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
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
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
lit. to sound out the difficulties and retreat to avoid defeat (idiom) / fig. to back out of an awkward situation / to get out on finding out what it's really like
only have ... / there is only ... / (used in combination with 才[cai2]) it is only if one ... (that one can ...) (Example: 只有通過治療才能痊愈|只有通过治疗才能痊愈[zhi3 you3 tong1 guo4 zhi4 liao2 cai2 neng2 quan2 yu4] "the only way to cure it is with therapy") / it is only ... (who ...) (Example: 只有男性才有此需要[zhi3 you3 nan2 xing4 cai2 you3 ci3 xu1 yao4] "only men would have such a requirement") / (used to indicate that one has no alternative) one can only (do a certain thing) (Example: 只有屈服[zhi3 you3 qu1 fu2] "the only thing you can do is give in")
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]
(literary) How can one get...? / Oh, if only there were... (rhetorical wish) / (literary) Is it possible that...? / How can this be? (interrogative disbelief)
lit. viewing the sky with a basin on one's head / it is hard to get a clear view of the sky while carrying a platter on one's head / fig. it is hard to get on in one's career while encumbered by family obligations / one can't perform a major task while bothered by other duties
lit. throw out a brick and get jade thrown back (idiom) / fig. to attract others' interest or suggestions by putting forward one's own modest ideas to get the ball rolling
(of a batter) to be put out (in baseball) / to be dismissed (in cricket) / (of a player or team) to be eliminated from a competition / (fig.) to be weeded out / to get the chop (in a competitive environment)
(slang) (from Cantonese) to bow out after a long career / to pack it in / (of a gangster, prostitute etc) to get out of the game / (of a business) to cease to operate
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]
lit. public opinion is powerful enough to melt metal (idiom) / fig. public clamor can obscure the actual truth / mass spreading of rumors can confuse right and wrong
(last line of the poem 聲聲慢|声声慢[Sheng1 sheng1 Man4] by Song poet Li Qingzhao 李清照[Li3 Qing1 zhao4]) / how can it be expressed in one word, "sorrow"? / how can words express such sadness?
an occasional display of histrionics can add a playful element to a relationship, but overdoing it can lead to a breakup (admonishment derived from the saying 小酌怡情，大酌傷身|小酌怡情，大酌伤身[xiao3zhuo2-yi2qing2, da4zhuo2-shang1shen1])
lit. poultry and dogs rise to Heaven (idiom) / fig. to ride on sb else's success / Once one man gets a government position, all his cronies get in too / Once sb has cracked the problem, every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it
lit. when a man achieves the Dao, his poultry and dogs rise to Heaven (idiom) / fig. to ride on sb else's success / Once one man gets a government position, all his cronies get in too / Once sb has cracked the problem, every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it
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