/

/tai²²⁻²¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻²² siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ i²²/

/tai³³⁻²¹ tɔŋ²³⁻³³ siau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ i³³/

/tai³³⁻¹¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ i³³/

/tai³³⁻¹¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ĩ³³/

/tai³³⁻²¹ tɔŋ²³⁻³³ siau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ĩ³³/

/tai²²⁻²¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻²² siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ĩ²²/

/tai³³⁻²¹ tɔŋ²³⁻³³ siɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ i³³/

/tai³³⁻¹¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ sio⁵³⁻⁴⁴ i³³/

/tä⁵¹ tʰʊŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵¹/

/taːi̯²² tʰʊŋ²¹ siːu̯³⁵ jiː²²/

/tai²²⁻²¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻²² siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ i²²/

/tai³³⁻²¹ tɔŋ²³⁻³³ siau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ i³³/

/tai³³⁻¹¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ i³³/

/tai³³⁻¹¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ĩ³³/

/tai³³⁻²¹ tɔŋ²³⁻³³ siau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ĩ³³/

/tai²²⁻²¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻²² siau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ĩ²²/

/tai³³⁻²¹ tɔŋ²³⁻³³ siɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ i³³/

/tai³³⁻¹¹ tɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ sio⁵³⁻⁴⁴ i³³/

largely the same (with only) minor differences

各個殖民地半殖民地國家的革命必然會有某些不同特點，但這是大同中的小異。 [MSC, trad.]
各个殖民地半殖民地国家的革命必然会有某些不同特点，但这是大同中的小异。 [MSC, simp.]

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

Each of the revolutions of the colonial and semi-colonial countries will necessarily have specific characteristics of its own, but these will be minor variations on a general theme.

Gège zhímíndì bànzhímíndì guójiā de gémìng bìrán huì yǒu mǒuxiē bùtóng tèdiǎn, dàn zhè shì dàtóng zhōng de xiǎoyì. [Pinyin]

almost the same; almost identical; similar in most respects


事半功倍

ㄕˋ ㄅㄢˋ ㄍㄨㄥ ㄅㄟˋ

шибаньгунбэй

/ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pän⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵ peɪ̯⁵¹/

/siː²² puːn³³ kʊŋ⁵⁵ pʰuːi̯¹³/

/su²²⁻²¹ puã²¹⁻⁵³ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pue²²/

/su⁴¹⁻²² puã⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ kɔŋ³³ pue⁴¹/

/su²²⁻²¹ puã²¹⁻⁵³ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pue²²/

/su³³⁻¹¹ puã¹¹⁻⁵³ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ pue³³/

/su³³⁻²¹ puã²¹⁻⁴¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ pue³³/

/ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pän⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵ peɪ̯⁵¹/

/siː²² puːn³³ kʊŋ⁵⁵ pʰuːi̯¹³/

/su²²⁻²¹ puã²¹⁻⁵³ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pue²²/

/su⁴¹⁻²² puã⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ kɔŋ³³ pue⁴¹/

/su²²⁻²¹ puã²¹⁻⁵³ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pue²²/

/su³³⁻¹¹ puã¹¹⁻⁵³ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ pue³³/

/su³³⁻²¹ puã²¹⁻⁴¹ kɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ pue³³/

From Mencius (《孟子·公孫丑上》):
:
當今之時，萬乘之國行仁政，民之悅之，猶解倒懸也。故事半古之人，功必倍之，惟此時為然。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]当今之时，万乘之国行仁政，民之悦之，犹解倒悬也。故事半古之人，功必倍之，惟此时为然。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Dāngjīn zhī shí, wànshèng zhī guó xíng rénzhèng, mín zhī yuè zhī, yóu jiě dàoxuán yě. Gù shì bàn gǔ zhī rén, gōng bì bèi zhī, wéi cǐshí wéi rán. [Pinyin]
At the present time, in a country of ten thousand chariots, let benevolent government be put in practice, and the people will be delighted with it, as if they were relieved from hanging by the heels. With half the merit of the ancients, double their achievements is sure to be realized. It is only at this time that such could be the case.

當今 之 時，萬乘{shèng} 之 國 行 仁政，民 之 悅 之，猶 解 倒{dào}懸 也。故 @事 @半 古 之 人，@功 必 @倍 之，惟 此時 為{wéi} 然。

to yield twice the result with half the effort


愛不釋手

ㄞˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕˋ ㄕㄡˇ

/ˀaɪ̯⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/ɔːi̯³³ pɐt̚⁵ sɪk̚⁵ sɐu̯³⁵/

/ai¹¹⁻⁵³ put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰiu⁵³/

/ai²¹⁻⁵³ put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰiu⁵³/

/ai²¹⁻⁴¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰiu⁴¹/

/ai²¹⁻⁵³ put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²⁻⁴ siu⁵³/

/ˀaɪ̯⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/ɔːi̯³³ pɐt̚⁵ sɪk̚⁵ sɐu̯³⁵/

/ai¹¹⁻⁵³ put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰiu⁵³/

/ai²¹⁻⁵³ put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰiu⁵³/

/ai²¹⁻⁴¹ put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰiu⁴¹/

/ai²¹⁻⁵³ put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪk̚³²⁻⁴ siu⁵³/

to love something too much to part with it


如履薄冰

ㄖㄨˊ ㄌㄩˇ ㄅㄛˊ ㄅㄧㄥ

/ʐu³⁵ ly²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu̯ɔ³⁵ piŋ⁵⁵/

/jyː²¹ lei̯¹³ pɔːk̚² pɪŋ⁵⁵/

/ʐu³⁵ ly²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu̯ɔ³⁵ piŋ⁵⁵/

/jyː²¹ lei̯¹³ pɔːk̚² pɪŋ⁵⁵/

(figurative) to be very careful; to act with extreme caution


安分守己

ㄢ ㄈㄣˋ ㄕㄡˇ ㄐㄧˇ

аньфэньшоуцзи

/ˀän⁵⁵ fən⁵¹ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/ɔːn⁵⁵ fɐn²² sɐu̯³⁵ kei̯³⁵/

/on²⁴⁻¹¹ fun⁵⁵ su³¹ ki³¹/

/an⁴⁴⁻²² hun²²⁻²¹ siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ki⁵³/

/an³³ hun⁴¹⁻²² siu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ ki⁵⁵⁴/

/an⁴⁴⁻²² hun²²⁻²¹ siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ki⁵³/

/an⁴⁴⁻³³ hun³³⁻¹¹ siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ki⁵³/

/an⁴⁴⁻³³ hun³³⁻²¹ siu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ki⁴¹/

/ˀän⁵⁵ fən⁵¹ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/ɔːn⁵⁵ fɐn²² sɐu̯³⁵ kei̯³⁵/

/on²⁴⁻¹¹ fun⁵⁵ su³¹ ki³¹/

/an⁴⁴⁻²² hun²²⁻²¹ siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ki⁵³/

/an³³ hun⁴¹⁻²² siu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ ki⁵⁵⁴/

/an⁴⁴⁻²² hun²²⁻²¹ siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ki⁵³/

/an⁴⁴⁻³³ hun³³⁻¹¹ siu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ki⁵³/

/an⁴⁴⁻³³ hun³³⁻²¹ siu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ki⁴¹/

to abide by the law and do one's duty; to be content with one's lot


山青水秀

ㄕㄢ ㄑㄧㄥ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄒㄧㄡˋ

шаньциншуйсю

/ʂän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/

/ʂän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/

山清水秀 山清水秀#Chinese

Synonym of 山清水秀 (shānqīngshuǐxiù, “picturesque scenery”)


小鳥依人

ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄋㄧㄠˇ ㄧ ㄖㄣˊ

/ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ni̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄋㄧㄠˇㄦ ㄧ ㄖㄣˊ

сяоняорижэнь

/ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ni̯aʊ̯ɻʷ²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/siːu̯³⁵ niːu̯¹³ jiː⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

/ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ni̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ni̯aʊ̯ɻʷ²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/siːu̯³⁵ niːu̯¹³ jiː⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

Originally a gloss for the character 雀 (OC *ʔsewɢ) in the historical dictionary Shuowen (2nd century):
:
雀，依人小鳥也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]雀，依人小鸟也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Shuowen Jiezi, circa 2ⁿᵈ century CE
Què, yīrén xiǎoniǎo yě. [Pinyin]
"雀" (sparrow) is a small bird that follows humans.

雀，@依-@人 @小@鳥 也。

(as cute and helpless as) a little bird that must rely on a human in order to survive

the appearance of a woman or a child who is dependant upon others, and is also dainty and cute


山崩地裂

The mountains collapse and the earth splits open.

ㄕㄢ ㄅㄥ ㄉㄧˋ ㄌㄧㄝˋ

/ʂän⁵⁵ pɤŋ⁵⁵ ti⁵¹⁻⁵³ li̯ɛ⁵¹/

/saːn⁵⁵ pɐŋ⁵⁵ tei̯²² liːt̚²/

/san⁴⁴⁻²² piɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² te²²⁻²¹ liɛt̚⁴/

/suã⁴⁴⁻²² paŋ⁴⁴⁻²² tue²²⁻²¹ liʔ⁴/

/suã⁴⁴⁻³³ paŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ te³³⁻²¹ liʔ⁴/

/ʂän⁵⁵ pɤŋ⁵⁵ ti⁵¹⁻⁵³ li̯ɛ⁵¹/

/saːn⁵⁵ pɐŋ⁵⁵ tei̯²² liːt̚²/

/san⁴⁴⁻²² piɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² te²²⁻²¹ liɛt̚⁴/

/suã⁴⁴⁻²² paŋ⁴⁴⁻²² tue²²⁻²¹ liʔ⁴/

/suã⁴⁴⁻³³ paŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ te³³⁻²¹ liʔ⁴/

這次地震發生在當地時間凌晨，人們還在睡夢中被山崩地裂般的地震驚醒，無數房屋在一瞬間轟然倒坍，許多人猝不及防就死於夢中。 [MSC, trad.]
这次地震发生在当地时间凌晨，人们还在睡梦中被山崩地裂般的地震惊醒，无数房屋在一瞬间轰然倒坍，许多人猝不及防就死于梦中。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 2006, anon., 中国地震信息网 (China Seismic Information)

This time, the earthquake occurred before dawn local time. People were still sound asleep when they were jolted awake by a massively destructive earthquake. In an instant, countless houses had collapsed, and many people had died in their sleep with no time to react.

Zhè cì dìzhèn fāshēng zài dāngdì shíjiān língchén, rénmen hái zài shuìmèng zhōng bèi shānbēng dìliè bān de dìzhèn jīngxǐng, wúshù fángwū zài yīshùnjiān hōngrán dǎotān, xǔduō rén cùbùjífáng jiù sǐ yú mèng zhōng. [Pinyin]

describes how a place looks after a great natural catastrophe; massively destructive


不可言喻

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄧㄢˊ ㄩˋ

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɛn³⁵ y⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ jiːn²¹ jyː²²/

/pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɛn³⁵ y⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ jiːn²¹ jyː²²/


進退兩難

ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄊㄨㄟˋ ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄋㄢˊ

цзиньтуйляннань

/t͡ɕin⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ li̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵/

/t͡sɵn³³ tʰɵy̯³³ lœːŋ¹³ naːn²¹/

/t͡sin²¹⁻⁴¹ tʰe²¹⁻⁴¹ liɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lan²³/

/t͡sin¹¹⁻⁵³ tʰe¹¹⁻⁵³ liɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lan²⁴/

/t͡sin²¹⁻⁴¹ tʰue²¹⁻⁴¹ liɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lan²³/

/t͡sin¹¹⁻⁵³ tʰue¹¹⁻⁵³ liɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lan²⁴/

/t͡sɵn³³ tʰɵy̯³³ lœːŋ¹³ naːn²¹/

/t͡sin²¹⁻⁴¹ tʰe²¹⁻⁴¹ liɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lan²³/

/t͡sin¹¹⁻⁵³ tʰe¹¹⁻⁵³ liɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lan²⁴/

/t͡sin²¹⁻⁴¹ tʰue²¹⁻⁴¹ liɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lan²³/

/t͡sin¹¹⁻⁵³ tʰue¹¹⁻⁵³ liɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lan²⁴/


不拘小節

ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄩ ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄝˊ

буцзюйсяоцзе

/pu⁵¹ t͡ɕy⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ kʰɵy̯⁵⁵ siːu̯³⁵ t͡siːt̚³/

/pu⁵¹ t͡ɕy⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ kʰɵy̯⁵⁵ siːu̯³⁵ t͡siːt̚³/

to not worry about minor matters; to not worry about the details; to not be a stickler for details; not worry about dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's


不明所以

ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄧˇ

/pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹ sɔː³⁵ jiː¹³/

/pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹ sɔː³⁵ jiː¹³/


天長地久

ja-r

てん%ちょう ち%きゅう

CJKV/code

てん%ちょう ち%きゅう

Sino-Xenic (天長地久):
* → Japanese: 天(てん)長地(ちょうち)久(きゅう) (tenchō chikyū)
* → Korean: 천장지구(天長地久) (cheonjangjigu)
* → Vietnamese: thiên trường địa cửu (天長地久)

CJKV

てん%ちょう ち%きゅう

ㄊㄧㄢ ㄔㄤˊ ㄉㄧˋ ㄐㄧㄡˇ

тяньчандицзю

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ ti⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹ tei̯²² kɐu̯³⁵/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻²² tiɔŋ²⁴⁻²² te²²⁻²¹ kiu⁵³/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tiɔŋ²³⁻³³ te³³⁻²¹ kiu⁴¹/

/tʰiɛn³³ tiɔŋ²⁴⁻²² te⁴¹⁻²² kiu⁵⁵⁴/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tiɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ te³³⁻¹¹ kiu⁵³/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tŋ̍²³⁻³³ te³³⁻²¹ kiu⁴¹/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tŋ̍²⁴⁻¹¹ te³³⁻¹¹ kiu⁵³/

/tʰiaŋ³³⁻²³ t͡sʰiaŋ⁵⁵ ti¹¹ ku⁵²/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹ tei̯²² kɐu̯³⁵/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻²² tiɔŋ²⁴⁻²² te²²⁻²¹ kiu⁵³/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tiɔŋ²³⁻³³ te³³⁻²¹ kiu⁴¹/

/tʰiɛn³³ tiɔŋ²⁴⁻²² te⁴¹⁻²² kiu⁵⁵⁴/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tiɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ te³³⁻¹¹ kiu⁵³/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tŋ̍²³⁻³³ te³³⁻²¹ kiu⁴¹/

/tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ tŋ̍²⁴⁻¹¹ te³³⁻¹¹ kiu⁵³/

/tʰiaŋ³³⁻²³ t͡sʰiaŋ⁵⁵ ti¹¹ ku⁵²/

From Tao Te Ching:
:
天長地久。天地所以能長且久者，以其不自生，故能長生。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]天长地久。天地所以能长且久者，以其不自生，故能长生。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Tao Te Ching, 4ᵗʰ century BCE
Tiānchángdìjiǔ. Tiāndì suǒyǐ néng cháng qiě jiǔ zhě, yǐ qí bù zìshēng, gù néng chángshēng. [Pinyin]
Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This is how they are able to continue and endure.

zh-x

天長地久。天地 所以 能 長 且 久 者，以 其 不 自生，故 能 長生。

天长地久
靝⿰萬丈埊⿰多年

天長地久有時盡，此恨綿綿無絕期。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
天长地久有时尽，此恨绵绵无绝期。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: 806: 白居易 (Bai Juyi), 長恨歌 ("Song of Everlasting Regret")

As long as the universe lasts, and until time stops for good, the regret of our parting will continue without end.

Tiānchángdìjiǔ yǒu shí jìn, cǐ hèn miánmián wú jué qī. [Pinyin]

enduring as the universe; everlasting and unchanging


和睦相處

ㄏㄜˊ ㄇㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄔㄨˇ

/xɤ³⁵ mu⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/wɔː²¹ mʊk̚² sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰyː³⁵/

/wɔː²¹ mʊk̚² sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰyː¹³/

/xɤ³⁵ mu⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/wɔː²¹ mʊk̚² sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰyː³⁵/

/wɔː²¹ mʊk̚² sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰyː¹³/

to get along; to live together in peace; to be on friendly terms with somebody


不求有功，但求無過

does not seek merit, only seeks a lack of errors

ㄅㄨˋ ㄑㄧㄡˊ ㄧㄡˇ ㄍㄨㄥ

ㄉㄢˋ ㄑㄧㄡˊ ㄨˊ ㄍㄨㄛˋ

bat¹ kau⁴ jau⁵ gung¹, daan⁶ kau⁴ mou⁴ gwo³

/pu⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵ tän⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵ u³⁵ ku̯ɔ⁵¹/

bat⁷ kau⁴ jau⁵ gung¹, daan⁶ kau⁴ mou⁴ gwo³

bed¹ keo⁴ yeo⁵ gung¹, dan⁶ keo⁴ mou⁴ guo³

/pɐt̚⁵ kʰɐu̯²¹ jɐu̯¹³ kʊŋ⁵⁵ taːn²² kʰɐu̯²¹ mou̯²¹ kʷɔː³³/

小公司從前那種不求有功但求無過的發展思路，已經無法適應市場競爭的需要。 [MSC, trad.]
小公司从前那种不求有功但求无过的发展思路，已经无法适应市场竞争的需要。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 2005: 张志军 ed. (Zhang Zhijun), 小公司如何长大：创立品牌的艺术 (How small companies grow large: the art of creating a brand)

That kind of color inside the lines mentality of development, previously seen in small companies, can no longer accommodate the requirements of market competition.

Xiǎo gōngsī cóngqián nà zhǒng bùqiúyǒugōngdànqiúwúguò de fāzhǎn sīlù, yǐjīng wúfǎ shìyìng shìchǎng jìngzhēng de xūyào. [Pinyin]

(somebody who) does not try to accomplish anything, but rather avoids doing things that would end up in his making a mistake and getting yelled at by others; color inside the lines; a complacent attitude


不恥下問

ㄅㄨˋ ㄔˇ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄨㄣˋ

/pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ wən⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰiː³⁵ haː²² mɐn²²/

/pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ wən⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰiː³⁵ haː²² mɐn²²/

From the Analects, Book 5 (《論語·公冶長》):
:
子貢問曰：「孔文子何以謂之文也？」子曰：「敏而好學，不恥下問，是以謂之文也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子贡问曰：「孔文子何以谓之文也？」子曰：「敏而好学，不耻下问，是以谓之文也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐgòng wèn yuē: “Kǒng Wén Zǐ héyǐ wèi zhī wén yě?” Zǐ yuē: “Mǐn ér hào xué, bù chǐ xiàwèn, shìyǐ wèi zhī wén yě.” [Pinyin]
Zigong asked, saying, "On what ground did Kong Wen get that title of Wen?" The Master said, "He was of an active nature and yet fond of learning, and he was not ashamed to ask and learn of his inferiors! On these grounds he has been styled Wen."

@^子貢 問 曰：「@^孔.^文.^子 何以 謂 之 文 也？」^子 曰：「敏 而 好{hào} 學，不.恥.下問，是以 謂 之 文 也。」

to be not ashamed to learn from one's subordinates


不動聲色

ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄨㄥˋ ㄕㄥ ㄙㄜˋ

/pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ sɤ⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ tʊŋ²² sɪŋ⁵⁵ sɪk̚⁵/

/pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ sɤ⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ tʊŋ²² sɪŋ⁵⁵ sɪk̚⁵/

一名男子偷窺女廁所 機智女子不動聲色報警擒色狼 [MSC, trad.]
一名男子偷窥女厕所 机智女子不动声色报警擒色狼 [MSC, simp.]

From: 2005: 黄智义 (Huang Zhiyi), 一名男子偷窥女厕所 机智女子不动声色报警擒色狼 (news headline)

Man caught peeping into female bathroom; quick-thinking woman kept her cool and reported it to the police; sexual predator arrested

yī míng nánzǐ tōukuī nǚcèsuǒ, jīzhì nǚzǐ bùdòngshēngsè bàojǐng qín sèláng [Pinyin]

to maintain one's composure; to stay calm and collected; to not turn a hair; to not bat an eyelid; to not show or betray one's feelings or intentions


青紅皂白

ㄑㄧㄥ ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄗㄠˋ ㄅㄞˊ

цинхунцзаобай

/t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ xʊŋ³⁵ t͡sɑʊ̯⁵¹ paɪ̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ hʊŋ²¹ t͡sou̯²² paːk̚²/

/t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ xʊŋ³⁵ t͡sɑʊ̯⁵¹ paɪ̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ hʊŋ²¹ t͡sou̯²² paːk̚²/


不堪回首

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄢ ㄏㄨㄟˊ ㄕㄡˇ

буканьхуэйшоу

/pu⁵¹ kʰän⁵⁵ xu̯eɪ̯³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɐm⁵⁵ wuːi̯²¹ sɐu̯³⁵/

/puk̚²⁻⁴ kʰam³³⁻²³ hue⁵⁵⁻¹¹ siu⁵²/

/pu⁵¹ kʰän⁵⁵ xu̯eɪ̯³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɐm⁵⁵ wuːi̯²¹ sɐu̯³⁵/

/puk̚²⁻⁴ kʰam³³⁻²³ hue⁵⁵⁻¹¹ siu⁵²/

cannot bear to look back on; to find it unbearable to recall


不愁衣食

ㄅㄨˋ ㄔㄡˊ ㄧ ㄕˊ

/pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ i⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ sɐu̯²¹ jiː⁵⁵ sɪk̚²/

/pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ i⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ sɐu̯²¹ jiː⁵⁵ sɪk̚²/


不歡而散

ㄅㄨˋ ㄏㄨㄢ ㄦˊ ㄙㄢˋ

бухуаньэрсань

/pu⁵¹ xu̯än⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ sän⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ fuːn⁵⁵ jiː²¹ saːn³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ huan⁴⁴⁻²² li²⁴⁻²² san²¹/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ huan³³ li²⁴⁻²² san⁴¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ huan⁴⁴⁻²² li¹³⁻²² san²¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ huan⁴⁴⁻³³ li²⁴⁻¹¹ san¹¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ huan⁴⁴⁻³³ li²³⁻³³ san²¹/

/pu⁵¹ xu̯än⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ sän⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ fuːn⁵⁵ jiː²¹ saːn³³/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ huan⁴⁴⁻²² li²⁴⁻²² san²¹/

/put̚⁵⁻²⁴ huan³³ li²⁴⁻²² san⁴¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁵ huan⁴⁴⁻²² li¹³⁻²² san²¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ huan⁴⁴⁻³³ li²⁴⁻¹¹ san¹¹/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ huan⁴⁴⁻³³ li²³⁻³³ san²¹/

part [break up; end; disperse] in discord [with ill feelings; anger]; break up in disagreement; depart unhappily; end on a sour note; part in dudgeon; part on bad terms.


不堪一擊

ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄢ ㄧ ㄐㄧˊ

/pu⁵¹ kʰän⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/pu⁵¹ kʰän⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕi³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɐm⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ kɪk̚⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰam⁴⁴⁻³³ it̚³²⁻⁴ kiɪk̚³²/

/pu⁵¹ kʰän⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

/pu⁵¹ kʰän⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡ɕi³⁵/

/pɐt̚⁵ hɐm⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ kɪk̚⁵/

/put̚³²⁻⁴ kʰam⁴⁴⁻³³ it̚³²⁻⁴ kiɪk̚³²/

cannot withstand a single blow; collapse at the first blow


一鳴驚人

ㄧ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄖㄣˊ

иминцзинжэнь

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹ kɪŋ⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²³⁻³³ kiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ zin²³/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ biɪŋ¹³⁻²² kiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² d͡zin¹³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² kiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² lin²⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² kiɪŋ³³ lin²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ kiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ lin²⁴/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ miŋ³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹ kɪŋ⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²³⁻³³ kiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ zin²³/

/it̚³²⁻⁵ biɪŋ¹³⁻²² kiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² d͡zin¹³/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² kiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² lin²⁴/

/it̚⁵⁻²⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² kiɪŋ³³ lin²⁴/

/it̚³²⁻⁴ biɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ kiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ lin²⁴/

From Han Feizi, Chapter 21 (《韓非子·喻老》):
:
楚莊王蒞政三年，無令發，無政為也。右司馬御座而與王隱曰：「有鳥止南方之阜，三年不翅不飛不鳴，嘿然無聲，此為何名？」王曰：「三年不翅，將以長羽翼。不飛不鳴，將以觀民則。雖無飛，飛必沖天；雖無鳴，鳴必驚人。子釋之，不穀知之矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]楚庄王莅政三年，无令发，无政为也。右司马御座而与王隐曰：「有鸟止南方之阜，三年不翅不飞不鸣，嘿然无声，此为何名？」王曰：「三年不翅，将以长羽翼。不飞不鸣，将以观民则。虽无飞，飞必冲天；虽无鸣，鸣必惊人。子释之，不谷知之矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Han Feizi, circa 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on W. K. Liao's version
Chǔ Zhuāng wáng lì zhèng sān nián, wú lìng fā, wú zhèng wèi yě. Yòusīmǎ yù zuò ér yǔ wáng yǐn yuē: “Yǒu niǎo zhǐ nánfāng zhī fù, sān nián bù chì bù fēi bù míng, hēirán wú shēng, cǐ wèi hé míng?” Wáng yuē: “Sān nián bù chì, jiāng yǐ zhǎng yǔyì. Bù fēi bù míng, jiāng yǐ guān mín zé. Suī wú fēi, fēi bì chōngtiān; suī wú míng, míng bì jīngrén. Zǐ shì zhī, bùgǔ zhīzhī yǐ.” [Pinyin]
King Zhuang, for three years after he took the reins of government, issued no decree and formulated no policy. Therefore, one day the Right Commissioner of the Army, when attending on the Throne, made before the King an intimation, saying: "There is a bird which has perched or a hill-top in the south. For three years it has neither fluttered nor flown nor sung but kept silent without making any sound. What is the name of that bird?" In reply the King said: "For three years it has not fluttered in order thereby to grow its wings and feathers, and has neither flown nor sung in order thereby to look at the conditions of the people. Though it has not flown, yet once it starts flying, it will soar high up into the sky. Though it has not sung, yet once it starts singing, it will surprise everybody. Leave it as it has been. I, the King, understand what you mean."

^楚 @^莊 王 蒞 政 三 年，無 令 發，無 政 為 也。右-司馬 御 座 而 與 王 隱 曰：「有 鳥 止 南方 之 阜，三 年 不 翅 不 飛 不 鳴 ，嘿-然 無 聲，此 為 何 名？」王 曰：「三 年 不 翅，將 以 長{zhǎng} 羽翼。不 飛 不 鳴 ，將 以 觀 民 則。雖 無 飛，飛 必 沖天；雖 無 鳴，@鳴 必 @驚人。子 釋 之，不穀 知之 矣。」

可比賽的過程卻是讓人大跌眼鏡，與之前輿論的低調相比，兩只隊伍的表現可謂不鳴則已一鳴驚人。 [MSC, trad.]
可比赛的过程却是让人大跌眼镜，与之前舆论的低调相比，两只队伍的表现可谓不鸣则已一鸣惊人。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 2006: anon, 《ESWC ——“梦，开始的地方》 (Electronic Sports World Cup -- "A dream is the starting place")

But as the game progressed, everybody had to take off their glasses in disbelief. Compared to the previous low expections in public opinion polls, the performance of the two teams was literally a bolt from the blue.

Kě bǐsài de guòchéng què shì ràng rén dàdiēyǎnjìng, yǔ zhīqián yúlùn de dīdiào xiāngbǐ, liǎng zhī duìwǔ de biǎoxiàn kěwèi bù míng zé yǐ yīmíngjīngrén. [Pinyin]

set the world on fire
set the world on fire

to amaze the world with a single brilliant feat; to become famous overnight; to set the world on fire; a bolt from the blue


井底之蛙

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (井底之蛙):
* → Korean: 정저지와(井底之蛙) (jeongjeojiwa)

ja-r

井の中の蛙 大%海を知らず

い の なか の かわず たい%かい を しらず

い の なか の かわず

→ Japanese: (calque) 井(い)の中(なか)の蛙(かわず)大(たい)海(かい)を知(し)らず (i no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu), 井(い)の中(なか)の蛙(かわず) (i no naka no kawazu), 井(せい)底(てい)の蛙(かわず) (seitei no kawazu) (calque)

q

→ Korean: 우물 안 개구리 (umul an gaeguri) (calque; more common than the Sino-Korean form)

→ Vietnamese: ếch ngồi đáy giếng (calque)

ㄐㄧㄥˇ ㄉㄧˇ ㄓ ㄨㄚ

/t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ti²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ wä⁵⁵/

/t͡sɛːŋ³⁵ tɐi̯³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ waː⁵⁵/

/t͡siɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ te⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡si⁴⁴⁻²² ua⁴⁴/

/t͡sẽ⁵²⁻³⁵ tõĩ⁵² t͡sɯ³³⁻²³ ua³³/

/t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ti²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ wä⁵⁵/

/t͡sɛːŋ³⁵ tɐi̯³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ waː⁵⁵/

/t͡siɪŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ te⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡si⁴⁴⁻²² ua⁴⁴/

/t͡sẽ⁵²⁻³⁵ tõĩ⁵² t͡sɯ³³⁻²³ ua³³/

From Zhuangzi:
:
井鼃不可以語於海者，拘於虛也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]井鼃不可以语于海者，拘于虚也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhuangzi, circa 3ʳᵈ – 2ⁿᵈ centuries BCE
Jǐng wā bù kěyǐ yù yú hǎi zhě, jū yú xū yě. [Pinyin]
A frog in a well cannot be talked with about an ocean - it is confined to its own narrow place.
Note: 鼃 is an ancient character for frog. In modern times, it has often been replaced with 蛙 (wā).

zh-x

井 鼃 不 可以 語{yù} 於 海 者，拘 於 虛 也。

a frog at the bottom of a well (who can only see a small part of the sky through the opening)

汝乃井底之蛙，安知玄奧乎！ [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
汝乃井底之蛙，安知玄奥乎！ [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14ᵗʰ century CE

You're (like) a frog at the bottom of a well (who can only see part of the sky), how would you know about anything that is profound!

Rǔ nǎi jǐngdǐzhīwā, ān zhī xuán'ào hū! [Pinyin]

可知我井底之蛙，成日家只說現在的這幾個人是有一無二的。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
可知我井底之蛙，成日家只说现在的这几个人是有一无二的。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
[You] can tell that I am a frog at the bottom of a well; all day, all [I] talk about is that these several people are so unique.

From: Cao Xueqin, Dream of the Red Chamber, mid-18ᵗʰ century CE

Kě zhī wǒ jǐngdǐzhīwā, chéngrìjia zhǐ shuō xiànzài de zhè jǐ ge rén shì yǒuyīwú'èr de. [Pinyin]

a “frog in a well”, a person of very limited outlook and experience


今生今世

ㄐㄧㄣ ㄕㄥ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄕˋ

цзиньшэнцзиньши

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/kɐm⁵⁵ sɐŋ⁵⁵ kɐm⁵⁵ sɐi̯³³/

/kim⁴⁴⁻³³ siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ kim⁴⁴⁻³³ se²¹/

/kim⁴⁴⁻³³ siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ kim⁴⁴⁻³³ se¹¹/

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/kɐm⁵⁵ sɐŋ⁵⁵ kɐm⁵⁵ sɐi̯³³/

/kim⁴⁴⁻³³ siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ kim⁴⁴⁻³³ se²¹/

/kim⁴⁴⁻³³ siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ kim⁴⁴⁻³³ se¹¹/

in this lifetime; for the rest of one's life


光明正大

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (光明正大):
* → Vietnamese: quang minh chính đại (光明正大)

ㄍㄨㄤ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄥˋ ㄉㄚˋ

гуанминчжэнда

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tä⁵¹/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ mɪŋ²¹ t͡sɪŋ³³ taːi̯²²/

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tä⁵¹/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ mɪŋ²¹ t͡sɪŋ³³ taːi̯²²/

改革是公共大眾的事，改革是光明正大的事，不能只在少數精英貴族中討論，不能靜悄悄地進行，更不能在那裡搞什麼暗箱操作。 [MSC, trad.]
改革是公共大众的事，改革是光明正大的事，不能只在少数精英贵族中讨论，不能静悄悄地进行，更不能在那里搞什么暗箱操作。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 2006: 巫继学 (Wu Jixue), 光明正大的改革何拒公众参与大辩论？ (When conducting open and aboveboard reforms, why deny the public a chance to participate in the debate?)

Reform is a public affair for the masses. Reform is an open and aboveboard affair. It should not merely be discussed among a small number of the best and brightest of the aristocracy. It should not be carried out in a "hush-hush" manner, much less behind closed doors.

Gǎigé shì gōnggòng dàzhòng de shì, gǎigé shì guāngmíngzhèngdà de shì, bùnéng zhǐ zài shǎoshù jīngyīng guìzú zhōng tǎolùn, bùnéng jìngqiāoqiāo de jìnxíng, gèng bùnéng zài nàlǐ gǎo shénme ànxiāngcāozuò. [Pinyin]

high-principled; open and aboveboard; just and honorable; frank and righteous; without artifice


無論如何

ㄨˊ ㄌㄨㄣˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄏㄜˊ

/u³⁵ lu̯ən⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ xɤ³⁵/

/mou̯²¹ lɵn²² jyː²¹ hɔː²¹/

/bɤ²³⁻³³ lun³³⁻²¹ zu²³⁻³³ hɤ²³/

/bo⁵⁵⁻¹¹ luŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ d͡zu⁵⁵⁻¹¹ ho⁵⁵/

/u³⁵ lu̯ən⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ xɤ³⁵/

/mou̯²¹ lɵn²² jyː²¹ hɔː²¹/

/bɤ²³⁻³³ lun³³⁻²¹ zu²³⁻³³ hɤ²³/

/bo⁵⁵⁻¹¹ luŋ³⁵⁻¹¹ d͡zu⁵⁵⁻¹¹ ho⁵⁵/

in any case; at any rate; whatever happens; no matter what


心照不宣

ㄒㄧㄣ ㄓㄠˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄒㄩㄢ

синьчжаобусюань

/ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ɕy̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/sɐm⁵⁵ t͡siːu̯³³ pɐt̚⁵ syːn⁵⁵/

/ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ɕy̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/sɐm⁵⁵ t͡siːu̯³³ pɐt̚⁵ syːn⁵⁵/

to understand something but not voice it; to have a tacit understanding


心高氣傲

ㄒㄧㄣ ㄍㄠ ㄑㄧˋ ㄠˋ

/ɕin⁵⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹⁻⁵³ ˀɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/sɐm⁵⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ hei̯³³ ŋou̯²²/

/ɕin⁵⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹⁻⁵³ ˀɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/sɐm⁵⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ hei̯³³ ŋou̯²²/


心急如焚

ㄒㄧㄣ ㄐㄧˊ ㄖㄨˊ ㄈㄣˊ

синьцзижуфэнь

/ɕin⁵⁵ t͡ɕi³⁵ ʐu³⁵ fən³⁵/

/sɐm⁵⁵ kɐp̚⁵ jyː²¹ fɐn²¹/

/sim³³⁻²³ kip̚²⁻⁴ d͡zu⁵⁵⁻¹¹ uŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕin⁵⁵ t͡ɕi³⁵ ʐu³⁵ fən³⁵/

/sɐm⁵⁵ kɐp̚⁵ jyː²¹ fɐn²¹/

/sim³³⁻²³ kip̚²⁻⁴ d͡zu⁵⁵⁻¹¹ uŋ⁵⁵/

very anxious; very nervous; very impatient


心寬體胖

ㄒㄧㄣ ㄎㄨㄢ ㄊㄧˇ ㄆㄢˊ

синькуаньтипань

/ɕin⁵⁵ kʰu̯än⁵⁵ tʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵/

/ɕin⁵⁵ kʰu̯än⁵⁵ tʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵/

From the Great Learning (《大學》) in the Book of Rites:
:
富潤屋，德潤身，心廣體胖，故君子必誠其意。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]富润屋，德润身，心广体胖，故君子必诚其意。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Fù rùn wū, dé rùn shēn, xīn guǎng tǐ pán, gù jūnzǐ bì chéng qí yì. [Pinyin]
Riches adorn a house, and virtue adorns the person. The mind is expanded, and the body is at ease. Therefore, the superior man must make his thoughts sincere.

zh-x

富 潤 屋，德 潤 身，@心 廣 @體 @胖{pán}，故 君子 必 誠 其 意。


誤人子弟

ㄨˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄗˇ ㄉㄧˋ

/u⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ti⁵¹/

/ŋ̍²² jɐn²¹ t͡siː³⁵ tɐi̯²²/

/u⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ti⁵¹/

/ŋ̍²² jɐn²¹ t͡siː³⁵ tɐi̯²²/


比手劃腳

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/

比手畫腳 比手畫腳#Chinese

比手画脚 比手画脚#Chinese

Alternative form of 比手畫腳／比手画脚 (bǐshǒuhuàjiǎo)


雞同鴨講

ㄐㄧ ㄊㄨㄥˊ ㄧㄚ ㄐㄧㄤˇ

цзитунъяцзян

/t͡ɕi⁵⁵ tʰʊŋ³⁵ jä⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kɐi̯⁵⁵ tʰʊŋ²¹ aːp̚³ kɔːŋ³⁵/

/t͡ɕi⁵⁵ tʰʊŋ³⁵ jä⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kɐi̯⁵⁵ tʰʊŋ²¹ aːp̚³ kɔːŋ³⁵/

mutually unintelligible; unable to understand one another; talking about two different things; getting one's wires crossed


水滴石穿

ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄉㄧ ㄕˊ ㄔㄨㄢ

шуйдишичуань

/ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ti⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än⁵⁵/

/sɵy̯³⁵ tɪk̚² sɛːk̚² t͡sʰyːn⁵⁵/

/ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ti⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än⁵⁵/

/sɵy̯³⁵ tɪk̚² sɛːk̚² t͡sʰyːn⁵⁵/

From Shizi:
水非石之鑽，繩非木之鋸。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]水非石之钻，绳非木之锯。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Shizi, circa 3ʳᵈ century B.C.
Shuǐ fēi shí zhī zuàn, shéng fēi mù zhī jù. [Pinyin]
Water is not the drill for stones (but it can wear through it after long time). A
rope is not the saw for trees (but can cut a tree down if it is pulled over it many times).
Later popularized by the following story:
張乖崖為崇陽令，一吏自庫中出，視其鬢傍巾下有一錢，詰之，乃庫中錢也。乖崖命杖之，吏勃然曰：「一錢何足道，乃杖我耶？爾能杖我，不能斬弟也！」乖崖援筆判曰：「一日一錢，千日一千，繩鋸木斷，水滴石穿。」自仗劍，下階斬其首，申臺府自劾。崇陽人至今傳之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]张乖崖为崇阳令，一吏自库中出，视其鬓傍巾下有一钱，诘之，乃库中钱也。乖崖命杖之，吏勃然曰：「一钱何足道，乃杖我耶？尔能杖我，不能斩弟也！」乖崖援笔判曰：「一日一钱，千日一千，绳锯木断，水滴石穿。」自仗剑，下阶斩其首，申台府自劾。崇阳人至今传之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Luo Dajing, Jade Dew from the Forest of Cranes (鶴林玉露)
Zhāng Guāiyá wéi chóngyáng lìng, yī lì zì kù zhōng chū, shì qí bìn bàng jīn xià yǒu yī qián, jié zhī, nǎi kù zhōng qián yě. Guāiyá mìng zhàng zhī, lì bórán yuē: “Yī qián hézú dào, nǎi zhàng wǒ yē? Ěr néng zhàng wǒ, bùnéng zhǎn dì yě!” Guāiyá yuán bǐ pàn yuē: “Yī rì yī qián, qiān rì yī qiān, shéngjùmùduàn, shuǐdīshíchuān.” Zì zhàng jiàn, xià jiē zhǎn qí shǒu, shēn táifǔ zì hé. Chóngyáng rén zhìjīn chuán zhī. [Pinyin]
One day when Zhang Guaiya was the governor of Chongyang County, he saw a petty official coming out from the treasury, with a coin put on his headpiece near his sideburns. He asked him about that, and he replied that the coin was from the treasury. Guaiya ordered him to be caned. The official was enraged and said, “One coin is not worth mentioning. Why would you cane me? Even you could cane me, you shouldn't behead me!” Guaiya took his brush and wrote the judgement, “If a man steals one coin every day, he would have stolen 1000 coins after 1000 days. A rope can cut down a tree eventually, and dripping water wears through rock eventually.” He then took the sword himself and the executed that official, and reported to the censorate so as to let himself take the responsibility. People in Chongyang County are still praising him now.

水 非 石 之 鑽 ， 繩 非 木 之 鋸 。

@^張 @^乖崖 為{wéi} 崇陽 令 ， 一 吏 自 庫 中 出 ， 視 其 鬢 傍 巾 下 有 一 錢 ， 詰 之 ， 乃 庫 中 錢 也 。 ^@乖崖 命 杖 之 ， 吏 勃然 曰 ： 「 一 錢 何足 道 ， 乃 杖 我 耶 ？ 爾 能 杖 我 ， 不能 斬 弟 也 ！」 ^@乖崖 援 筆 判 曰 ： 「 一 日 一 錢 ， 千 日 一 千 ， 繩鋸木斷 ， 水滴石穿 。」 自 仗 劍 ， 下 階 斬 其 首 ， 申 臺府 自 劾 。 崇陽 人 至今 傳 之。

little strokes fell great oaks
little strokes fell great oaks

Chongyang County
Shizi (book)
zh:張詠
zh:羅大經
zh:鶴林玉露


冬暖夏涼

ㄉㄨㄥ ㄋㄨㄢˇ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄌㄧㄤˊ

дуннуаньсялян

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ nu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ li̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ nyːn¹³ haː²² lœːŋ²¹/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ nu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ li̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ nyːn¹³ haː²² lœːŋ²¹/

warm in the winter and cool in the summer


出口成章

ㄔㄨ ㄎㄡˇ ㄔㄥˊ ㄓㄤ

чукоучэнчжан

/ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵⁵/

ㄔㄨ ㄎㄡˇ ㄔㄥˊ ㄓㄤㄦ

чукоучэнчжанр

/ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑ̃ɻ⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ hɐu̯³⁵ sɪŋ²¹ t͡sœːŋ⁵⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑ̃ɻ⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ hɐu̯³⁵ sɪŋ²¹ t͡sœːŋ⁵⁵/

words flow from the mouth as from the pen of a master; to speak eloquently


兄友弟恭

ㄒㄩㄥ ㄧㄡˇ ㄉㄧˋ ㄍㄨㄥ

/ɕi̯ʊŋ⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ti⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

/hɪŋ⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ tɐi̯²² kʊŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕi̯ʊŋ⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ti⁵¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

/hɪŋ⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ tɐi̯²² kʊŋ⁵⁵/

to show love and respect as good brothers should


先禮後兵

ㄒㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˇ ㄏㄡˋ ㄅㄧㄥ

сяньлихоубин

/ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ xoʊ̯⁵¹ piŋ⁵⁵/

/siːn⁵⁵ lɐi̯¹³ hɐu̯²² pɪŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ xoʊ̯⁵¹ piŋ⁵⁵/

/siːn⁵⁵ lɐi̯¹³ hɐu̯²² pɪŋ⁵⁵/

From Romance of the Three Kingdoms:
:
郭嘉諫曰：「劉備遠來救援，先禮後兵，主公當用好言答之，以慢備心。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]郭嘉谏曰：「刘备远来救援，先礼后兵，主公当用好言答之，以慢备心。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14ᵗʰ century CE
Guō Jiā jiàn yuē: “Liú Bèi yuǎn lái jiùyuán, xiānlǐhòubīng, zhǔgōng dāng yòng hǎoyán dá zhī, yǐ màn Bèi xīn.” [Pinyin]
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

^郭 ^嘉 諫 曰：「^劉 ^備 遠 來 救援，先禮後兵，主公 當 用 好言 答 之，以 慢 ^備 心。」

to approach the situation politely before resorting to aggression


半推半就

ㄅㄢˋ ㄊㄨㄟ ㄅㄢˋ ㄐㄧㄡˋ

баньтуйбаньцзю

/pän⁵¹ tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ pän⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/

/puːn³³ tʰɵy̯⁵⁵ puːn³³ t͡sɐu̯²²/

/pan⁵³ t͡sʰuɪ⁴⁴⁻³⁵ pʰan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ t͡sʰiu⁵³/

/pän⁵¹ tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ pän⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/

/puːn³³ tʰɵy̯⁵⁵ puːn³³ t͡sɐu̯²²/

/pan⁵³ t͡sʰuɪ⁴⁴⁻³⁵ pʰan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ t͡sʰiu⁵³/

to be half willing (at heart) and half unwilling (in appearance); to yield after making a show of resistance; to yield with a show of resistance


水漲船高

ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄓㄤˇ ㄔㄨㄢˊ ㄍㄠ

шуйчжанчуаньгао

/ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/sɵy̯³⁵ t͡sœːŋ³³ syːn²¹ kou̯⁵⁵/

/sɵy̯³⁵ t͡sœːŋ³³ syːn²¹ kou̯⁵⁵/

朱寧表示，從價格形成機制來看，原料價格上漲，勢必導致以雞蛋為原料的月餅、蛋糕等副食品價格水漲船高。 [MSC, trad.]
朱宁表示，从价格形成机制来看，原料价格上涨，势必导致以鸡蛋为原料的月饼、蛋糕等副食品价格水涨船高。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 黄俊毅 (2020 August 14) “供需结构变化助推鸡蛋价格走高 后市行情仍将偏暖”, in Economic Daily, page 6

Zhu Ning states that considering how prices are formed, if the price of the raw material [eggs] grows, the prices of non-staple food made from eggs, such as mooncakes and cakes, must grow with it too.

Zhū Níng biǎoshì, cóng jiàgé xíngchéng jīzhì lái kàn, yuánliào jiàgé shàngzhàng, shìbì dǎozhì yǐ jīdàn wéi yuánliào de yuèbǐng, dàngāo děng fùshípǐn jiàgé shuǐzhàngchuángāo. [Pinyin]


司馬昭之心

ㄙ ㄇㄚˇ ㄓㄠ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄣ

Сыма Чжао чжи синь

/sz̩⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

/sz̩⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

Short for 司馬昭之心——路人皆知／司马昭之心——路人皆知 (Sīmǎ Zhāo zhī xīn, lùrén jiē zhī).

zh-etym-short

(even the people in the street know)Sima Zhao's heart

evil ambitions that are transparent to everyone


叫苦連天

ㄐㄧㄠˋ ㄎㄨˇ ㄌㄧㄢˊ ㄊㄧㄢ

цзяокуляньтянь

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ kʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ li̯ɛn³⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/kiːu̯³³ fuː³⁵ liːn²¹ tʰiːn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ kʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ li̯ɛn³⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/kiːu̯³³ fuː³⁵ liːn²¹ tʰiːn⁵⁵/

to be full of complaints; to complain to high heaven; to complain bitterly


四平八穩

ㄙˋ ㄆㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄚ ㄨㄣˇ

ㄙˋ ㄆㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄚ ㄨㄣˇ

/sz̩⁵¹ pʰiŋ³⁵ pä⁵⁵ wən²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sz̩²¹³ pʰin²¹ pa²¹ uən⁵³/

/sz̩⁵⁵ pʰiŋ²⁴ pa²¹ uẽ⁵³/

/sei̯³³ pʰɪŋ²¹ paːt̚³ wɐn³⁵/

/sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ pʰiaŋ¹¹ pat̚¹ ʋun³¹/

/sz̩⁴⁵ pʰĩŋ¹¹ paʔ² və̃ŋ⁵³/

/si²¹³⁻⁵⁵ piŋ⁵³⁽⁻²¹⁾ pɛiʔ²⁴⁻³⁵ yŋ³³/

/su²¹⁻⁵³ piɪŋ²⁴⁻²² pat̚³²⁻⁴ un⁵³/

/sz̩³³ bin⁵⁵ paʔ³³ uən²¹/

/sz̩³³ bin⁴⁴ paʔ³³ uən⁴⁴/

/sz̩⁴⁴ bin²³ paʔ⁴⁴ uən³⁴/

/sz̩⁵² bin³³ poʔ⁵⁵ uən⁵¹/

/sz̩⁴⁵ pin¹³ pa̠²⁴ u̯ən⁴¹/

/sz̩⁵¹ pʰiŋ³⁵ pä⁵⁵ wən²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sz̩²¹³ pʰin²¹ pa²¹ uən⁵³/

/sz̩⁵⁵ pʰiŋ²⁴ pa²¹ uẽ⁵³/

/sei̯³³ pʰɪŋ²¹ paːt̚³ wɐn³⁵/

/sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ pʰiaŋ¹¹ pat̚¹ ʋun³¹/

/sz̩⁴⁵ pʰĩŋ¹¹ paʔ² və̃ŋ⁵³/

/si²¹³⁻⁵⁵ piŋ⁵³⁽⁻²¹⁾ pɛiʔ²⁴⁻³⁵ yŋ³³/

/su²¹⁻⁵³ piɪŋ²⁴⁻²² pat̚³²⁻⁴ un⁵³/

/sz̩³³ bin⁵⁵ paʔ³³ uən²¹/

/sz̩³³ bin⁴⁴ paʔ³³ uən⁴⁴/

/sz̩⁴⁴ bin²³ paʔ⁴⁴ uən³⁴/

/sz̩⁵² bin³³ poʔ⁵⁵ uən⁵¹/

/sz̩⁴⁵ pin¹³ pa̠²⁴ u̯ən⁴¹/

very stable and steady; completely stable and safe


四面楚歌

ㄙˋ ㄇㄧㄢˋ ㄔㄨˇ ㄍㄜ

/sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵⁵/

/sei̯³³ miːn²² t͡sʰɔː³⁵ kɔː⁵⁵/

/sz̩³³ mi⁴⁴ t͡sʰu⁴⁴ ku⁵³/

/sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵⁵/

/sei̯³³ miːn²² t͡sʰɔː³⁵ kɔː⁵⁵/

/sz̩³³ mi⁴⁴ t͡sʰu⁴⁴ ku⁵³/

In reference to the Battle of Gaixia:
: During the Chu–Han Contention, Xiang Yu (項羽) found himself besieged in the city of Gaixia (垓下), by the coalition force of Han and the other kings. Jiujiang fell to Ying Bu and Liu Jia the preceding month, and most of the Kingdom of Chu was occupied by the Han army. When he heard the besieging troops singing songs in the Chu accent, Xiang Yu knew his kingdom had fallen.
The situation was also mentioned in Consort Yu's poem to her husband Xiang Yu after his suicide:
:
漢兵已略地，四方楚歌聲。大王意氣盡，賤妾何聊生。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]汉兵已略地，四方楚歌声。大王意气尽，贱妾何聊生。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Correct Meaning of the Records of the Grand Historian, by Zhang Shoujie
Hàn bīng yǐ lüè dì, sìfāng chǔ gēshēng. Dàwáng yìqì jìn, jiànqiè hé liáoshēng. [Pinyin]
The Han army has conquered our land, Surrounded with the singing of Chu. My lord's spirits are low, Why then should I live?

zh-x

漢 兵 已 略 地 ， 四方 楚 歌聲 。 大王 意氣 盡 ， 賤妾 何 聊生 。

surrounded on four sides by the songs ofChu

當地時間8月7日，四面楚歌的蘭迪斯為自己做出了最後的辯護。這是他在B瓶尿樣呈陽性結果被披露後接受的第一次採訪。 [MSC, trad.]
当地时间8月7日，四面楚歌的兰迪斯为自己做出了最后的辩护。这是他在B瓶尿样呈阳性结果被披露后接受的第一次采访。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 2006: Dongfang Zaobao staff, 四面楚歌最后辩护 兰迪斯：国际自联逼我上绝路 (Making a final defense while besieged on all sides --- Landis: UCI is leaving me with no options)

Floyd Landis, besieged on all sides, put up a final defense on August 7, local time. This was his first interview since his B urine sample revealed the presence of testosterone.

Dāngdì shíjiān 8 yuè 7 rì, sìmiànchǔgē de Lándísī wèi zìjǐ zuò chū le zuìhòu de biànhù. Zhè shì tā zài B píng niàoyàng chéng yángxìng jiéguǒ bèi pīlù hòu jiēshòu de dìyīcì cǎifǎng. [Pinyin]

facing hostility, difficulty, or frustration on all sides

Battle of Gaixia
Chu (state)
Chu–Han Contention#End_of_the_war
Consort Yu (Xiang Yu's wife)
Kingdom of Chu
Xiang Yu
zh:史記正義


打草驚蛇

ㄉㄚˇ ㄘㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄕㄜˊ

/tä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂɤ³⁵/

/taː³⁵ t͡sʰou̯³⁵ kɪŋ⁵⁵ sɛː²¹/

/tä²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂɤ³⁵/

/taː³⁵ t͡sʰou̯³⁵ kɪŋ⁵⁵ sɛː²¹/

to give away your position through rash actions; to alert someone of your presence unwittingly


瓜田李下

ㄍㄨㄚ ㄊㄧㄢˊ ㄌㄧˇ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

/ku̯ä⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

/kʷaː⁵⁵ tʰiːn²¹ lei̯¹³ haː²²/

/ku̯ä⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

/kʷaː⁵⁵ tʰiːn²¹ lei̯¹³ haː²²/

Originates from a longer proverb 瓜田不納履，李下不整冠／瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠 (guātián bù nà lǚ, lǐxià bù zhěng guān), literally "do not put on shoes in a melon field; do not adjust your hat under a plum tree".

zh-l

a position that invites suspicion; suspicious circumstances or surroundings


目不暇給

ㄇㄨˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄚˊ ㄐㄧˇ

/mu⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ɕi̯ä³⁵ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/mʊk̚² pɐt̚⁵ haː²² kʰɐp̚⁵/

/mu⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ɕi̯ä³⁵ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/mʊk̚² pɐt̚⁵ haː²² kʰɐp̚⁵/

so many things come into sight that the eyes are kept fully occupied


石破天驚

ㄕˊ ㄆㄛˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄐㄧㄥ

шипотяньцзин

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ pʰu̯ɔ⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

/sɛːk̚² pʰɔː³³ tʰiːn⁵⁵ kɪŋ⁵⁵/

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ pʰu̯ɔ⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

/sɛːk̚² pʰɔː³³ tʰiːn⁵⁵ kɪŋ⁵⁵/


光明磊落

ㄍㄨㄤ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄌㄟˇ ㄌㄨㄛˋ

гуанминлэйло

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ leɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ mɪŋ²¹ lɵy̯¹³ lɔːk̚²/

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ leɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ mɪŋ²¹ lɵy̯¹³ lɔːk̚²/


名花有主

the famous flower has already got a host

ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄏㄨㄚ ㄧㄡˇ ㄓㄨˇ

/miŋ³⁵ xu̯ä⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/mɪŋ²¹ faː⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ t͡syː³⁵/

/miŋ³⁵ xu̯ä⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/mɪŋ²¹ faː⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ t͡syː³⁵/

the famed beauty has been spoken for; (of a girl, or something precious) to be taken


光彩奪目

ㄍㄨㄤ ㄘㄞˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄇㄨˋ

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ³⁵ mu⁵¹/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɔːi̯³⁵ tyːt̚² mʊk̚²/

/ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ³⁵ mu⁵¹/

/kʷɔːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɔːi̯³⁵ tyːt̚² mʊk̚²/


白駒過隙

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (白駒過隙):
* → Korean: 백구과극(白駒過隙) (baekgugwageuk)
* → Vietnamese: bạch câu quá khích (白駒過隙)

Japanese: 白駒(はっく)隙(げき)を過(す)ぐ (hakku geki o sugu)

ㄅㄞˊ ㄐㄩ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄒㄧˋ

/paɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕy⁵⁵ ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi⁵¹/

/paːk̚² kʰɵy̯⁵⁵ kʷɔː³³ kʷʰɪk̚⁵/

/paɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕy⁵⁵ ku̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi⁵¹/

/paːk̚² kʰɵy̯⁵⁵ kʷɔː³³ kʷʰɪk̚⁵/

From Zhuangzi:
:
人生天地之間，若白駒之過郤，忽然而已。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]人生天地之间，若白驹之过郤，忽然而已。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhuangzi, circa 3ʳᵈ – 2ⁿᵈ centuries BCE
Rénshēng tiāndì zhī jiān, ruò báijū zhī guò xì, hūrán ér yǐ. [Pinyin]
That human beings live between heaven and earth is similar to a white colt's bolting past a crevice; it is but an instant.

zh-x

人生 天地 之 間，若 白駒 之 過 郤，忽然 而 已。

(the amount of time it takes for) a white colt to pass by a crevice

swiftness of the lapse of time; fleeting of time; in the twinkling of an eye


冰肌玉骨

ㄅㄧㄥ ㄐㄧ ㄩˋ ㄍㄨˇ

ㄋㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄧ ㄩˋ ㄍㄨˇ

/piŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ y⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/niŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ y⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɪŋ⁵⁵ kei̯⁵⁵ jʊk̚² kʷɐt̚⁵/

/pĩã³³⁻²³ ki³³⁻²³ ɡek̚⁴⁻² kuk̚²/

/piŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ y⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/niŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ y⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pɪŋ⁵⁵ kei̯⁵⁵ jʊk̚² kʷɐt̚⁵/

/pĩã³³⁻²³ ki³³⁻²³ ɡek̚⁴⁻² kuk̚²/


多采多姿

ㄉㄨㄛ ㄘㄞˇ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄗ

/tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵⁵/

/tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵⁵/


吃裡扒外

吃裏扒外
吃里扒外
吃裡爬外

ㄔ ㄌㄧˇ ㄆㄚˊ ㄨㄞˋ

/ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰä³⁵ waɪ̯⁵¹/

/hɛːk̚³ lɵy̯¹³ pʰaː²¹ ŋɔːi̯²²/

/ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰä³⁵ waɪ̯⁵¹/

/hɛːk̚³ lɵy̯¹³ pʰaː²¹ ŋɔːi̯²²/

to live off someone while helping others; to repay a kindness by stabbing someone in the back


夸父追日

ㄎㄨㄚ ㄈㄨˋ ㄓㄨㄟ ㄖˋ

ㄎㄨㄚ ㄈㄨˇ ㄓㄨㄟ ㄖˋ

/kʰu̯ä⁵⁵ fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹/

/kʰu̯ä⁵⁵ fu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹/

/kʷʰaː⁵⁵ fuː²² t͡sɵy̯⁵⁵ jɐt̚²/

/kʰu̯ä⁵⁵ fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹/

/kʰu̯ä⁵⁵ fu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹/

/kʷʰaː⁵⁵ fuː²² t͡sɵy̯⁵⁵ jɐt̚²/

夸父逐日 夸父逐日#Chinese


安家立業

ㄢ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄌㄧˋ ㄧㄝˋ

/ˀän⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ jɛ⁵¹/

/ˀän⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ jɛ⁵¹/

to settle down with one's family and build a career


百口莫辯

ㄅㄞˇ ㄎㄡˇ ㄇㄛˋ ㄅㄧㄢˋ

байкоумобянь

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/paːk̚³ hɐu̯³⁵ mɔːk̚² piːn²²/

/piɪk̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn³³/

/piɪk̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn³³/

/paːk̚³ hɐu̯³⁵ mɔːk̚² piːn²²/

/piɪk̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn³³/

/piɪk̚³²⁻⁴ kʰau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² piɛn³³/

unable to give a convincing explanation in self-defense; difficult to clarify; beyond justification (when wronged or treated unjustly)


百思不解

still puzzled after pondering a hundred times

ㄅㄞˇ ㄙ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄝˇ

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/paːk̚³ siː⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ kaːi̯³⁵/

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/paːk̚³ siː⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ kaːi̯³⁵/

incomprehensible; perplexed still despite much thought


百廢俱興

ㄅㄞˇ ㄈㄟˋ ㄐㄩˋ ㄒㄧㄥ

байфэйцзюйсин

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ feɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕy⁵¹ ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

/paːk̚³ fɐi̯³³ kʰɵy̯⁵⁵ hɪŋ⁵⁵/

/paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ feɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕy⁵¹ ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

/paːk̚³ fɐi̯³³ kʰɵy̯⁵⁵ hɪŋ⁵⁵/

慶曆四年春，滕子京謫守巴陵郡。越明年，政通人和，百廢具興。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
庆历四年春，滕子京谪守巴陵郡。越明年，政通人和，百废具兴。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: 范仲淹 (Fan Zhongyan), 《岳陽樓記》 (Memorial to Yueyang Tower)

In spring of the fourth year of Qingli, Teng Zijing was demoted and exiled to Baling County. After two years, (his) governance becomes smooth, and the people become happy and harmonious; all the previously abandoned tasks are being undertaken.

Qìnglì sì nián chūn, Téng Zǐjīng zhéshǒu Bālíng jùn. Yuè míngnián, zhèngtōngrénhé, bǎifèijùxìng. [Pinyin]

all neglected tasks are being undertaken; all that was left undone is now being undertaken


耳熟能詳

so familiar to the ears, that it can be (told) in detail

ㄦˇ ㄕㄨˊ ㄋㄥˊ ㄒㄧㄤˊ

ㄦˇ ㄕㄡˊ ㄋㄥˊ ㄒㄧㄤˊ

/ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂu³⁵ nɤŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂoʊ̯³⁵ nɤŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/jiː¹³ sʊk̚² nɐŋ²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹/

/hi³³⁻¹¹ siɪk̚⁴⁻³² liɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ siɔŋ²⁴/

/d͡zɯ⁵²⁻³⁵ sek̚⁴⁻² leŋ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ siaŋ⁵⁵/

/ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂu³⁵ nɤŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂoʊ̯³⁵ nɤŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/jiː¹³ sʊk̚² nɐŋ²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹/

/hi³³⁻¹¹ siɪk̚⁴⁻³² liɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ siɔŋ²⁴/

/d͡zɯ⁵²⁻³⁵ sek̚⁴⁻² leŋ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ siaŋ⁵⁵/

以下就讓我們來看一些耳熟能詳的中文在英語中是如何表達的 [MSC, trad.]
以下就让我们来看一些耳熟能详的中文在英语中是如何表达的 [MSC, simp.]

From: 2004, 苏萍 (Su Ping), 耳熟能详的中文用英语怎么说, 上海小学 (Shanghai Primary School)

Below, let us take a look at how some well-worn Chinese phrases are expressed in English

yǐxià jiù ràng wǒmen lái kàn yīxiē ěrshúnéngxiáng de zhōngwén zài yīngyǔ zhōng shì rúhé biǎodá de [Pinyin]

heard a million times, to the point where one can recite it in one's sleep; well-worn (phrase)


低聲下氣

ㄉㄧ ㄕㄥ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄑㄧˋ

/ti⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/

/tɐi̯⁵⁵ sɪŋ⁵⁵ haː²² hei̯³³/

/ti⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/

/tɐi̯⁵⁵ sɪŋ⁵⁵ haː²² hei̯³³/


兵荒馬亂

thetroops are starving, and the horses are in disarray

ㄅㄧㄥ ㄏㄨㄤ ㄇㄚˇ ㄌㄨㄢˋ

бинхуанмалуань

/piŋ⁵⁵ xu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu̯än⁵¹/

/pɪŋ⁵⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵ maː¹³ lyːn²²/

/piŋ⁵⁵ xu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu̯än⁵¹/

/pɪŋ⁵⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵ maː¹³ lyːn²²/


別開生面

ㄅㄧㄝˊ ㄎㄞ ㄕㄥ ㄇㄧㄢˋ

бекайшэнмянь

/pi̯ɛ³⁵ kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ mi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/piːt̚² hɔːi̯⁵⁵ sɐŋ⁵⁵ miːn²²/

/piɛt̚⁴⁻³² kʰai⁴⁴⁻³³ siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ biɛn³³/

/piak̚⁴⁻² kʰai³³⁻²³ sẽ³³⁻²³ mĩ¹¹/

/pi̯ɛ³⁵ kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ mi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/piːt̚² hɔːi̯⁵⁵ sɐŋ⁵⁵ miːn²²/

/piɛt̚⁴⁻³² kʰai⁴⁴⁻³³ siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ biɛn³³/

/piak̚⁴⁻² kʰai³³⁻²³ sẽ³³⁻²³ mĩ¹¹/

to forge a new path; to stand out from the rest


助紂為虐

help(King) Zhou (of Shang) to perform his cruelty

ㄓㄨˋ ㄓㄡˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄋㄩㄝˋ

чжучжоувэйнюэ

/ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ ny̯ɛ⁵¹/

/t͡sɔː²² t͡sɐu̯²² wɐi̯²¹ jœːk̚²/

/ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ ny̯ɛ⁵¹/

/t͡sɔː²² t͡sɐu̯²² wɐi̯²¹ jœːk̚²/

to help the wicked perpetrate wicked deeds; to help a tyrant to do evil


吹毛求疵

to blow apart the hairs upon a fur to discover any defect

ㄔㄨㄟ ㄇㄠˊ ㄑㄧㄡˊ ㄘ

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ mɑʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵ t͡sʰz̩⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɵy̯⁵⁵ mou̯²¹ kʰɐu̯²¹ t͡sʰiː⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɵy̯⁵⁵ mou̯²¹ kʰɐu̯²¹ t͡sʰiː⁵⁵/


弄假成真

ㄋㄨㄥˋ ㄐㄧㄚˇ ㄔㄥˊ ㄓㄣ

нунцзячэнчжэнь

/nʊŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵/

/lʊŋ²² kaː³⁵ sɪŋ²¹ t͡sɐn⁵⁵/

/nʊŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵/

/lʊŋ²² kaː³⁵ sɪŋ²¹ t͡sɐn⁵⁵/

校方自備人造煙霧熏倒學生 消防演習「弄假成真」 [MSC, trad.]
校方自备人造烟雾熏倒学生 消防演习「弄假成真」 [MSC, simp.]

Fantasy becomes reality! School authorities create artificial smoke, cause students to faint from suffocation

xiàofāng zìbèi rénzào yānwù xūndǎo xuéshēng, xiāofáng yǎnxí “nòngjiǎchéngzhēn” [Pinyin]

to turn simulation into reality unintentionally; fantasy becomes reality


沉魚落雁

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (沈魚落雁 (chényúluòyàn)):
* → Japanese: 沈魚落雁(ちんぎょらくがん) (chingyorakugan)
* → Korean: 침어낙안(沈魚落雁) (chimeonagan)
* → Vietnamese: trầm ngư lạc nhạn (沉魚落雁), chim sa cá lặn (沉魚落雁)

ㄔㄣˊ ㄩˊ ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄧㄢˋ

/ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵ y³⁵ lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ jɛn⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɐm²¹ jyː²¹ lɔːk̚² ŋaːn²²/

/ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵ y³⁵ lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ jɛn⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɐm²¹ jyː²¹ lɔːk̚² ŋaːn²²/

From Zhuangzi (in the chapter "Discussion on Making All Things Equal"):
:
毛嬙、麗姬，人之所美也，魚見之深入，鳥見之高飛，麋鹿見之決驟。四者孰知天下之正色哉？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]毛嫱、丽姬，人之所美也，鱼见之深入，鸟见之高飞，麋鹿见之决骤。四者孰知天下之正色哉？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhuangzi, circa 3ʳᵈ – 2ⁿᵈ centuries BCE
Máoqiáng, lìjī, rén zhī suǒ měi yě, yú jiàn zhī shēn rù, niǎo jiàn zhī gāo fēi, mílù jiàn zhī jué zhòu. Sì zhě shú zhī tiānxià zhī zhèng sè zāi? [Pinyin]
Mao Qiang and Li Ji [courtesans and two of the Four Beauties] are what people consider beautiful, but if fish see them they will swim into the depths; if birds see them, they will fly away into the air; if deer see them, they will gallop away. Among these four, who knows what is rightly beautiful in the world?
沉魚／沉鱼 (chén yú) often refers to Xi Shi and 落雁 (lùo yàn) often refers to Wang Zhaojun.

zh-x

毛嬙、麗姬，人 之 所 美 也，魚 見 之 深 入，鳥 見 之 高 飛，麋鹿 見 之 決 驟。四 者 孰 知 天下 之 正 色 哉？

Mao Qiang and Li Ji 􂀿courtesans and two of the Four Beauties􂁀 are what people consider beautiful, but if fish see them they will swim into the depths; if birds see them, they will fly away into the air; if deer see them, they will gallop away. Among these four, who knows what is rightly beautiful in the world?

(of women) extremely beautiful; drop-dead gorgeous


肝膽相照

to mutually illuminate each others' liver and gall (i.e. innermost feelings)

ㄍㄢ ㄉㄢˇ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄓㄠˋ

ганьданьсянчжао

/kän⁵⁵ tän²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/kɔːn⁵⁵ taːm³⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡siːu̯³³/

/kän⁵⁵ tän²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/kɔːn⁵⁵ taːm³⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡siːu̯³³/

to treat one another with absolute sincerity; to show total devotion


秀色可餐

ㄒㄧㄡˋ ㄙㄜˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄘㄢ

/ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ sɤ⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰän⁵⁵/

/sɐu̯³³ sɪk̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ t͡sʰaːn⁵⁵/

/siu²¹³⁻⁵⁵ sek̚²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵²⁻³⁵ t͡sʰaŋ³³/

/ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ sɤ⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰän⁵⁵/

/sɐu̯³³ sɪk̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ t͡sʰaːn⁵⁵/

/siu²¹³⁻⁵⁵ sek̚²⁻⁴ kʰo⁵²⁻³⁵ t͡sʰaŋ³³/

From a line in the poem 《日出東南隅行》 by Lu Ji (陸機):
:
鮮膚一何潤，秀色若可餐。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]鲜肤一何润，秀色若可餐。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Xiān fū yī hé rùn, xiùsè ruò kě cān. [Pinyin]
Her skin, soft and tender, and her beauty, deliciously desirable.

鮮 膚 一 何 潤，秀色 若 可 餐。

a beautiful countenance that can be eaten

(of a woman) extremely attractive; breathtakingly beautiful


無法無天

ㄨˊ ㄈㄚˇ ㄨˊ ㄊㄧㄢ

/u³⁵ fä²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/bu²³⁻³³ huat̚³²⁻⁴ bu²³⁻³³ tʰiɛn⁴⁴/

/bu²⁴⁻¹¹ huat̚³²⁻⁴ bu²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰiɛn⁴⁴/

/bu²⁴⁻²² huat̚³²⁻⁴ bu²⁴⁻²² tʰiɛn⁴⁴/

/u³⁵ fä²¹⁴⁻²¹ u³⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/bu²³⁻³³ huat̚³²⁻⁴ bu²³⁻³³ tʰiɛn⁴⁴/

/bu²⁴⁻¹¹ huat̚³²⁻⁴ bu²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰiɛn⁴⁴/

/bu²⁴⁻²² huat̚³²⁻⁴ bu²⁴⁻²² tʰiɛn⁴⁴/

From
* 無／无 (wú, “not have”) + 法 (fǎ) (short for 法紀／法纪 (fǎjì, “law”)): ("no (respect for) law") +
* 無／无 (wú, “not have”) + 天 (tiān) (short for 天理 (tiānlǐ, “heavenly justice”).
Literally "no (respect for) heaven(ly) justice".

zh-l

法紀／法纪 (fǎjì, “law”)


痛不欲生

ㄊㄨㄥˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄩˋ ㄕㄥ

/tʰʊŋ⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ y⁵¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵/

/tʰʊŋ³³ pɐt̚⁵ jʊk̚² sɐŋ⁵⁵/

/tʰʊŋ⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ y⁵¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵/

/tʰʊŋ³³ pɐt̚⁵ jʊk̚² sɐŋ⁵⁵/

to be overwhelmed with grief to the extent that one can not go on living


承先啟後

ㄔㄥˊ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄑㄧˇ ㄏㄡˋ

чэнсяньцихоу

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ xoʊ̯⁵¹/

/sɪŋ²¹ siːn⁵⁵ kʰɐi̯³⁵ hɐu̯²²/

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ xoʊ̯⁵¹/

/sɪŋ²¹ siːn⁵⁵ kʰɐi̯³⁵ hɐu̯²²/

to inherit the teachings of previous generations in order to inspire future actions


披肝瀝膽

ㄆㄧ ㄍㄢ ㄌㄧˋ ㄉㄢˇ

пиганьлидань

/pʰi⁵⁵ kän⁵⁵ li⁵¹ tän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pʰi⁵⁵ kän⁵⁵ li⁵¹ tän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

to talk without reserve; to have a heart to heart talk


孟母三遷

ㄇㄥˋ ㄇㄨˇ ㄙㄢ ㄑㄧㄢ

мэнмусаньцянь

/mɤŋ⁵¹ mu²¹⁴⁻²¹ sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/maːŋ²² mou̯¹³ saːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵/

/mɤŋ⁵¹ mu²¹⁴⁻²¹ sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/maːŋ²² mou̯¹³ saːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵/

From Biographies of Exemplary Women:
*
鄒孟軻之母也。號孟母。其舍近墓。孟子之少也，嬉遊為墓間之事，踴躍築埋。孟母曰：「此非吾所以居處子也。」乃去舍市傍。其嬉戲為賈人衒賣之事。孟母又曰：「此非吾所以居處子也。」復徙舍學宮之傍。其嬉遊乃設俎豆揖讓進退。孟母曰：「真可以居吾子矣。」遂居及。孟子長，學六藝，卒成大儒之名。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]邹孟轲之母也。号孟母。其舍近墓。孟子之少也，嬉游为墓间之事，踊跃筑埋。孟母曰：「此非吾所以居处子也。」乃去舍市傍。其嬉戏为贾人衒卖之事。孟母又曰：「此非吾所以居处子也。」复徙舍学宫之傍。其嬉游乃设俎豆揖让进退。孟母曰：「真可以居吾子矣。」遂居及。孟子长，学六艺，卒成大儒之名。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Biographies of Exemplary Women, 2ⁿᵈ century BCE
Zōu Mèng Kē zhī mǔ yě. Hào mèngmǔ. Qí shè jìn mù. Mèngzǐ zhī shào yě, xīyóu wéi mùjiān zhī shì, yǒngyuè zhùmái. Mèngmǔ yuē: “Cǐ fēi wú suǒyǐ jū chùzǐ yě.” Nǎi qù shè shìbàng. Qí xīxì wéi gǔrén xuàn mài zhī shì. Mèngmǔ yòu yuē: “Cǐ fēi wú suǒyǐ jū chùzǐ yě.” Fù xǐ shè xuégōng zhī bàng. Qí xīyóu nǎi shè zǔdòu yīràng jìntuì. Mèngmǔ yuē: “Zhēn kěyǐ jū wúzǐ yǐ.” Suì jū jí. Mèngzǐ cháng, xué liùyì, zú chéng dàrú zhī míng. [Pinyin]
The Mother of Meng Ke of Zou is called Mother Meng. When Mencius was little, they dwelt next to a graveyard; he played at performing funeral rites between the graves and eagerly pounding earth into tombs; Mother Meng said: "This is not the place to stay and raise my child." Then they moved to dwell next to the market, he played at displaying and selling wares as the merchants did; Mother Meng again said: "This is not the place to stay and raise my child." Again they moved next to a school, he played at arranging sacrifical altars and sacrificial vessels, greeting, yielding, advancing, and withdrawing; Mother Meng said: "Truly, my child can stay here". And they ended up staying there. Mencius grew up, learnt the Six Arts, and became a famous and great scholar.

zh-x

鄒 ^孟 ^軻 之 母 也。號 孟母。其 舍 近 墓。^孟子 之 少 也，嬉遊 為{wéi} 墓-間 之 事，踴躍 築-埋。孟母 曰：「此 非 吾 所以 居 處子 也。」乃 去 舍 市-傍。其 嬉戲 為{wéi} 賈-人 衒 賣 之 事。孟母 又 曰：「此 非 吾 所以 居 處子 也。」復 徙 舍 學-宮 之 傍。其 嬉遊 乃 設 俎-豆 揖讓 進退。孟母 曰：「真 可以 居 吾子 矣。」遂 居 及。孟子 長，學 六藝，卒 成 大-儒 之 名。

The mother ofMencius changed her abode three times (to avoid bad influence on her son).

(of parents) to be concerned with their children's growth

Biographies of Exemplary Women
Mencius
Mencius#Mother
Six Arts
Zou (state)


拋磚引玉

ㄆㄠ ㄓㄨㄢ ㄧㄣˇ ㄩˋ

паочжуаньиньюй

/pʰɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu̯än⁵⁵ in²¹⁴⁻²¹ y⁵¹/

/pʰaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡syːn⁵⁵ jɐn¹³ jʊk̚²/

/pʰau⁴⁴⁻²² t͡suan⁴⁴⁻²² in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɔk̚⁴/

/pʰau⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡suan⁴⁴⁻³³ in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɔk̚⁴/

/pʰau⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡suan⁴⁴⁻³³ in⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɔk̚⁴/

/pʰa⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sŋ̍⁴⁴⁻³³ in⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɪk̚⁴/

/pʰa⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sŋ̍⁴⁴⁻³³ in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɪk̚⁴/

/pʰɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu̯än⁵⁵ in²¹⁴⁻²¹ y⁵¹/

/pʰaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡syːn⁵⁵ jɐn¹³ jʊk̚²/

/pʰau⁴⁴⁻²² t͡suan⁴⁴⁻²² in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɔk̚⁴/

/pʰau⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡suan⁴⁴⁻³³ in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɔk̚⁴/

/pʰau⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡suan⁴⁴⁻³³ in⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɔk̚⁴/

/pʰa⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sŋ̍⁴⁴⁻³³ in⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɪk̚⁴/

/pʰa⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sŋ̍⁴⁴⁻³³ in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡiɪk̚⁴/

One of the Thirty-Six Strategems, originally in reference to tossing brickbats at one's enemy to get an (exploitable) reaction or win a greater prize.

20多年前，曾琦是第一個到廈門投資的港商，當時他想的就是當一個「拋磚引玉的人」，讓更多的港、澳、台、僑商回國投資。 [MSC, trad.]
20多年前，曾琦是第一个到厦门投资的港商，当时他想的就是当一个「抛砖引玉的人」，让更多的港、澳、台、侨商回国投资。 [MSC, simp.]

More than 20 years ago, Zeng Qi was the first Hong Kong businessman to go to Xiamen to invest. At the time, he thought of himself as a a plain rock that attracts jade, making it possible for even more businessmen from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas to return to the motherland to invest.

20 duō nián qián, Zēng Qí shì dì yī ge dào Xiàmén tóuzī de gǎngshāng, dāngshí tā xiǎng de jiùshì dāng yī ge “pāozhuān yǐnyù de rén”, ràng gèng duō de Gǎng, Ào, Tái, qiáoshāng huíguó tóuzī. [Pinyin]

(self-deprecatory) to offer one's own relatively worthless words, opinions, or services in order to attract others' more valuable contributions


泥牛入海

ㄋㄧˊ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄖㄨˋ ㄏㄞˇ

/ni³⁵ ni̯oʊ̯³⁵ ʐu⁵¹ xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/nɐi̯²¹ ŋɐu̯²¹ jɐp̚² hɔːi̯³⁵/

/ni³⁵ ni̯oʊ̯³⁵ ʐu⁵¹ xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/nɐi̯²¹ ŋɐu̯²¹ jɐp̚² hɔːi̯³⁵/


杯弓蛇影

ㄅㄟ ㄍㄨㄥ ㄕㄜˊ ㄧㄥˇ

/peɪ̯⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵ ʂɤ³⁵ iŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/puːi̯⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵ sɛː²¹ jɪŋ³⁵/

/peɪ̯⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵ ʂɤ³⁵ iŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/puːi̯⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵ sɛː²¹ jɪŋ³⁵/

From a story in the Book of Jin:
:
樂廣嘗有親客久闕不復來，廣問其故，答曰：「前在坐，蒙賜酒，方欲飲，見杯中有蛇，意甚惡之，既飲而疾作。」時河南廳事壁上有角漆畫作蛇，廣意杯中蛇即角影也。復置酒於前處，謂客曰：「酒中復有所見不？」答曰：「所見如初。」廣乃告其所以。豁然意解，沉痾頓愈。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]乐广尝有亲客久阙不复来，广问其故，答曰：「前在坐，蒙赐酒，方欲饮，见杯中有蛇，意甚恶之，既饮而疾作。」时河南厅事壁上有角漆画作蛇，广意杯中蛇即角影也。复置酒于前处，谓客曰：「酒中复有所见不？」答曰：「所见如初。」广乃告其所以。豁然意解，沉疴顿愈。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: 648 CE, the Book of Jin, Chapter 43, translation from 100 Chinese Idioms and Their Stories
Yuè Guǎng cháng yǒu qīnkè jiǔ quē bù fù lái, Guǎng wèn qí gù, dá yuē: “Qián zài zuò, méng cì jiǔ, fāng yù yǐn, jiàn bēi zhōng yǒu shé, yì shèn è zhī, jì yǐn ér jí zuò.” Shí Hénán tīngshì bì shàng yǒu jiǎo qī huà zuò shé, Guǎng yì bēi zhōng shé jí jiǎo yǐng yě. Fù zhì jiǔ yú qián chù, wèi kè yuē: “Jiǔ zhōng fù yǒu suǒjiàn bù?” Dá yuē: “Suǒjiàn rú chū.” Guǎng nǎi gào qí suǒyǐ. Huòrán yì jiě, chénkē dùn yù. [Pinyin]
Yue Guang had a frequent guest, who used to call on him regularly but had failed to turn up for some time. When Yue asked the reason why, the man answered: “On my last visit, you kindly treated me to wine. Just as I was going to take a sip, I saw a snake wriggling in the goblet and I felt quite sick. Nevertheless, I drank; then I soon fell ill.”
Now in those days it was a custom prevailing in Henan Prefecture for a prefect to have a bow painted to look like a snake and hung in his hall. Suspecting that the snake alluded to was nothing but a reflection of the decorated bow, he invited the man again for a drink and set the table in the usual spot.
“Do you still see something in the wine cup?” asked the host.
“Yes, exactly as before.” was the answer.
Then Yue Guang explained what he thought the whole trouble must have been. At that, the guest realized what had happened and instantly relieved of his obsession, and returned to normal.

樂 ^廣 嘗 有 親客 久 闕{quē} 不 復 來，^廣 問 其 故，答 曰：「前 在 坐，蒙 賜 酒，方 欲 飲，見 杯 中 有 蛇，意 甚 惡 之，既 飲 而 疾 作。」時 ^河南 廳事 壁 上 有 角 漆 畫 作 蛇，^廣 意 杯 中 蛇 即 角 影 也。復 置 酒 於 前 處，謂 客 曰：「酒 中 復 有 所見 不？」答 曰：「所見 如 初。」^廣 乃 告 其 所以。豁然 意 解，沉痾 頓 愈。

648 <small class='ce-date'>CE</small>, the Book of Jin, Chapter 43, translation from 100 Chinese Idioms and Their Stories

to mistake the shadow of a bow in one's cup for a snake

(figurative) false alarm; self-created suspicion; atmosphere of fear and admonition


河東獅吼

ㄏㄜˊ ㄉㄨㄥ ㄕ ㄏㄡˇ

/xɤ³⁵ tʊŋ⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ xoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/hɔː²¹ tʊŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ hɐu̯³³/

/hɔː²¹ tʊŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ hɐu̯³⁵/

/hɔː²¹ tʊŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ haːu̯⁵⁵/

/xɤ³⁵ tʊŋ⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ xoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/hɔː²¹ tʊŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ hɐu̯³³/

/hɔː²¹ tʊŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ hɐu̯³⁵/

/hɔː²¹ tʊŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ haːu̯⁵⁵/

From a line in Su Shi's poem 《寄吳德仁兼簡陳季常》 ("Poem sent for Wu Deren and for Chen Jichang as well"), depicting Chen Zao's overbearing wife, who was originally from the Hedong Commandery (translation from Qiu, 2013):
*
龍丘居士亦可憐，
談空說有夜不眠，
忽聞河東獅子吼，
柱杖落手心茫然。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]龙丘居士亦可怜，
谈空说有夜不眠，
忽闻河东狮子吼，
柱杖落手心茫然。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
Lóngqiū jūshì yì kělián,
Tán kōng shuō yǒu yè bùmián,
Hū wén Hédōng shīzǐ hǒu,
Zhù zhàng luò shǒu xīn mángrán. [Pinyin]
The lay practitioner of Dragon Hill is also pitiful,
he stays up discoursing on emptiness and fullness all night long.
Suddenly he hears a lion’s roar from east-of-the river,
the cane drops from his hand, he is at a loss.

龍丘 居士 亦 可憐，
談 空 說 有 夜 不眠，
忽 聞 @^河東 @獅子 @吼，
柱 杖 落 手 心 茫然。

the "lioness's roar", used to describe the loud complaining of an overbearing wife from the perspective of her henpecked husband.

Hedong Commandery
Longqiu
Su Shi
zh:吳瑛 (宋朝)
zh:陳慥


林林總總

ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄗㄨㄥˇ ㄗㄨㄥˇ

линьлиньцзунцзун

/lin³⁵ lin³⁵ t͡sʊŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡sʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/lɐm²¹ lɐm²¹ t͡sʊŋ³⁵ t͡sʊŋ³⁵/

/lim²⁴⁻²² lim²⁴⁻²² t͡sɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁵³/

/lim²⁴⁻²² lim²⁴⁻²² t͡sɔŋ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁵⁵⁴/

/lim¹³⁻²² lim¹³⁻²² t͡sɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁵³/

/lim²⁴⁻¹¹ lim²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁵³/

/lim²³⁻³³ lim²³⁻³³ t͡sɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁴¹/

/lɐm²¹ lɐm²¹ t͡sʊŋ³⁵ t͡sʊŋ³⁵/

/lim²⁴⁻²² lim²⁴⁻²² t͡sɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁵³/

/lim¹³⁻²² lim¹³⁻²² t͡sɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁵³/

/lim²⁴⁻¹¹ lim²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sɔŋ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁵³/

/lim²³⁻³³ lim²³⁻³³ t͡sɔŋ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sɔŋ⁴¹/


肥頭大耳

→ Vietnamese: tai to mặt lớn (calque)

ㄈㄟˊ ㄊㄡˊ ㄉㄚˋ ㄦˇ

/feɪ̯³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ tä⁵¹ ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fei̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹ taːi̯²² jiː¹³/

/feɪ̯³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ tä⁵¹ ˀɤɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fei̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹ taːi̯²² jiː¹³/

fat and pudgy; robust and prosperous (a compliment in former times)


知書達禮

ㄓ ㄕㄨ ㄉㄚˊ ㄌㄧˇ

ㄓ ㄕㄨ ㄉㄚˊ ㄌㄧˇ

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵ tä³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡siː⁵⁵ syː⁵⁵ taːt̚² lɐi̯¹³/

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵ tä³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡siː⁵⁵ syː⁵⁵ taːt̚² lɐi̯¹³/


半斤八兩

ㄅㄢˋ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄅㄚ ㄌㄧㄤˇ

баньцзиньбалян

/pän⁵¹ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ pä⁵⁵ li̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/puːn³³ kɐn⁵⁵ paːt̚³ lœːŋ¹³⁻³⁵/

/puã²¹⁻⁵³ kun⁴⁴⁻²² pue(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ niũ⁵³/

/puã⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ kun³³ pue(ʔ)⁵ niũ⁵⁵⁴/

/puã¹¹⁻⁵³ kun⁴⁴⁻³³ pue(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ niũ⁵³/

/puã²¹⁻⁴¹ kin⁴⁴⁻³³ pe(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ niũ⁴¹/

/puã²¹⁻⁵³ kin⁴⁴⁻²² pe(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ niɔ̃⁵³/

/puã²¹⁻⁵³ kin⁴⁴⁻³³ pe(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ niɔ̃⁵³/

/pũã²¹³⁻⁵⁵ kɯŋ³³⁻²³ poiʔ²⁻⁴ nie⁵²/

/pũã²¹³⁻⁵⁵ keŋ³³⁻²³ poiʔ²⁻⁴ nio⁵²⁻²¹/

/pän⁵¹ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ pä⁵⁵ li̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/puːn³³ kɐn⁵⁵ paːt̚³ lœːŋ¹³⁻³⁵/

/puã²¹⁻⁵³ kun⁴⁴⁻²² pue(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ niũ⁵³/

/puã⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ kun³³ pue(ʔ)⁵ niũ⁵⁵⁴/

/puã¹¹⁻⁵³ kun⁴⁴⁻³³ pue(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ niũ⁵³/

/puã²¹⁻⁴¹ kin⁴⁴⁻³³ pe(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ niũ⁴¹/

/puã²¹⁻⁵³ kin⁴⁴⁻²² pe(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ niɔ̃⁵³/

/puã²¹⁻⁵³ kin⁴⁴⁻³³ pe(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ niɔ̃⁵³/

/pũã²¹³⁻⁵⁵ kɯŋ³³⁻²³ poiʔ²⁻⁴ nie⁵²/

/pũã²¹³⁻⁵⁵ keŋ³³⁻²³ poiʔ²⁻⁴ nio⁵²⁻²¹/

From the historical Chinese measurement system, wherein one 斤 (jīn) was equal to 16 兩／两 (liǎng).

six of one, half a dozen of the other
six of one, half a dozen of the other

(chiefly derogatory) six of one, half a dozen of the other; not much to choose between the two


金碧輝煌

ㄐㄧㄣ ㄅㄧˋ ㄏㄨㄟ ㄏㄨㄤˊ

цзиньбихуэйхуан

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ pi⁵¹ xu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ xu̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/kɐm⁵⁵ pɪk̚⁵ fɐi̯⁵⁵ wɔːŋ²¹/

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ pi⁵¹ xu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ xu̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/kɐm⁵⁵ pɪk̚⁵ fɐi̯⁵⁵ wɔːŋ²¹/

(of the furnishings and decorations of a building or structure) magnificent, splendid and resplendent


長生不老

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (長生不老):
* → Vietnamese: trường sinh bất lão (長生不老)

ㄔㄤˊ ㄕㄥ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄠˇ

/ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰœːŋ²¹ sɐŋ⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ lou̯¹³/

/ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰœːŋ²¹ sɐŋ⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ lou̯¹³/


春暖花開

ㄔㄨㄣ ㄋㄨㄢˇ ㄏㄨㄚ ㄎㄞ

чуньнуаньхуакай

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən⁵⁵ nu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ä⁵⁵ kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵ nyːn¹³ faː⁵⁵ hɔːi̯⁵⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən⁵⁵ nu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ä⁵⁵ kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵ nyːn¹³ faː⁵⁵ hɔːi̯⁵⁵/

during the warmth of spring all the flowers bloom


眉清目秀

ㄇㄟˊ ㄑㄧㄥ ㄇㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄡˋ

/meɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ mu⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/

/mei̯²¹ t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ mʊk̚² sɐu̯³³/

/meɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ mu⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/

/mei̯²¹ t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ mʊk̚² sɐu̯³³/


背水一戰

ㄅㄟˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄧ ㄓㄢˋ

бэйшуйичжань

/peɪ̯⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂän⁵¹/

/puːi̯³³ sɵy̯³⁵ jɐt̚⁵ t͡siːn³³/

/peɪ̯⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂän⁵¹/

/puːi̯³³ sɵy̯³⁵ jɐt̚⁵ t͡siːn³³/

From the Records of the Grand Historian 背水陣／背水阵 (bèishuǐzhèn) (originally 背水陳, literally "arrange the battle array with soldiers' back to the river", 陳／陈 (chén) is an ancient variant of 陣／阵 (zhèn)).

zh-l

背水陣／背水阵 (bèishuǐzhèn)

to be forced to stand and fight; to make a desperate last stand


風流倜儻

ㄈㄥ ㄌㄧㄡˊ ㄊㄧˋ ㄊㄤˇ

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ li̯oʊ̯³⁵ tʰi⁵¹ tʰɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ lɐu̯²¹ tʰɪk̚⁵ tʰɔːŋ³⁵/

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ li̯oʊ̯³⁵ tʰi⁵¹ tʰɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ lɐu̯²¹ tʰɪk̚⁵ tʰɔːŋ³⁵/

(of one's appearance and manner) natural and unrestrained; charming; casual and elegant; dashing


風和日麗

ㄈㄥ ㄏㄜˊ ㄖˋ ㄌㄧˋ

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ xɤ³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɔː²¹ jɐt̚² lɐi̯²²/

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ xɤ³⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɔː²¹ jɐt̚² lɐi̯²²/

the bright sunshine and gentle breezes; warm and sunny weather


風韻猶存

ㄈㄥ ㄩㄣˋ ㄧㄡˊ ㄘㄨㄣˊ

фэнъюньюцунь

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ yn⁵¹ joʊ̯³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ən³⁵/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɐn¹³ jɐu̯²¹ t͡sʰyːn²¹/

/fɤŋ⁵⁵ yn⁵¹ joʊ̯³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ən³⁵/

/fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɐn¹³ jɐu̯²¹ t͡sʰyːn²¹/

(usually said of a middle-aged woman) to continue to possess a graceful appearance or demeanor


首屈一指

/ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɐu̯³⁵ wɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚⁵ t͡siː³⁵/

/sɐu̯³⁵ wɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚⁵ t͡siː³⁵/

In Chinese culture, one common method of counting is to begin with an open hand, then begin folding the fingers into the palm starting with the thumb.

苗族的銀飾在各民族的首飾中首屈一指 [MSC, trad.]
苗族的银饰在各民族的首饰中首屈一指 [MSC, simp.]

The silver jewelry of the Hmong people comes in first place out of all of ethnic jewelry.

miáozú de yín shì zài gè mínzú de shǒushì zhōng shǒuqūyīzhǐ [Pinyin]

number one; come first on the list; be matchless; be second to none; come out first; thumbs up


原封不動

ㄩㄢˊ ㄈㄥ ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄨㄥˋ

юаньфэнбудун

/ɥɛn³⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹/

/jyːn²¹ fʊŋ⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ tʊŋ²²/

/ɡuan²⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔŋ²²/

/ɡuan²⁴⁻²² hɔŋ³³ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ tɔŋ⁴¹/

/ɡuan¹³⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁵ tɔŋ²²/

/ɡuan²⁴⁻¹¹ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔŋ³³/

/ɡuan²³⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔŋ³³/

/ɥɛn³⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹/

/jyːn²¹ fʊŋ⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ tʊŋ²²/

/ɡuan²⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔŋ²²/

/ɡuan²⁴⁻²² hɔŋ³³ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ tɔŋ⁴¹/

/ɡuan¹³⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² put̚³²⁻⁵ tɔŋ²²/

/ɡuan²⁴⁻¹¹ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔŋ³³/

/ɡuan²³⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔŋ³³/

intact in its original state; to remain unchanged; the original article still in its original package; in mint condition


卿卿我我

ㄑㄧㄥ ㄑㄧㄥ ㄨㄛˇ ㄨㄛˇ

/t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/hɪŋ⁵⁵ hɪŋ⁵⁵ ŋɔː¹³ ŋɔː¹³/

/hɪŋ⁵⁵ hɪŋ⁵⁵ ŋɔː¹³ ŋɔː¹³/

The chengyu, or at least the reduplication of 卿 (MC khjaeng) in it, appears to be influenced by a story in the A New Account of the Tales of the World. Wang Rong, one of the Seven Sages (竹林七賢), felt discomfited by his wife calling him 卿 (MC khjaeng), a second-person term of endearment then typically used by the man to refer to the woman (i.e. men's speech). The wife, in retort, famously said
:
親卿愛卿，是以卿卿；我不卿卿，誰當卿卿？ [Literary Chinese, trad.]亲卿爱卿，是以卿卿；我不卿卿，谁当卿卿？ [Literary Chinese, simp.]
From: Liu Yiqing (editor), A New Account of the Tales of the World, 5ᵗʰ century CE
Qīn qīng ài qīng, shìyǐ qīng qīng; wǒ bù qīng qīng, shéi dāng qīng qīng? [Pinyin]
I endear my dear and love my dear, and that's why I call my dear "my dear". If I were not to call my dear "my dear", who else is supposed to call my dear "my dear"?
Here in the construct 卿卿, the first 卿 is used by conversion (or anthimeria) as a verb that means "to call someone by 卿", which was idiomatic due to the high degree of elasticity of the Chinese language.

zh-x

親 卿 愛 卿，是以 卿 卿；我 不 卿 卿，誰 當{dāng} 卿 卿？

whispers of love; lovers' talk; to bill and coo; to be very much in love; intimate relations

A New Account of the Tales of the World
Wang Rong (Jin dynasty)


脣亡齒寒

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (脣亡齒寒):
* → Korean: 순망치한(脣亡齒寒) (sunmangchihan)

ja-r

くちびる ほろびて は さむし

→ Japanese: 唇(くちびる)亡(ほろ)びて歯(は)寒(さむ)し (kuchibiru horobite wa samushi) (calque)

→ Vietnamese: môi hở răng lạnh (calque)

ㄔㄨㄣˊ ㄨㄤˊ ㄔˇ ㄏㄢˊ

чуньванчихань

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵ wɑŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ xän³⁵/

/sɵn²¹ mɔːŋ²¹ t͡sʰiː³⁵ hɔːn²¹/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵ wɑŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ xän³⁵/

/sɵn²¹ mɔːŋ²¹ t͡sʰiː³⁵ hɔːn²¹/

From the Commentary of Zuo:
:
晉侯復假道於虞以伐虢。宮之奇諫曰：「虢，虞之表也，虢亡，虞必從之。晉不可啟，寇不可翫。一之謂甚，其可再乎。諺所謂輔車相依，脣亡齒寒者，其虞虢之謂也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]晋侯复假道于虞以伐虢。宫之奇谏曰：「虢，虞之表也，虢亡，虞必从之。晋不可启，寇不可玩。一之谓甚，其可再乎。谚所谓辅车相依，唇亡齿寒者，其虞虢之谓也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4ᵗʰ century BCE
Jìn hóu fù jiǎdào yú Yú yǐ fá Guó. Gōng Zhīqí jiàn yuē: “Guó, Yú zhī biǎo yě, Guó wáng, Yú bì cóng zhī. Jìn bùkě qǐ, kòu bùkě wàn. Yī zhī wèi shèn, qí kě zài hū. Yàn suǒwèi fǔchēxiāngyī, chúnwángchǐhán zhě, qí Yú Guó zhī wèi yě.” [Pinyin]
The marquis of Jin once again wanted to attack Guo by way of Yu. Gong Zhiqi admonished the duke of Yu, saying, “Guo is exterior to Yu. If Guo should perish, Yu is sure to follow. The road should not be opened for Jin; the bandits are not to be ignored. Once was more than enough, how can you do it a second time? The two sayings, ‘The cheekbone and gum depend on one another’ and ‘When the lips perish, the teeth become cold’ both apply to the relationship between Guo and Yu.”

zh-x

晉 侯 復 假道 於 ^虞 以 伐 ^虢。宮 ^之-奇 諫 曰：「虢，^虞 之 表 也，^虢 亡，^虞 必 從 之。晉 不可 啟，寇 不可 翫。一 之 謂 甚，其 可 再 乎。諺 所謂 輔車相{xiāng}依，脣亡齒寒 者，其 ^虞 ^虢 之 謂 也。」

to share a common lot; to share the same fate


娓娓動聽

ㄨㄟˇ ㄨㄟˇ ㄉㄨㄥˋ ㄊㄧㄥ

вэйвэйдунтин

/weɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ weɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʊŋ⁵¹ tʰiŋ⁵⁵/

/mei̯¹³ mei̯¹³ tʊŋ²² tʰɪŋ³³/

/mei̯¹³ mei̯¹³ tʊŋ²² tʰɪŋ⁵⁵/

/weɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ weɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʊŋ⁵¹ tʰiŋ⁵⁵/

/mei̯¹³ mei̯¹³ tʊŋ²² tʰɪŋ³³/

/mei̯¹³ mei̯¹³ tʊŋ²² tʰɪŋ⁵⁵/

talk in an impressive way; smooth-spoken; speak with absorbing interest; vivid and interesting


旁若無人

ㄆㄤˊ ㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄨˊ ㄖㄣˊ

/pʰɑŋ³⁵ ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹ u³⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/pʰɔːŋ²¹ jœːk̚² mou̯²¹ jɐn²¹/

/pʰɑŋ³⁵ ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹ u³⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/pʰɔːŋ²¹ jœːk̚² mou̯²¹ jɐn²¹/

to selfishly do what one wants without regard to other people's wishes


徐娘半老

ㄒㄩˊ ㄋㄧㄤˊ ㄅㄢˋ ㄌㄠˇ

сюйнянбаньлао

/ɕy³⁵ ni̯ɑŋ³⁵ pän⁵¹ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰɵy̯²¹ nœːŋ²¹ puːn³³ lou̯¹³/

/ɕy³⁵ ni̯ɑŋ³⁵ pän⁵¹ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰɵy̯²¹ nœːŋ²¹ puːn³³ lou̯¹³/


捕風捉影

ㄅㄨˇ ㄈㄥ ㄓㄨㄛ ㄧㄥˇ

/pu²¹⁴⁻²¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵ iŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pou̯²² fʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵ jɪŋ³⁵/

/pu²¹⁴⁻²¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵ iŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pou̯²² fʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵ jɪŋ³⁵/

to make groundless accusations; to grasp at straws


氣宇軒昂

ㄑㄧˋ ㄩˇ ㄒㄩㄢ ㄤˊ

ㄑㄧˋ ㄩˇ ㄒㄩㄢ ㄤˊ

/t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕy̯ɛn⁵⁵ ˀɑŋ³⁵/

/hei̯³³ jyː¹³ hiːn⁵⁵ ŋɔːŋ²¹/

/t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ y²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕy̯ɛn⁵⁵ ˀɑŋ³⁵/

/hei̯³³ jyː¹³ hiːn⁵⁵ ŋɔːŋ²¹/


烏雲密布

ㄨ ㄩㄣˊ ㄇㄧˋ ㄅㄨˋ

/u⁵⁵ yn³⁵ mi⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹/

/wuː⁵⁵ wɐn²¹ mɐt̚² pou̯³³/

/u⁵⁵ yn³⁵ mi⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹/

/wuː⁵⁵ wɐn²¹ mɐt̚² pou̯³³/

the sky is covered with dark clouds; dark clouds gather in the sky; to have an overcast sky


班門弄斧

desc

→ Vietnamese: múa rìu qua mắt thợ (calque)

ㄅㄢ ㄇㄣˊ ㄋㄨㄥˋ ㄈㄨˇ

баньмэньнунфу

/pän⁵⁵ mən³⁵ nʊŋ⁵¹ fu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/paːn⁵⁵ muːn²¹ lʊŋ²² fuː³⁵/

/pan⁴⁴⁻²² bun²⁴⁻²² lɔŋ²²⁻²¹ hu⁵³/

/pan⁴⁴⁻³³ bun²³⁻³³ lɔŋ³³⁻²¹ hu⁴¹/

/pan⁴⁴⁻³³ bun²⁴⁻¹¹ lɔŋ³³⁻¹¹ hu⁵³/

/pan⁴⁴⁻²² bun²⁴⁻²² lɔŋ²²⁻²¹ pɔ⁵³/

/pän⁵⁵ mən³⁵ nʊŋ⁵¹ fu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/paːn⁵⁵ muːn²¹ lʊŋ²² fuː³⁵/

/pan⁴⁴⁻²² bun²⁴⁻²² lɔŋ²²⁻²¹ hu⁵³/

/pan⁴⁴⁻³³ bun²³⁻³³ lɔŋ³³⁻²¹ hu⁴¹/

/pan⁴⁴⁻³³ bun²⁴⁻¹¹ lɔŋ³³⁻¹¹ hu⁵³/

/pan⁴⁴⁻²² bun²⁴⁻²² lɔŋ²²⁻²¹ pɔ⁵³/


草木皆兵

ㄘㄠˇ ㄇㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄅㄧㄥ

/t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ piŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰou̯³⁵ mʊk̚² kaːi̯⁵⁵ pɪŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ piŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰou̯³⁵ mʊk̚² kaːi̯⁵⁵ pɪŋ⁵⁵/

From record of Battle of Fei River in Book of Jin:
:
堅與苻融登城而望王師，見部陣齊整，將士精銳，又北望八公山上草木，皆類人形，顧謂融曰：「此亦勍敵也，何謂少乎！」憮然有懼色。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]坚与苻融登城而望王师，见部阵齐整，将士精锐，又北望八公山上草木，皆类人形，顾谓融曰：「此亦勍敌也，何谓少乎！」怃然有惧色。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
From: 648 CE, Fang Xuanling (lead editor), Book of Jin
Jiān yǔ fúróng dēng chéng ér wàng wángshī, jiàn bùzhèn qízhěng, jiāngshì jīngruì, yòu běi wàng bāgōngshān shàng cǎomù, jiē lèi rénxíng, gù wèi róng yuē: “Cǐ yì qíngdí yě, hé wèi shào hū!” Wǔrán yǒu jù sè. [Pinyin]
Fu Jian and Fu Rong climbed up the citadel (in Shouyang) to observe the royal Jin army. Jian saw that the troops were in neat order, and the soldiers were of best quality. Then when Jian looked at the trees on Bagongshan, he thought that the trees resembled humans (and was afraid that there were ambushes) “There are strong enemies there too! How can you say that Jin has only few troops?” said Jian to Rong disappointedly and worriedly.

zh-x

@堅 與 @苻融 登 城 而 望 王師 ， 見 部陣 齊整 ， 將士 精銳 ， 又 北 望 @八公山 上 草木 ， 皆 類 人形 ，顧 謂 @融 曰 ： 「 此 亦 勍敵 也 ， 何 謂 少 乎 ！ 」 憮然 有 懼 色 。

(When the wind blows the) grass and trees, (one thinks that) the soldiers (enemy) are everywhere

Describes a situation in which someone is being overly paranoid: to apprehend danger in every sound

Bagong Mountain Scenic Spot
Battle of Fei River
Book of Jin
Jin dynasty (266–420)
Shou County


逆水行舟

ㄋㄧˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄡ

нишуйсинчжоу

/ni⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕiŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jɪk̚² sɵy̯³⁵ hɐŋ²¹ t͡sɐu̯⁵⁵/

/ni⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕiŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jɪk̚² sɵy̯³⁵ hɐŋ²¹ t͡sɐu̯⁵⁵/

to diligently engage in one's studies (like a boat going against the currents)


骨鯁在喉

ㄍㄨˇ ㄍㄥˇ ㄗㄞˋ ㄏㄡˊ

гугэнцзайхоу

/ku²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kɤŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ xoʊ̯³⁵/

/kʷɐt̚⁵ kɐŋ³⁵ t͡sɔːi̯²² hɐu̯²¹/

/ku²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kɤŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ xoʊ̯³⁵/

/kʷɐt̚⁵ kɐŋ³⁵ t͡sɔːi̯²² hɐu̯²¹/

to have something that one must get off one's chest; to have to say or speak up about something to feel comfortable


偷雞摸狗

ㄊㄡ ㄐㄧ ㄇㄛ ㄍㄡˇ

/tʰoʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ mu̯ɔ⁵⁵ koʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰɐu̯⁵⁵ kɐi̯⁵⁵ mɔː³⁵ kɐu̯³⁵/

/tʰoʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ mu̯ɔ⁵⁵ koʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰɐu̯⁵⁵ kɐi̯⁵⁵ mɔː³⁵ kɐu̯³⁵/

to not do things in an open and above board manner


唯利是圖

ㄨㄟˊ ㄌㄧˋ ㄕˋ ㄊㄨˊ

/weɪ̯³⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ tʰu³⁵/

/wɐi̯²¹ lei̯²² siː²² tʰou̯²¹/

/ui²⁴⁻²² li²²⁻²¹ si²²⁻²¹ tɔ²⁴/

/ui²⁴⁻²² li⁴¹⁻²² si⁴¹⁻²² tɔ²⁴/

/ui¹³⁻²² li²²⁻²¹ si²²⁻²¹ tɔ¹³/

/ui²⁴⁻¹¹ li³³⁻¹¹ si³³⁻¹¹ tɔ²⁴/

/ui²³⁻³³ li³³⁻²¹ si³³⁻²¹ tɔ²³/

/weɪ̯³⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ tʰu³⁵/

/wɐi̯²¹ lei̯²² siː²² tʰou̯²¹/

/ui²⁴⁻²² li²²⁻²¹ si²²⁻²¹ tɔ²⁴/

/ui²⁴⁻²² li⁴¹⁻²² si⁴¹⁻²² tɔ²⁴/

/ui¹³⁻²² li²²⁻²¹ si²²⁻²¹ tɔ¹³/

/ui²⁴⁻¹¹ li³³⁻¹¹ si³³⁻¹¹ tɔ²⁴/

/ui²³⁻³³ li³³⁻²¹ si³³⁻²¹ tɔ²³/

蘇聯和一切資本主義國家的上層成分之唯利是圖者根本相反，它是以援助一切弱小民族和革命戰爭為其職志的。 [MSC, trad.]
苏联和一切资本主义国家的上层成分之唯利是图者根本相反，它是以援助一切弱小民族和革命战争为其职志的。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 1938, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《論持久戰》 (On Protracted War), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

In direct contrast to all the members of the upper strata in the capitalist countries who seek nothing but profits, the Soviet Union considers it its duty to help all weak nations and all revolutionary wars.

Sūlián hé yīqiè zīběnzhǔyì guójiā de shàngcéng chéngfèn zhī wéilìshìtú zhě gēnběn xiāngfǎn, tā shì yǐ yuánzhù yīqiè ruòxiǎo mínzú hé gémìng zhànzhēng wéi qí zhízhì de. [Pinyin]

to be bent solely on profit; to seek nothing but profits


婀娜多姿

ㄜ ㄋㄨㄛˊ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄗ

/ˀɤ⁵⁵ nu̯ɔ³⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵⁵/

/ɔː⁵⁵ nɔː¹³ tɔː⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/

/ɔː³⁵ nɔː¹³ tɔː⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/

/ɔː⁵⁵ nɔː²¹ tɔː⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/

/ˀɤ⁵⁵ nu̯ɔ³⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵⁵/

/ɔː⁵⁵ nɔː¹³ tɔː⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/

/ɔː³⁵ nɔː¹³ tɔː⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/

/ɔː⁵⁵ nɔː²¹ tɔː⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵/


得寸進尺

ㄉㄜˊ ㄘㄨㄣˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄔˇ

дэцуньцзиньчи

/tɤ³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ən⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tɐk̚⁵ t͡sʰyːn³³ t͡sɵn³³ t͡sʰɛːk̚³/

/tiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰun¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡sin¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰioʔ³²/

/tiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰun²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡sin²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡sʰiɤʔ³²/

/tit̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰun¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡sin¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰioʔ³²/

/tit̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sʰun²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡sin²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡sʰiɤʔ³²/

/tɐk̚⁵ t͡sʰyːn³³ t͡sɵn³³ t͡sʰɛːk̚³/

to be extremely greedy; give them an inch and they'll take a mile


眼花繚亂

眼花缭乱
眼花撩亂
眼花瞭亂

ㄧㄢˇ ㄏㄨㄚ ㄌㄧㄠˊ ㄌㄨㄢˋ

яньхуаляолуань

/jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ä⁵⁵ li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ lu̯än⁵¹/

/ŋaːn¹³ faː⁵⁵ liːu̯²¹ lyːn²²/

/ɡan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ hue⁴⁴⁻²² liau²⁴⁻²² luan²²/

/ɡan⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ hue³³ liau²⁴⁻²² luan⁴¹/

/ɡan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ hue⁴⁴⁻²² liau¹³⁻²² luan²²/

/ɡan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ hue⁴⁴⁻³³ liau²⁴⁻¹¹ luan³³/

/ɡan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ hue⁴⁴⁻³³ liau²³⁻³³ luan³³/

/jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯ä⁵⁵ li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ lu̯än⁵¹/

/ŋaːn¹³ faː⁵⁵ liːu̯²¹ lyːn²²/

/ɡan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ hue⁴⁴⁻²² liau²⁴⁻²² luan²²/

/ɡan⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ hue³³ liau²⁴⁻²² luan⁴¹/

/ɡan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ hue⁴⁴⁻²² liau¹³⁻²² luan²²/

/ɡan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ hue⁴⁴⁻³³ liau²⁴⁻¹¹ luan³³/

/ɡan⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ hue⁴⁴⁻³³ liau²³⁻³³ luan³³/

to be dazzled and bewildered by the sight of something


粗茶淡飯

ㄘㄨ ㄔㄚˊ ㄉㄢˋ ㄈㄢˋ

цучаданьфань

/t͡sʰu⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰä³⁵ tän⁵¹⁻⁵³ fän⁵¹/

/t͡sʰou̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰaː²¹ taːm²² faːn²²/

/t͡sʰu²⁴ t͡sʰa¹¹ tʰam²⁴⁻¹¹ fan⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰou³³⁻²³ te⁵⁵⁻¹¹ tã³⁵⁻¹¹ puŋ¹¹/

/t͡sʰu⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰä³⁵ tän⁵¹⁻⁵³ fän⁵¹/

/t͡sʰou̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰaː²¹ taːm²² faːn²²/

/t͡sʰu²⁴ t͡sʰa¹¹ tʰam²⁴⁻¹¹ fan⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰou³³⁻²³ te⁵⁵⁻¹¹ tã³⁵⁻¹¹ puŋ¹¹/

to lead a simple life; to live without fancy food or drink


閉門造車

ㄅㄧˋ ㄇㄣˊ ㄗㄠˋ ㄔㄜ

ㄅㄧˋ ㄇㄣˊ ㄗㄠˋ ㄐㄩ

бимэньцзаочэ

/pi⁵¹ mən³⁵ t͡sɑʊ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤ⁵⁵/

бимэньцзаоцзюй

/pi⁵¹ mən³⁵ t͡sɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕy⁵⁵/

/pɐi̯³³ muːn²¹ t͡sou̯²² kɵy̯⁵⁵/

/pi²¹⁻⁵³ bun²⁴⁻²² t͡so²²⁻²¹ t͡sʰia⁴⁴/

/pi²¹⁻⁴¹ mŋ̍²³⁻³³ t͡sɤ³³⁻²¹ ki⁴⁴/

/pi¹¹⁻⁵³ mŋ̍²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡so³³⁻¹¹ ku⁴⁴/

/pi⁵¹ mən³⁵ t͡sɑʊ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤ⁵⁵/

/pi⁵¹ mən³⁵ t͡sɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕy⁵⁵/

/pɐi̯³³ muːn²¹ t͡sou̯²² kɵy̯⁵⁵/

/pi²¹⁻⁵³ bun²⁴⁻²² t͡so²²⁻²¹ t͡sʰia⁴⁴/

/pi²¹⁻⁴¹ mŋ̍²³⁻³³ t͡sɤ³³⁻²¹ ki⁴⁴/

/pi¹¹⁻⁵³ mŋ̍²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡so³³⁻¹¹ ku⁴⁴/

在中國男籃敗在希臘隊腳下後，姚明並沒有發火，而是中肯地提出了自己的意見，他說：“閉門造車打國內的聯賽永遠都是這樣，必須讓他們出去打比賽，不是一個一個隊的出去，而是一個一個隊員的出去，殺入外面每一個隊。這樣，我們的籃球整體水準才有可能提升。” [MSC, trad.]
在中国男篮败在希腊队脚下后，姚明并没有发火，而是中肯地提出了自己的意见，他说：“闭门造车打国内的联赛永远都是这样，必须让他们出去打比赛，不是一个一个队的出去，而是一个一个队员的出去，杀入外面每一个队。这样，我们的篮球整体水准才有可能提升。” [MSC, simp.]

From: 2006: 宇争 (Yu Zheng), 中肯提出意见 姚明:请别再闭门造车 (Yao Ming's opinion hits home: "Please don't operate in a vacuum anymore")

After the men's basketball team for China lost at the hands of Greece, Yao Ming did not become angry. Instead, he offered his own opinion, which cut right to the heart of the matter, "It will always be like this if we operate in a vacuum, and are forever only playing local league games in our own country. We need to let them go abroad to compete. It's not about individual teams going abroad. Rather, it's about individual team members going abroad and fighting their way onto the teams of other countries. That's the only way we'll be able raise the level of our basketball as a whole.

Zài Zhōngguó nánlán bài zài Xīlà duì jiǎoxià hòu, Yáo Míng bìng méiyǒu fāhuǒ, érshì zhōngkěn dì tíchū le zìjǐ de yìjiàn, tā shuō: “Bìménzàochē dǎ guónèi de liánsài yǒngyuǎn dōu shì zhèyàng, bìxū ràng tāmen chūqù dǎ bǐsài, bùshì yīge yīge duì de chūqù, érshì yīge yīge duìyuán de chūqù, shā rù wàimiàn měi yīge duì. Zhèyàng, wǒmen de lánqiú zhěngtǐ shuǐzhǔn cái yǒu kěnéng tíshēng.” [Pinyin]

do something irrespective of external circumstances; to operate in a vacuum


頂天立地

ㄉㄧㄥˇ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˋ ㄉㄧˋ

/tiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ ti⁵¹/

/tɪŋ³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ lɐp̚² tei̯²²/

/tɪŋ³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ laːp̚² tei̯²²/

/tiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ ti⁵¹/

/tɪŋ³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ lɐp̚² tei̯²²/

/tɪŋ³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ laːp̚² tei̯²²/

Literally: stand upright on one's two legs between heaven and earth

fiercely independent; of indomitable spirit; fear nothing on earth; undertake a Herculean task; upstanding and dauntless


博學強記

ㄅㄛˊ ㄒㄩㄝˊ ㄑㄧㄤˊ ㄐㄧˋ

/pu̯ɔ³⁵ ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/pɔːk̚³ hɔːk̚² kʰœːŋ²¹ kei̯³³/

/pu̯ɔ³⁵ ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵¹/

/pɔːk̚³ hɔːk̚² kʰœːŋ²¹ kei̯³³/

to have a lot of knowledge and a good memory


插翅難飛

even with wings it would be difficult to fly away

ㄔㄚ ㄔˋ ㄋㄢˊ ㄈㄟ

/ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵¹ nän³⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰaːp̚³ t͡sʰiː³³ naːn²¹ fei̯⁵⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵¹ nän³⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰaːp̚³ t͡sʰiː³³ naːn²¹ fei̯⁵⁵/


曾經滄海難為水

ㄘㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄘㄤ ㄏㄞˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄕㄨㄟˇ

tsʻêng² ching¹ tsʻang¹-hai³ nan² wei² shui³

цэн цзин цанхай нань вэй шуй

/t͡sʰɤŋ³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɑŋ⁵⁵ xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

孟子曰：孔子登東山而小魯，登泰山而小天下。故觀於海者難為水。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]孟子曰：孔子登东山而小鲁，登泰山而小天下。故观于海者难为水。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4ᵗʰ century BCE
Mèngzǐ yuē: Kǒngzǐ dēng Dōngshān ér xiǎo Lǔ, dēng Tàishān ér xiǎo tiānxià. Gù guān yú hǎi zhě nán wèi shuǐ. [Pinyin]
Mencius said, "Having climbed the East Peak (of Mount Tai), Lu seemed small to Confucius. Having climbed to the top of Mount Tai, the whole world below seemed small. Those who have seen the ocean will have difficulty taking rivers seriously.
曾經滄海難為水，除卻巫山不是雲。取次花叢懶回顧，半緣修道半緣君。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]曾经沧海难为水，除却巫山不是云。取次花丛懒回顾，半缘修道半缘君。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: c. 779 - 831: Yuan Zhen, Missing you (part four of five) (離思五首（其四）) (Wiktionary translation)
Céng jīng cānghǎi nán wèi shuǐ, chúquè Wūshān bùshì yún. Qǔcì huācóng lǎn huígù, bàn yuán xiūdào bàn yuán jūn. [Pinyin]
Having crossed the vast oceans, I can no longer take a river seriously. If it's not on Mount Wushan, it's not a cloud. I don't care to look back on my leisurely walks among the flowers and shrubs, half due to religious devotion, and half due to you.

^孟子 曰：^孔子 登 ^東山 而 小 ^魯，登.^泰山.而.小.天下。故 觀 於 海 者 難 為 水。

曾.經.滄海.難.為.水，除卻 ^巫山 不是 雲。取次 花叢 懶 回顧，半 緣 修道 半 緣 君。

2001: Zhong Jin (仲进) ed., 曾经沧海难为水亚洲首富李兆基徘徊于房地产陷阱 (headline of a news article)

曾經滄海難為水亞洲首富李兆基徘徊於房地產陷阱 [MSC, trad.]
曾经沧海难为水亚洲首富李兆基徘徊于房地产陷阱 [MSC, simp.]

Been there, done that ... Asia's richest man, Li Zhaoji, avoids being sucked into the real estate

céngjīngcānghǎinánwèishuǐ yàzhōu shǒu fù lǐ zhào jī páihuái yú fángdìchǎn xiànjǐng [Pinyin]

been there, done that
been there, done that


無所遁形

ㄨˊ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄉㄨㄣˋ ㄒㄧㄥˊ

/u³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ən⁵¹ ɕiŋ³⁵/

/mou̯²¹ sɔː³⁵ tɵn²² jɪŋ²¹/

/u³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ən⁵¹ ɕiŋ³⁵/

/mou̯²¹ sɔː³⁵ tɵn²² jɪŋ²¹/


無何有之鄉

ㄨˊ ㄏㄜˊ ㄧㄡˇ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄤ

/u³⁵ xɤ³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/mou̯²¹ hɔː²¹ jɐu̯¹³ t͡siː⁵⁵ hœːŋ⁵⁵/

/u³⁵ xɤ³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/mou̯²¹ hɔː²¹ jɐu̯¹³ t͡siː⁵⁵ hœːŋ⁵⁵/

From Zhuangzi:
:
今子有大樹，患其無用，何不樹之於無何有之鄉，廣莫之野，彷徨乎無為其側，逍遙乎寢臥其下？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]今子有大树，患其无用，何不树之于无何有之乡，广莫之野，彷徨乎无为其侧，逍遥乎寝卧其下？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhuangzi, circa 3ʳᵈ – 2ⁿᵈ centuries BCE
Jīn zǐ yǒu dàshù, huàn qí wúyòng, hé bù shù zhī yú wúhéyǒuzhīxiāng, guǎngmò zhī yě, pánghuáng hū wúwéi qí cè, xiāoyáo hū qǐnwò qí xià? [Pinyin]
You, Sir, have a large tree and are troubled because it is of no use - why do you not plant it in a tract where there is nothing else, or in a wide and barren wild? There you might saunter idly by its side, or in the enjoyment of untroubled ease sleep beneath it.

今 子 有 大樹，患 其 無用，何 不 樹 之 於 無何有之鄉，廣莫 之 野，彷徨 乎 無為{wéi} 其 側，逍遙 乎 寢臥 其 下？


量入為出

ㄌㄧㄤˋ ㄖㄨˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄔㄨ

/li̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʐu⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵/

/lœːŋ²² jɐp̚² wɐi̯²¹ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵/

/li̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʐu⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵/

/lœːŋ²² jɐp̚² wɐi̯²¹ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵/

From the Book of Rites, Book 5 (《禮記·王制》):
:
冢宰制國用，必於歲之杪，五穀皆入然後制國用。用地小大，視年之豐耗。以三十年之通制國用，量入以為出，祭用數之仂。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]冢宰制国用，必于岁之杪，五谷皆入然后制国用。用地小大，视年之丰耗。以三十年之通制国用，量入以为出，祭用数之仂。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zhǒngzǎi zhì guóyòng, bì yú suì zhī miǎo, wǔgǔ jiē rù ránhòu zhì guóyòng. Yòng dì xiǎodà, shì nián zhī fēnghào. Yǐ sānshí nián zhī tōng zhì guóyòng, liàng rù yǐ wéi chū, jì yòng shù zhī lè. [Pinyin]
The chief minister determined the expenditure of the states, and it was the rule that he should do so at the close of the year. When the five kinds of grain had all been gathered in, he then determined the expenditure - according to the size of each territory, as large or small, and the returns of the year, as abundant or poor. On the average of thirty years he determined the expenditure, regulating the outgoing by the income. A tenth of the (year's) expenditure was for sacrifices.

冢宰 制 國-用，必 於 歲 之 杪，五穀 皆 入 然後 制 國-用。用 地 小-大，視 年 之 豐-耗。以 三十 年 之 通 制 國-用，@量.入 以 @為{wéi}.出，祭 用 數 之 仂。

年輕白領理財的首要是要量入為出，強制儲蓄。 [MSC, trad.]
年轻白领理财的首要是要量入为出，强制储蓄。 [MSC, simp.]

2005: Shenzhen Business News staff, Shenzhen Business NewsThe most important thing for young white-collar workers, in terms of managing money, is to make ends meet and to focus on saving.

Niánqīng báilǐng lǐcái de shǒuyào shì yào liàngrùwéichū, qiángzhì chǔxù. [Pinyin]

make ends meet; adjust one's expense to one's income; base one's expenditures upon one's income


債臺高築

ㄓㄞˋ ㄊㄞˊ ㄍㄠ ㄓㄨˋ

ㄓㄞˋ ㄊㄞˊ ㄍㄠ ㄓㄨˊ

чжайтайгаочжу

/ʈ͡ʂaɪ̯⁵¹ tʰaɪ̯³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹/

/ʈ͡ʂaɪ̯⁵¹ tʰaɪ̯³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu³⁵/

/t͡saːi̯³³ tʰɔːi̯²¹ kou̯⁵⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂaɪ̯⁵¹ tʰaɪ̯³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹/

/ʈ͡ʂaɪ̯⁵¹ tʰaɪ̯³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu³⁵/

/t͡saːi̯³³ tʰɔːi̯²¹ kou̯⁵⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵/

From the legend of King Nan of Zhou, the last king of Zhou dynasty, who hid himself on a platform in the palace to avoid people demanding him to pay back the debt for wars, as quoted in the Book of Han:
:
自幽、平之後，日以陵夷，至虖阸䧢河洛之間，分為二周，有逃責之臺，被竊鐵之言。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]自幽、平之后，日以陵夷，至呼阸𨸟河洛之间，分为二周，有逃责之台，被窃铁之言。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Book of Han, circa 1ˢᵗ century CE
Zì yōu, píng zhī hòu, rì yǐ língyí, zhì hū èqū héluò zhījiān, fēnwèi èr zhōu, yǒu táo zhài zhī tái, bèi qiè tiě zhī yán. [Pinyin]
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

自 幽 、 平 之 後 ， 日 以 陵夷 ， 至 虖 阸䧢{qū} 河洛 之間 ， 分為 二 周 ， 有 逃 責{zhài} 之 臺 ， 被 竊 鐵 之 言 。

up to one's eyeballs
up to one's eyeballs

be up to one's eyeballs in debt; racked with debt


嗤之以鼻

/ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi³⁵/

/t͡sʰiː⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ jiː¹³ pei̯²²/

/ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi³⁵/

/t͡sʰiː⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ jiː¹³ pei̯²²/

turn up one's nose; to scoff at; to sneer; to deride; to pooh-pooh


愛莫能助

ㄞˋ ㄇㄛˋ ㄋㄥˊ ㄓㄨˋ

/ˀaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu̯ɔ⁵¹ nɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹/

/ɔːi̯³³ mɔːk̚² nɐŋ²¹ t͡sɔː²²/

/ˀaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu̯ɔ⁵¹ nɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹/

/ɔːi̯³³ mɔːk̚² nɐŋ²¹ t͡sɔː²²/


惹事生非

ㄖㄜˇ ㄕˋ ㄕㄥ ㄈㄟ

/ʐɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵/

/jɛː¹³ siː²² sɐŋ⁵⁵ fei̯⁵⁵/

/ʐɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵/

/jɛː¹³ siː²² sɐŋ⁵⁵ fei̯⁵⁵/

to incur unnecessary trouble; to stir up ill will


愁眉不展

ㄔㄡˊ ㄇㄟˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄢˇ

чоумэйбучжань

/ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ meɪ̯³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɐu̯²¹ mei̯²¹ pɐt̚⁵ t͡siːn³⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ meɪ̯³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɐu̯²¹ mei̯²¹ pɐt̚⁵ t͡siːn³⁵/


腦滿腸肥

ㄋㄠˇ ㄇㄢˇ ㄔㄤˊ ㄈㄟˊ

наоманьчанфэй

/nɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ feɪ̯³⁵/

/nɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵ feɪ̯³⁵/


落井下石

to throw stones at someone who fell down a well

ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄐㄧㄥˇ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄕˊ

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/lɔːk̚² t͡sɛːŋ³⁵ haː²² sɛːk̚²/

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/lɔːk̚² t͡sɛːŋ³⁵ haː²² sɛːk̚²/

kick someone when they are down
kick someone when they are down


萬象更新

ㄨㄢˋ ㄒㄧㄤˋ ㄍㄥ ㄒㄧㄣ

ваньсянгэнсинь

/wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹ kɤŋ⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

/maːn²² t͡sœːŋ²² kɐŋ⁵⁵ sɐn⁵⁵/

/wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹ kɤŋ⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

/maːn²² t͡sœːŋ²² kɐŋ⁵⁵ sɐn⁵⁵/

everything has been completely renovated


落落大方

ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄉㄚˋ ㄈㄤ

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tä⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tä⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵/


落荒而逃

ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄏㄨㄤ ㄦˊ ㄊㄠˊ

лохуанъэртао

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹ xu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ tʰɑʊ̯³⁵/

/lɔːk̚² fɔːŋ⁵⁵ jiː²¹ tʰou̯²¹/

/loʔ⁴⁻² huaŋ³³⁻²³ d͡zɯ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ to⁵⁵/

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹ xu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ tʰɑʊ̯³⁵/

/lɔːk̚² fɔːŋ⁵⁵ jiː²¹ tʰou̯²¹/

/loʔ⁴⁻² huaŋ³³⁻²³ d͡zɯ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ to⁵⁵/


畫龍點睛

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (畫龍點睛):
* → Japanese: 画竜点睛(がりょうてんせい) (garyōtensei)
* → Korean: 화룡점정(畵龍點睛) (hwaryongjeomjeong)

ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄌㄨㄥˊ ㄉㄧㄢˇ ㄐㄧㄥ

хуалундяньцзин

/xu̯ä⁵¹ lʊŋ³⁵ ti̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

/waːk̚² lʊŋ²¹ tiːm³⁵ t͡sɪŋ⁵⁵/

/xu̯ä⁵¹ lʊŋ³⁵ ti̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

/waːk̚² lʊŋ²¹ tiːm³⁵ t͡sɪŋ⁵⁵/

又金陵安樂寺畫四龍，不點睛。云：點之即飛去。人以為誕，固請點之。須臾，雷電破壁，二龍乘雲騰上天。未點睛者見存。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]又金陵安乐寺画四龙，不点睛。云：点之即飞去。人以为诞，固请点之。须臾，雷电破壁，二龙乘云腾上天。未点睛者见存。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: 《吳郡志》
Yòu Jīnlíng Ānlèsì huà sì lóng, bù diǎnjīng. Yún: diǎn zhī jí fēi qù. Rén yǐwèi dàn, gù qǐng diǎn zhī. Xūyú, léidiàn pò bì, èr lóng chéngyún téng shàngtiān. Wèi diǎnjīng zhě xiàncún. [Pinyin]
Furthermore, [the sixth-century painter Zhang Sengyou] drew four dragons in the Anle Temple at Jinling, but did not dot in the eyes. He said: "If I dot them in, they shall fly away." People thought this was absurd, and so asked him to dot them in. At an instant, thunder and lightning broke through the walls, and two of the dragons ascended the clouds to rise to the heavens. The ones which had not had their eyes dotted in were still there.

zh-x

又 ^金陵 ^安樂{lè}-寺 畫 四 龍，不 點睛。云：點 之 即 飛 去。人 以為 誕，固 請 點 之。須臾，雷電 破 壁，二 龍 乘雲 騰 上天。未 點睛 者 見{xiàn}存。

Furthermore, 􂀿the sixth-century painter Zhang Sengyou􂁀 drew four dragons in the Anle Temple at Jinling, but did not dot in the eyes. He said: "If I dot them in, they shall fly away." People thought this was absurd, and so asked him to dot them in. At an instant, thunder and lightning broke through the walls, and two of the dragons ascended the clouds to rise to the heavens. The ones which had not had their eyes dotted in were still there.

(figurative) to put on the finishing touches


雷厲風行

with the power of a thunderbolt and the speed of wind

ㄌㄟˊ ㄌㄧˋ ㄈㄥ ㄒㄧㄥˊ

/leɪ̯³⁵ li⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ ɕiŋ³⁵/

/lɵy̯²¹ lɐi̯²² fʊŋ⁵⁵ hɐŋ²¹/

/leɪ̯³⁵ li⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ ɕiŋ³⁵/

/lɵy̯²¹ lɐi̯²² fʊŋ⁵⁵ hɐŋ²¹/

(when carrying out orders, policies, etc.) vigorously and speedily; vigorously and resolutely; swift and decisive

when carrying out orders; policies; when carrying out orders; policies


察言觀色

ㄔㄚˊ ㄧㄢˊ ㄍㄨㄢ ㄙㄜˋ

чаяньгуаньсэ

/ʈ͡ʂʰä³⁵ jɛn³⁵ ku̯än⁵⁵ sɤ⁵¹/

/ʈ͡ʂʰä³⁵ jɛn³⁵ ku̯än⁵⁵ sɤ⁵¹/

From the Analects, Book 12 (《論語·顏淵》):
夫達也者，質直而好義，察言而觀色，慮以下人。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]夫达也者，质直而好义，察言而观色，虑以下人。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Fú dá yě zhě, zhì zhí ér hào yì, chá yán ér guān sè, lǜ yǐ xià rén. [Pinyin]
The man of distinction is solid and straightforward, and loves righteousness. He examines people's words, and looks at their countenances. He is anxious to humble himself to others.

夫{fú} 達 也 者，質 直 而 好{hào} 義，@察 @言 而 @觀 @色，慮 以 下 人。

to read a person (to interpret or infer a meaning or significance based on facial expression, tone of voice etc)


滿面春風

ㄇㄢˇ ㄇㄧㄢˋ ㄔㄨㄣ ㄈㄥ

маньмяньчуньфэн

/män²¹⁴⁻²¹ mi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵/

/muːn¹³ miːn²² t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵/

/muã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bin²²⁻²¹ t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/muã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ bin⁴¹⁻²² t͡sʰun³³ hɔŋ³³/

/muã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bin²²⁻²¹ t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/muã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bin³³⁻¹¹ t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/muã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bin³³⁻²¹ t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/män²¹⁴⁻²¹ mi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵/

/muːn¹³ miːn²² t͡sʰɵn⁵⁵ fʊŋ⁵⁵/

/muã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bin²²⁻²¹ t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/muã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ bin⁴¹⁻²² t͡sʰun³³ hɔŋ³³/

/muã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bin²²⁻²¹ t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/muã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bin³³⁻¹¹ t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/muã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bin³³⁻²¹ t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/


滿腹經綸

ㄇㄢˇ ㄈㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄌㄨㄣˊ

маньфуцзинлунь

/män²¹⁴⁻²¹ fu⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ lu̯ən³⁵/

/muːn¹³ fʊk̚⁵ kɪŋ⁵⁵ lɵn²¹/

/män²¹⁴⁻²¹ fu⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ lu̯ən³⁵/

/muːn¹³ fʊk̚⁵ kɪŋ⁵⁵ lɵn²¹/

able to handle complex affairs of state; politically astute


盡心竭力

ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄌㄧˋ

цзиньсиньцзели

/t͡ɕin⁵¹ ɕin⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ li⁵¹/

/t͡sɵn²² sɐm⁵⁵ kʰiːt̚³ lɪk̚²/

/t͡ɕin⁵¹ ɕin⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ li⁵¹/

/t͡sɵn²² sɐm⁵⁵ kʰiːt̚³ lɪk̚²/

with all one's heart
with all one's heart

to do something with all one's heart and all one's might


聞雞起舞

ㄨㄣˊ ㄐㄧ ㄑㄧˇ ㄨˇ

/wən³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ u²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/mɐn²¹ kɐi̯⁵⁵ hei̯³⁵ mou̯¹³/

/wən³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ u²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/mɐn²¹ kɐi̯⁵⁵ hei̯³⁵ mou̯¹³/

Based on a story in Zu Ti (祖逖)'s biography in the Book of Jin [648 CE], in which Zu Ti would get up with the sound of the roosters in order to practice his martial arts.

toget up and do sword practice upon hearing the rooster’s crow


賓至如歸

ㄅㄧㄣ ㄓˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄍㄨㄟ

биньчжижугуй

/pin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

/pɐn⁵⁵ t͡siː³³ jyː²¹ kʷɐi̯⁵⁵/

/pin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

/pɐn⁵⁵ t͡siː³³ jyː²¹ kʷɐi̯⁵⁵/

guests feel at home (in a hotel, guesthouse etc.)


德高望重

high level of morals; enjoys fame and prestige

ㄉㄜˊ ㄍㄠ ㄨㄤˋ ㄓㄨㄥˋ

дэгаованчжун

/tɤ³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹/

/tɐk̚⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ mɔːŋ²² t͡sʊŋ²²/

/tiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ ko⁴⁴⁻³³ bɔŋ³³⁻¹¹ tiɔŋ³³/

/tiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ kɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ bɔŋ³³⁻²¹ tiɔŋ³³/

/tiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ ko⁴⁴⁻²² bɔŋ²²⁻²¹ tiɔŋ²²/

/tɤ³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹/

/tɐk̚⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ mɔːŋ²² t͡sʊŋ²²/

/tiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ ko⁴⁴⁻³³ bɔŋ³³⁻¹¹ tiɔŋ³³/

/tiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ kɤ⁴⁴⁻³³ bɔŋ³³⁻²¹ tiɔŋ³³/

/tiɪk̚³²⁻⁴ ko⁴⁴⁻²² bɔŋ²²⁻²¹ tiɔŋ²²/


標新立異

ㄅㄧㄠ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄌㄧˋ ㄧˋ

/pi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹/

/piːu̯⁵⁵ sɐn⁵⁵ lɐp̚² jiː²²/

/pi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹/

/piːu̯⁵⁵ sɐn⁵⁵ lɐp̚² jiː²²/

to start something new just in order to be different; to be original


鋤強扶弱

ㄔㄨˊ ㄑㄧㄤˊ ㄈㄨˊ ㄖㄨㄛˋ

/ʈ͡ʂʰu³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵ fu³⁵ ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɔː²¹ kʰœːŋ²¹ fuː²¹ jœːk̚²/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵ fu³⁵ ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɔː²¹ kʰœːŋ²¹ fuː²¹ jœːk̚²/


據理力爭

ㄐㄩˋ ㄌㄧˇ ㄌㄧˋ ㄓㄥ

цзюйлиличжэн

/t͡ɕy⁵¹ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵⁵/

/kɵy̯³³ lei̯¹³ lɪk̚² t͡sɐŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕy⁵¹ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵⁵/

/kɵy̯³³ lei̯¹³ lɪk̚² t͡sɐŋ⁵⁵/

to argue vigorously on the basis of sound reason or justice


歷盡艱辛

ㄌㄧˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄐㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄣ

лицзиньцзяньсинь

/li⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

/li⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

to have undergone all manner of hardships


學而優則仕

ㄒㄩㄝˊ ㄦˊ ㄧㄡ ㄗㄜˊ ㄕˋ

сюэ эр ю цзэ ши

/ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ joʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/hɔːk̚² jiː²¹ jɐu̯⁵⁵ t͡sɐk̚⁵ siː²²/

/ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ joʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/hɔːk̚² jiː²¹ jɐu̯⁵⁵ t͡sɐk̚⁵ siː²²/

From the Analects, Book 19 (《論語·子張》):
:
子夏曰：『仕而優則學，學而優則仕。』 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子夏曰：『仕而优则学，学而优则仕。』 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐxià yuē: ‘Shì ér yōu zé xué, xué ér yōu zé shì.’ [Pinyin]
Zixia said, "The officer, having discharged all his duties, should devote his leisure to learning. The student, having completed his learning, should apply himself to be an officer."

@^子夏 曰：『仕 而 優 則 學，學.而.優.則.仕。』

The student, having completed his studies, should enter into government service.


燈紅酒綠

ㄉㄥ ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄌㄩˋ

дэнхунцзюлюй

/tɤŋ⁵⁵ xʊŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ly⁵¹/

/tɐŋ⁵⁵ hʊŋ²¹ t͡sɐu̯³⁵ lʊk̚²/

/tɤŋ⁵⁵ xʊŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ly⁵¹/

/tɐŋ⁵⁵ hʊŋ²¹ t͡sɐu̯³⁵ lʊk̚²/

scene or life of debauchery; feasting and revelry