地狭人稠 地狹人稠 dì xiá - rén chóu (idiom) small and densely populated 人口密集 rén kǒu mì jí densely populated 地窄人稠 dì zhǎi rén chóu small and densely populated 地广人稀 地廣人稀 dì guǎng rén xī vast, but sparsely populated syn 北领地 北領地 běi lǐng dì Northern Territory, sparsely populated federal territory extending from center to north of Australia 密密麻麻 mì mi má má numerous and close together / densely packed / thickly dotted syn 密布 mì bù to cover densely syn 密实 密實 mì shí close (texture) / dense / densely woven syn 森 sēn (bound form) densely wooded / (fig.) (bound form) multitudinous / gloomy / forbidding syn 天南地北 tiān nán - dì běi (idiom) far apart / (idiom) from different places / from all over / (idiom) (to talk) about this and that syn 从天而降 從天而降 cóng tiān ér jiàng (idiom) to fall from the sky / (idiom) (fig.) to appear unexpectedly / to drop into one's lap syn 数一数二 數一數二 shǔ yī shǔ èr (idiom) reckoned to be best or second best / one of the very best / (idiom) to list one by one syn 雨过天晴 雨過天晴 yǔ guò tiān qíng sky clears after rain / new hopes after a disastrous period (idiom) / every cloud has a silver lining (idiom) / see also 雨過天青|雨过天青[yu3 guo4 tian1 qing1] syn 一技之长 一技之長 yī jì zhī cháng proficiency in a particular field (idiom) / skill in a specialized area (idiom) syn 博士买驴 博士買驢 bó shì mǎi lǘ lit. the scholar buys a donkey (idiom) / fig. long-winded verbiage that never gets to the point / idiom mocking scholastic pomposity 死而不僵 sǐ ér bù jiāng dead but showing no signs of rigor mortis / to die hard (idiom) / to die yet not be vanquished (idiom) 磨穿铁砚 磨穿鐵硯 mó chuān tiě yàn to grind one's way through an ink stone / to persevere in a difficult task (idiom) / to study diligently (idiom) 雨过天青 雨過天青 yǔ guò tiān qīng sky clears after rain / new hopes after a disastrous period (idiom) / every cloud has a silver lining (idiom) / see also 雨過天晴|雨过天晴[yu3 guo4 tian1 qing2] 雪泥鸿爪 雪泥鴻爪 xuě ní hóng zhǎo a goose's footprint in the snow / vestiges of the past (idiom) / the fleeting nature of human life (idiom) 推来推去 推來推去 tuī lái tuī qù (idiom) to rudely push and pull others / (idiom) to evade responsibility and push it to others 只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针 只要功夫深，鐵杵磨成針 zhǐ yào gōng fu shēn , tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle. / cf idiom 磨杵成針|磨杵成针, to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom) / fig. to persevere in a difficult task / to study diligently 事不过三 事不過三 shì bù guò sān (idiom) a thing should not be attempted more than three times / don't repeat the same mistake again and again / (idiom) bad things don't happen more than three times 七弯八拐 七彎八拐 qī wān - bā guǎi (idiom) twisting and turning / (idiom) tricky and complicated 不知所以 bù zhī - suǒ yǐ (idiom) to not know the reason / (idiom) to not know what to do 不管不顾 不管不顧 bù guǎn - bù gù (idiom) to pay scant regard to (sth) / (idiom) unheeding / reckless syn 亭亭玉立 tíng tíng - yù lì (idiom) (of a woman) slender and elegant / (idiom) (of a plant) tall and straight syn 十拿九稳 十拿九穩 shí ná - jiǔ wěn (idiom) to be a cinch / in the bag / (idiom) (of a person) confident of success syn 吃干抹净 吃乾抹淨 chī gān - mā jìng (idiom) to devour (food) / (idiom) to shamelessly take advantage / to ruthlessly exploit 咬紧牙关 咬緊牙關 yǎo jǐn - yá guān (idiom) to grit one's teeth tightly / (idiom) (fig.) to endure pain or suffering / to bite the bullet syn 涂脂抹粉 塗脂抹粉 tú zhī - mǒ fěn (idiom) to put on makeup / (idiom) to prettify syn 拖泥带水 拖泥帶水 tuō ní - dài shuǐ (idiom) muddy and wet / (idiom) (of speech, writing etc) slovenly / sloppy / (of actions) indecisive syn 昂首天外 áng shǒu - tiān wài (idiom) to raise one's head and look towards the heavens / (idiom) arrogant / haughty 东摇西摆 東搖西擺 dōng yáo - xī bǎi (idiom) to sway from side to side / unsteady / (idiom) indecisive / hesitant 狂风暴雨 狂風暴雨 kuáng fēng - bào yǔ (idiom) howling wind and torrential rain / furious storm / (fig.) (idiom) difficult circumstances / dangerous situation syn 莼羹鲈脍 蓴羹鱸膾 chún gēng - lú kuài (idiom) the dishes from one's hometown / (idiom) homesickness 裙带关系 裙帶關係 qún dài - guān xi (idiom) favoritism shown to sb because of the influence of the person's wife or other female relative / (idiom) (by extension) favoritism towards relatives, friends or associates 遇人不淑 yù rén - bù shū (idiom) to be in a relationship with or marry a bad person / (idiom) to associate with a bad person 高高在上 gāo gāo - zài shàng (idiom) situated high / aloft / (idiom) (fig.) aloof and remote / situated above the masses and out of touch with reality 莫名其妙 mò míng qí miào (idiom) baffling / bizarre / without rhyme or reason / inexplicable syn 不可思议 不可思議 bù kě sī yì inconceivable (idiom) / unimaginable / unfathomable syn 小心翼翼 xiǎo xīn yì yì cautious and solemn (idiom) / very carefully / prudent / gently and cautiously syn 前所未有 qián suǒ wèi yǒu (idiom) unprecedented syn 成语 成語 chéng yǔ Chinese set expression, typically of 4 characters, often alluding to a story or historical quotation / idiom / proverb / saying / adage / CL:條|条[tiao2],本[ben3],句[ju4] 与众不同 與眾不同 yǔ zhòng bù tóng to stand out from the masses (idiom) syn 不由自主 bù yóu zì zhǔ (idiom) can't help but / involuntarily syn 不知所措 bù zhī suǒ cuò not knowing what to do (idiom) / at one's wits' end / embarrassed and at a complete loss syn 成千上万 成千上萬 chéng qiān shàng wàn lit. by the thousands and tens of thousands (idiom) / untold numbers / innumerable / thousands upon thousands syn 大吃一惊 大吃一驚 dà chī yī jīng to have a surprise (idiom) / shocked or startled / gobsmacked syn 理所当然 理所當然 lǐ suǒ dāng rán as it should be by rights (idiom) / proper and to be expected as a matter of course / inevitable and right syn 一模一样 一模一樣 yī mú yī yàng exactly the same (idiom) / carbon copy / also pr. [yi1 mo2 yi1 yang4] syn 迫不及待 pò bù jí dài (idiom) unable to hold oneself back / eager to do sth without delay syn 目瞪口呆 mù dèng kǒu dāi dumbstruck (idiom) / stupefied / stunned syn 乱七八糟 亂七八糟 luàn qī bā zāo (idiom) chaotic / in disorder / muddled syn 实事求是 實事求是 shí shì qiú shì lit. to seek truth from facts (idiom) / fig. to be practical and realistic syn 随心所欲 隨心所欲 suí xīn suǒ yù (idiom) to follow one's heart's desires / to do as one pleases syn 独一无二 獨一無二 dú yī wú èr unique and unmatched (idiom) / unrivalled / nothing compares with it syn 情不自禁 qíng bù zì jīn (idiom) cannot refrain from / cannot help / cannot but syn 可想而知 kě xiǎng ér zhī (idiom) (it) goes without saying / can well be imagined 不约而同 不約而同 bù yuē ér tóng (idiom) (of two or more people) to take the same action without prior consultation / (usu. used adverbially) all (or both) of them, independently / as if by prior agreement syn 不以为然 不以為然 bù yǐ wéi rán not to accept as correct (idiom) / to object / to disapprove / to take exception to syn 无能为力 無能為力 wú néng wéi lì (idiom) powerless to do anything about it syn 脱颖而出 脫穎而出 tuō yǐng ér chū to reveal one's talent (idiom) / to rise above others / to distinguish oneself syn 口碑 kǒu bēi public praise / public reputation / commonly held opinions / current idiom syn 胡思乱想 胡思亂想 hú sī luàn xiǎng to indulge in flights of fancy (idiom) / to let one's imagination run wild syn 一网打尽 一網打盡 yī wǎng dǎ jìn lit. to catch everything in the one net (idiom) / fig. to scoop up the whole lot / to capture them all in one go syn 一如既往 yī rú jì wǎng just as in the past (idiom) / as before / continuing as always syn 不顾一切 不顧一切 bù gù yī qiè (idiom) to disregard all negative considerations / to cast aside all concerns syn 淋漓尽致 淋漓盡致 lín lí jìn zhì lit. extreme saturation (idiom) / fig. vividly and thoroughly / in great detail / without restraint / (of a performance) brilliant syn 千方百计 千方百計 qiān fāng bǎi jì lit. thousand ways, a hundred plans (idiom) / by every possible means syn 心甘情愿 心甘情願 xīn gān qíng yuàn delighted to (do sth, idiom) / perfectly happy to do / most willing to do syn 难以置信 難以置信 nán yǐ zhì xìn (idiom) hard to believe / incredible syn 惊心动魄 驚心動魄 jīng xīn dòng pò (idiom) heart-stopping / hair-raising / breathtaking syn 新陈代谢 新陳代謝 xīn chén dài xiè metabolism (biology) / the new replaces the old (idiom) 一见钟情 一見鍾情 yī jiàn zhōng qíng to fall in love at first sight (idiom) syn 自由自在 zì yóu zì zài free and easy (idiom) / carefree / leisurely syn 一目了然 一目瞭然 yī mù liǎo rán obvious at a glance (idiom) syn 咬牙切齿 咬牙切齒 yǎo yá qiè chǐ gnashing one's teeth (idiom) / displaying extreme anger / fuming with rage between gritted teeth syn 哭笑不得 kū xiào bù dé lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom) / both funny and extremely embarrassing / between laughter and tears syn 层出不穷 層出不窮 céng chū bù qióng more and more emerge / innumerable succession / breeding like flies (idiom) syn 泪流满面 淚流滿面 lèi liú mǎn miàn cheeks streaming with tears (idiom) syn 无影无踪 無影無蹤 wú yǐng wú zōng to disappear without trace (idiom) syn 出人意料 chū rén yì liào unexpected (idiom) / surprising syn 一无所有 一無所有 yī wú suǒ yǒu not having anything at all (idiom) / utterly lacking / without two sticks to rub together syn 刻骨铭心 刻骨銘心 kè gǔ míng xīn lit. carved in bones and engraved in the heart (idiom) / fig. etched in one's memory / unforgettable syn 无声无息 無聲無息 wú shēng wú xī wordless and uncommunicative (idiom) / without speaking / taciturn / not providing any news syn 自以为是 自以為是 zì yǐ wéi shì to believe oneself infallible (idiom) / to be opinionated syn 出乎意料 chū hū yì liào beyond expectation (idiom) / unexpected syn 一无所知 一無所知 yī wú suǒ zhī (idiom) not knowing anything at all / completely ignorant syn 惊天动地 驚天動地 jīng tiān dòng dì world-shaking (idiom) syn 不动声色 不動聲色 bù dòng shēng sè not a word or movement (idiom) / remaining calm and collected / not batting an eyelid syn 源源不断 源源不斷 yuán yuán bù duàn a steady flow (idiom) / an unending stream syn 一言不发 一言不發 yī yán bù fā to not say a word (idiom) syn 一塌糊涂 一塌糊塗 yī tā hú tu muddled and completely collapsing (idiom) / in an awful condition / complete shambles / a total mess syn 显而易见 顯而易見 xiǎn ér yì jiàn clearly and easy to see (idiom) / obviously / clearly / it goes without saying syn 应有尽有 應有盡有 yīng yǒu jìn yǒu everything that should be here is here (idiom) / all one can think of is on hand / to have all one needs syn 取而代之 qǔ ér dài zhī (idiom) to replace / to supersede / to take its (or her etc) place syn 若无其事 若無其事 ruò wú qí shì (idiom) as if nothing had happened / calm and composed / nonchalant syn 梦寐以求 夢寐以求 mèng mèi yǐ qiú lit. to yearn for sth even in one's dreams (idiom) / fig. to deeply long for / to covet syn 天长地久 天長地久 tiān cháng dì jiǔ enduring while the world lasts (idiom) / eternal syn 