lit. when someone tells you you're fat, you pant (as if you were actually fat) (idiom) / fig. Hey! I pay you a compliment, and you start bragging! (typically jocular and teasing) / flattery, like perfume, should be smelled, not swallowed
lit. you plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree / fig. things do not always turn out as one would expect / well-laid plans may fail, and success may come where you least expect it
lit. you may go undetected during the new moon, but at full moon you'll be found out (idiom) / fig. you can't put it off forever / sooner or later you'll have to deal with it
lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius) / fig. you must choose one or the other / you can't always get everything you want / you can't have your cake and eat it
What you don't want done to you, don't do to others. (idiom, from the Confucian analects) / Do as you would be done by. / Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.
lit. Sow melon and you get melon, sow beans and you get beans (idiom) / fig. As you sow, so shall you reap. / One must live with the consequences of one's actions. / You've made your bed, now must lie on it.
lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius) / fig. you must choose one or the other / you can't always get everything you want / you can't have your cake and eat it
true sentiments are seen in hard times (idiom) / you see who your true friends are when you go through tough times together / you see who your true friends are when you are in difficulties
Although the peony is beautiful, it depends entirely on help from the green leaves (idiom). However brilliant you may be, you can't do anything without support from others.
Although the peony is beautiful, it depends entirely on help from the green leaves (idiom). However brilliant you may be, you can't do anything without support from others.
Although the peony is beautiful, it depends entirely on help from the green leaves (idiom). However brilliant you may be, you can't do anything without support from others.
Although the peony is beautiful, it depends entirely on help from the green leaves (idiom). However brilliant you may be, you can't do anything without support from others.
(before a noun) Do (you, they etc) have ...? / Is there a ...? / (before a verb) Did (you, they etc) (verb, infinitive)? / Have (you, they etc) (verb, past participle)?
the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom) / you can run this time, but you'll have to come back / I'll get you sooner or later / also written 跑得了和尚，跑不了廟|跑得了和尚，跑不了庙[pao3 de2 liao3 he2 shang4 , pao3 bu4 liao3 miao4]
lit. someone else stole the donkey / you only pulled up the stake it was tethered to (idiom) / fig. you're the least culpable, but you're the one who gets the blame
lit. water may keep the boat afloat but may also sink it (proverb) / fig. the people can support a regime or overturn it / if sth is used properly, one can benefit from it, otherwise it can do harm / things can be double-edged
(old) third person singular pronoun ("he" or "she") / second person singular pronoun ("you") / (May 4th period) third person singular feminine pronoun ("she") / (Classical Chinese) introductory particle with no specific meaning / (preceding a noun) that
lit. idly poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree to shade you / (fig.) unintentional actions may bring unexpected success / also written 無心插柳柳成蔭|无心插柳柳成荫
lit. use others' strengths to make up for one's weak points (idiom from Mencius) / to use this in place of that / what you lose on the swings, you win on the roundabouts
you can't judge a person by appearance (idiom) / you can't judge a book by its cover / often in combination 人不可貌相，海水不可斗量[ren2 bu4 ke3 mao4 xiang4 , hai3 shui3 bu4 ke3 dou3 liang2]
dripping water penetrates the stone (idiom) / constant perseverance yields success / You can achieve your aim if you try hard without giving up. / Persistent effort overcomes any difficulty.
dripping water penetrates the stone (idiom) / constant perseverance yields success / You can achieve your aim if you try hard without giving up. / Persistent effort overcomes any difficulty.
lit. in every trade, a master appears (idiom) / fig. You can produce outstanding achievements in any task, provided you put it enough love and diligence
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
Since they have come, we should make them comfortable (idiom). Since we're here, take it easy. / Since this is so, we should accept it. / Now we have come, let's stay and take the rough with the smooth. / If you can't do anything to prevent it, you might as well sit back and enjoy it.
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