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"don't ...!" Chinese-English Dictionary

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Chinese Pinyin Translation
别 別 bié to leave / to part (from) / (literary) to differentiate / to distinguish / (dialect) to turn away / to turn aside / to avert (one's face, gaze etc) / (bound form) other / another / different / don't ...! / to fasten with a pin or clip / to stick in / to insert (in order to hinder movement) / (noun suffix) category (as in 性別|性别[xing4 bie2], 派別|派别[pai4 bie2]) syn
Chinese Pinyin Translation
不要 bù yào don't! / must not syn
难道 難道 nán dào don't tell me ... / could it be that...? syn
罢了 罷了 bà liǎo a modal particle indicating (don't mind it, ok) syn
废话 廢話 fèi huà nonsense / rubbish / superfluous words / You don't say! / No kidding! (gently sarcastic) syn
不会 不會 bù huì improbable / unlikely / will not (act, happen etc) / not able / not having learned to do sth / (coll.) (Tw) don't mention it / not at all syn
倒是 dào shi contrary to what one might expect / actually / contrariwise / why don't you syn
休想 xiū xiǎng don't think (that) / don't imagine (that) syn
请勿 請勿 qǐng wù please don't syn
提防 dī fáng to guard against / to be vigilant / watch you don't (slip) / also pr. [ti2 fang2] syn
一窍不通 一竅不通 yī qiào bù tōng lit. doesn't (even) enter a single aperture (of one's head) / I don't understand a word (idiom) / it's all Greek to me syn
母鸡 母雞 mǔ jī hen / don't know (humorous slang mimicking Cantonese 唔知, Jyutping: m4 zi1) syn
鸡汤 雞湯 jī tāng chicken stock / chicken soup / (fig.) chicken soup for the soul – i.e. feel-good motivational stories (often used disparagingly because the stories don't really effect change in people's lives)
不买账 不買賬 bù mǎi zhàng not to acknowledge sb as senior or superior / not to believe sth / don't buy it (slang)
不敢当 不敢當 bù gǎn dāng lit. I dare not (accept the honor) / fig. I don't deserve your praise / you flatter me syn
一步登天 yī bù dēng tiān reaching heaven in a single bound (idiom) / (esp. with negative: don't expect) instant success syn
顿河 頓河 dùn hé Don River
讳莫如深 諱莫如深 huì mò rú shēn important matter that must be kept secret (idiom) / don't breathe a word of it to anyone! syn
切莫 qiè mò you must not / Please don't... / be sure not to / on no account (do it) syn
不客气 不客氣 bù kè qi you're welcome / don't mention it / impolite / rude / blunt
别看 別看 bié kàn don't be fooled by the fact that
管它 guǎn tā no matter if / regardless of / don’t worry about (it, him etc) / doesn’t matter
不送 bù sòng don't bother to see me out
别着急 別著急 bié zháo jí Don't worry!
岂敢 豈敢 qǐ gǎn how could one dare? / I don't deserve such praise
不谢 不謝 bù xiè don't mention it / not at all syn
不打不相识 不打不相識 bù dǎ bù xiāng shí lit. don't fight, won't make friends (idiom) / an exchange of blows may lead to friendship / no discord, no concord
饥不择食 飢不擇食 jī bù zé shí when hungry, you can't pick what you eat (idiom) / beggars can't be choosers / When matters are urgent, don't spend time choosing alternatives. syn
披甲 pī jiǎ to don armor
三思而行 sān sī ér xíng think three times then go (idiom) / don't act before you've thought it through carefully syn
一问三不知 一問三不知 yī wèn sān bù zhī lit. to reply "don't know" whatever the question (idiom) / fig. absolutely no idea of what's going on / complete ignorance syn
过誉 過譽 guò yù to praise too much / I really don't deserve so much praise syn
休 xiū to rest / to stop doing sth for a period of time / to cease / (imperative) don't syn
甭 béng (contraction of 不用[bu4yong4]) need not / please don't syn
毋 wú (literary) no / don't / to not have / nobody syn
耳边风 耳邊風 ěr biān fēng lit. wind past your ear / fig. sth you don't pay much attention to / in one ear and out the other syn
堂吉诃德 堂吉訶德 táng jí hē dé Don Quixote
耳旁风 耳旁風 ěr páng fēng lit. wind past your ear / fig. sth you don't pay much attention to / in one ear and out the other syn
唐璜 táng huáng a dandy / a fop / Don Juan / a ladies man
罗斯托夫 羅斯托夫 luó sī tuō fū Rostov-on-Don, Russian river port and regional capital close to Sea of Azov (north of the Black Sea)
盖棺论定 蓋棺論定 gài guān lùn dìng don't pass judgment on a person's life until the lid is on the coffin (idiom)
挂齿 掛齒 guà chǐ to mention (e.g. "don't mention it")
不懂装懂 不懂裝懂 bù dǒng zhuāng dǒng to pretend to understand when you don't
乐极生悲 樂極生悲 lè jí shēng bēi extreme joy turns to sorrow (idiom) / Don't celebrate too soon, things could still go wrong! syn
饮水思源 飲水思源 yǐn shuǐ sī yuán lit. when you drink water, think of its source (idiom) / gratitude for blessings and their well-spring / Don't forget where your happiness come from. / Be grateful for all your blessings! syn
覅 fiào contraction of 勿要 / must not / please don't
不以辞害志 不以辭害志 bù yǐ cí hài zhì don't let rhetoric spoil the message (idiom) / don't get carried away with flowery speech to the detriment of what you want to say
瓜田不纳履 瓜田不納履 guā tián bù nà lǚ lit. don't tie your shoe-laces in a melon-patch / fig. don't do anything that might arouse suspicion / innocent acts may be misconstrued
少安毋躁 shǎo ān wú zào keep calm, don't get excited / don't be impatient syn
不打不成相识 不打不成相識 bù dǎ bù chéng xiāng shí don't fight, won't make friends (idiom) / an exchange of blows may lead to friendship
呼牛作马 呼牛作馬 hū niú zuò mǎ to call sth a cow or a horse (idiom) / it doesn't matter what you call it / Insult me if you want, I don't care what you call me.
呼牛呼马 呼牛呼馬 hū niú hū mǎ to call sth a cow or a horse (idiom) / it doesn't matter what you call it / Insult me if you want, I don't care what you call me.
坐不垂堂 zuò bù chuí táng lit. don't sit under the eaves (where tiles may fall from the roof) (idiom) / fig. keep out of danger
杀鸡焉用牛刀 殺雞焉用牛刀 shā jī yān yòng niú dāo don't use a sledgehammer on a nut / aquila non capit muscam
水至清则无鱼 水至清則無魚 shuǐ zhì qīng zé wú yú Water that is too clear has few fish, and one who is too critical has few friends (idiom) / You cannot expect everyone to be squeaky clean. / Don't be too picky!
牝牡骊黄 牝牡驪黃 pìn mǔ lí huáng a black stallion or possibly a yellow mare (idiom) / don't judge by outward appearance
骊黄牝牡 驪黃牝牡 lí huáng pìn mǔ a black stallion or possibly a yellow mare (idiom) / don't judge by outward appearance
家丑不可外扬 家醜不可外揚 jiā chǒu bù kě wài yáng lit. family shames must not be spread abroad (idiom) / fig. don't wash your dirty linen in public
不在其位不谋其政 不在其位不謀其政 bù zài qí wèi bù mòu qí zhèng don't meddle in affairs that are not part of your position (Confucius)
家丑不可外传，流言切莫轻信 家醜不可外傳，流言切莫輕信 jiā chǒu bù kě wài chuán , liú yán qiē mò qīng xìn Don't spread abroad the shame of the family, don't believe rumors lightly (common expression) / Don't wash your dirty linen in public, don't listen to others' gossip.
家丑不可外传，流言切莫轻信 家醜不可外傳，流言切莫輕信 jiā chǒu bù kě wài chuán , liú yán qiè mò qīng xìn Don't spread abroad the shame of the family, don't believe rumors lightly. (idiom) / Don't wash your dirty linen in public, don't listen to others' gossip.
别理 別理 bié lǐ don't get involved / ignore it! / don't have anything to do with (him, her etc) / don't speak to
瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠 瓜田不納履，李下不整冠 guā tián bù nà lǚ , lǐ xià bù zhěng guān lit. don't tie your shoelaces in a melon patch, and don't adjust your hat under a plum tree (idiom) / fig. don't do anything that might arouse suspicion / innocent acts may be misconstrued
一不做，二不休 yī bù zuò , èr bù xiū lit. either don't do it, or don't rest (idiom) / fig. if you do it at all, you may as well go the whole hog / in for a penny, in for a pound
不以词害志 不以詞害誌 bù yǐ cí hài zhì don't let rhetoric spoil the message (idiom) / don't get carried away with flowery speech to the detriment of what you want to say
不见不散 不見不散 bù jiàn bù sàn lit. Even if we don't see each other, don't give up and leave (idiom) / fig. Be sure to wait! / See you there!
别太客气 別太客氣 bié tài kè qi lit. no excessive politeness / Don't mention it! / You're welcome! / Please don't stand on ceremony.
己所不欲，勿施于人 己所不欲，勿施於人 jǐ suǒ bù yù , wù shī yú rén 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.
若要人不知，除非己莫为 若要人不知，除非己莫為 ruò yào rén bù zhī , chú fēi jǐ mò wéi If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it (idiom). fig. If you do something bad, people will inevitably hear about it.
鸟不拉屎，鸡不生蛋 鳥不拉屎，雞不生蛋 niǎo bù lā shǐ , jī bù shēng dàn lit. (a place where) birds don't defecate and hens don't lay eggs (idiom) / fig. god-forsaken / remote and desolate
鸟不生蛋，狗不拉屎 鳥不生蛋，狗不拉屎 niǎo bù shēng dàn , gǒu bù lā shǐ lit. (a place where) birds don't lay eggs and dogs don't defecate (idiom) / fig. god-forsaken / remote and desolate
不是一家人不进一家门 不是一家人不進一家門 bù shì yī jiā rén bù jìn yī jiā mén people who don't belong together, don't get to live together (idiom) / marriages are predestined / people marry because they share common traits
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
勿cue wù c u e (Internet slang) don't call on me / don't drag me in
勿cue wù - cue (Internet slang) don't call on me / don't drag me in
有怪莫怪 yǒu guài mò guài please don't take offense / don't take it personally
不用谢 不用謝 bù yòng xiè You're welcome / Don't mention it
不问就听不到假话 不問就聽不到假話 bù wèn jiù tīng bù dào jiǎ huà Don't ask and you won't be told any lies. (idiom)
不太明白 bù tài míng bai (question is) not completely clear / I don't get it
不用客气 不用客氣 bù yòng kè qi you're welcome / don't mention it / no need to stand on ceremony
别客气 別客氣 bié kè qi don't mention it / no formalities, please syn
别提了 別提了 bié tí le say no more / don't bring it up / drop the subject
前事不忘，后事之师 前事不忘，後事之師 qián shì bù wàng , hòu shì zhī shī don't forget past events, they can guide you in future (idiom) / benefit from past experience
取其精华，去其糟粕 取其精華，去其糟粕 qǔ qí jīng huá , qù qí zāo pò take the cream, discard the dross (political and educational slogan) / keep what is good, discard the rest / You need to be selective when studying. / In modernizing the country, don't accept uncritically all foreign ideas.
堂·吉河德 TangJihede Don Quixote (hero of novel by Cervantes)
天无绝人之路 天無絕人之路 tiān wú jué rén zhī lù Heaven never bars one's way (idiom) / don't despair and you will find a way through. / Never give up hope. / Never say die.
好道 hǎo dào don't tell me ... / could it be that...?
学如逆水行舟，不进则退 學如逆水行舟，不進則退 xué rú nì shuǐ xíng zhōu , bù jìn zé tuì study is like rowing upstream – if you don't keep pushing forward, you fall behind
家丑不可外传 家醜不可外傳 jiā chǒu bù kě wài chuán lit. family shames must not be spread abroad (idiom) / fig. don't wash your dirty linen in public
小洞不堵，大洞难补 小洞不堵，大洞難補 xiǎo dòng bù dǔ , dà dòng nán bǔ If you don't plug the small hole, the big hole will be hard to repair (idiom) / A stitch in time saves nine.
少管闲事 少管閒事 shǎo guǎn xián shì Mind your own business! / Don't interfere!
后车之鉴 後車之鑒 hòu chē zhī jiàn lit. warning to the following cart (idiom) / don't follow the track of an overturned cart / fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor / learn from past mistake / once bitten twice shy syn
心有余，力不足 心有餘，力不足 xīn yǒu yú , lì bù zú The will is there, but not the strength (idiom, from Confucian Analects). / I really want to do it, but don't have the resources. / The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
忽隐忽现 忽隱忽現 hū yǐn hū xiàn intermittent / now you see it, now you don't
欲加之罪，何患无词 慾加之罪，何患無詞 yù jiā zhī zuì , hé huàn wú cí If you want to condemn sb, don't worry about the pretext (idiom, from Zuozhuan 左傳|左传) / one can always trump up a charge against sb / Give a dog a bad name, then hang him. / also written 慾加之罪,何
欲加之罪，何患无辞 欲加之罪，何患無辭 yù jiā zhī zuì , hé huàn wú cí If you want to condemn sb, don't worry about the pretext (idiom, from Zuozhuan 左傳|左传) / one can always trump up a charge against sb / Give a dog a bad name, then hang him.
有子存焉 yǒu zǐ cún yān I still have sons, don't I? / fig. future generations will continue the work
杀人不过头点地 殺人不過頭點地 shā rén bù guò tóu diǎn dì It's all exaggeration, you don't need to take it seriously / a fuss about nothing / nothing to write home about
杀鸡何必要用牛刀呢 殺雞何必要用牛刀呢 shā jī hé bì yào yòng niú dāo ne don't use a sledgehammer to crack a nut / de minimis non curat praetor (trivial matters are of no concern to a high official)
毋忘 wú wàng Don't forget! (literary)
The four tones The four tones of Mandarin Pitch over time: tone 1 high and level (red), tone 2 rising (orange), tone 3 falling then rising (green), tone 4 falling (blue). tone 1 tone 2 tone 3 tone 4 Time Pitch

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