Six Methods of forming Chinese characters, according to Han dictionary Shuowen 說文|说文 - namely, two primary methods: 象形 (pictogram), 指事 (ideogram), two compound methods: 會意|会意 (combined ideogram), 形聲|形声 (ideogram plus phonetic), and two transfer methods: 假借 (loan), 轉注|转注 (transfer)
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
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")
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
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
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]
(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])
(literary) How can one get...? / Oh, if only there were... (rhetorical wish) / (literary) Is it possible that...? / How can this be? (interrogative disbelief)
combined ideogram (one of the Six Methods 六書|六书[liu4 shu1] of forming Chinese characters) / Chinese character that combines the meanings of existing elements / also known as joint ideogram or associative compound / to comprehend without being told explicitly / to cotton on / knowing (smile, glance etc)
wording (of a proposal) / formulation / viewpoint (on an issue) / (one of eight methods of bonesetting in TCM) restoring the part displaced by a fracture to its correct position by lifting
to make use of / to use sth as pretext / under false pretenses / under the guise of / masquerading as / lenient / tolerant / loan character (one of the Six Methods 六書|六书 of forming Chinese characters) / character acquiring meanings by phonetic association / also called phonetic loan
ideogram plus phonetic (one of the Six Methods 六書|六书 of forming Chinese characters) / also known as phonogram, phonetic compound or picto-phonetic character
combined ideogram (one of the Six Methods 六書|六书 of forming Chinese characters) / Chinese character that combines the meanings of existing elements / also known as joint ideogram or associative compound
loan character (one of the Six Methods 六書|六书 of forming Chinese characters) / character acquiring meanings by phonetic association / also called phonetic loan
ideogram (one of the Six Methods 六書|六书 of forming Chinese characters) / Chinese character indicating an idea, such as up and down / also known as self-explanatory character
to use an opponent's own methods to obtain retribution (idiom, from Song dynasty neo-Confucianist Zhu Xi 朱熹[Zhu1 Xi1]) / to get revenge by playing sb back at his own game / to give sb a taste of his own medicine
Liuhe Bafa - "Six Harmonies, Eight Methods" - Martial Art
The four tones
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