四海为家 四海為家 sì hǎi wéi jiā to regard the four corners of the world all as home (idiom) / to feel at home anywhere / to roam about unconstrained / to consider the entire country, or world, to be one's own syn 巧妇难为无米之炊 巧婦難為無米之炊 qiǎo fù nán wéi wú mǐ zhī chuī The cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice (idiom) / You won't get anywhere without equipment. 迂回曲折 yū huí qū zhé meandering and circuitous (idiom) / complicated developments that never get anywhere / going around in circles 无处可寻 無處可尋 wú chù kě xún cannot be found anywhere (idiom) 绕来绕去 繞來繞去 rào lái rào qù meandering and circuitous (idiom) / to go around in circles and never get anywhere 四海皆准 sì hǎi jiē zhǔn appropriate to any place and any time (idiom) / universally applicable / a panacea 哪里 哪裡 nǎ lǐ where? / somewhere / anywhere / wherever / nowhere (negative answer to question) / humble expression denying compliment syn 通用 tōng yòng to use anywhere, anytime (card, ticket etc) / to be used by everyone (language, textbook etc) / (of two or more things) interchangeable 哪儿 哪兒 nǎ r where? / wherever / anywhere / somewhere / (used in rhetorical questions) how can ...? / how could ...? syn 随时随地 隨時隨地 suí shí suí dì anytime and anywhere 随处 隨處 suí chù everywhere / anywhere syn 无论何处 無論何處 wú lùn hé chù anywhere / wherever 每处 每處 měi chù everywhere / anywhere 适用 適用 shì yòng to be applicable syn 不适用 不適用 bù shì yòng not applicable / NA 共通 gòng tōng universal / applicable to all (or both) / shared / common 公路交通事故法律适用公约 Convention on the Law Applicable to Traffic Accidents 未成年人保护的管辖权和准据法公约 未成年人保護的管轄權和準據法公約 Convention concerning the powers of authorities and the law applicable in respect of the protection of minors 代理法律适用公约 代理法律適用公約 Convention on the Law Applicable to Agency 国际货物销售合同适用法律公约 國際貨物銷售合同適用法律公約 Convention on the Law Applicable to Contracts for the International Sale of Goods 关于国际货物销售所适用的法律公约 關於國際貨物銷售所適用的法律公約 Convention on the Law Applicable to International Sales of Goods 收养管辖权、法律适用和决定承认公约 收養管轄權、法律適用和決定承認公約 Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law and Recognition of Decrees relating to Adoptions 儿童抚养义务法律适用公约 兒童撫養義務法律適用公約 Convention on the law applicable to maintenance obligations towards children 夫妻财产制法律适用公约 夫妻財產制法律適用公約 Convention on the Law Applicable to Matrimonial Property Regimes 产品责任法律适用公约 產品責任法律適用公約 Convention on the Law Applicable to Products Liability 扶养义务法律适用公约 扶養義務法律適用公約 Convention on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations 关于信托的法律适用及其承认的公约 關於信托的法律適用及其承認的公約 Convention on the Law Applicable to Trusts and on their Recognition 死者遗产继承法律使用公约 死者遺產繼承法律使用公約 Convention on the Law Applicable to Succession to the Estates of Deceased Persons 武装冲突适用规则 武裝沖突適用規則 rules applicable in armed conflict 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 