本来 本來 běn lái adj., adv. original / originally / at first / it goes without saying / of course syn 不言而喻 bù yán ér yù it goes without saying / it is self-evident syn 有道是 yǒu dào shì as they say, ... / as the saying goes, ... syn 墙头草 牆頭草 qiáng tóu cǎo sb who goes whichever way the wind blows / sb with no mind of their own / easily swayed person / opportunist 各行其是 gè xíng qí shì each one does what he thinks is right (idiom) / each goes his own way syn 可想而知 kě xiǎng ér zhī (idiom) (it) goes without saying / can well be imagined 显而易见 顯而易見 xiǎn ér yì jiàn clearly and easy to see (idiom) / obviously / clearly / it goes without saying syn 足见 足見 zú jiàn it goes to show that / one can see syn 源远流长 源遠流長 yuán yuǎn liú cháng lit. source is distant and the flow is long (idiom) / fig. sth goes back to the dim and distant past / a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then syn 天旋地转 天旋地轉 tiān xuán dì zhuàn the sky spins, the earth goes round (idiom) / giddy with one's head spinning / fig. huge changes in the world syn 前功尽弃 前功盡棄 qián gōng jìn qì to waste all one's previous efforts (idiom) / all that has been achieved goes down the drain syn 诗曰 詩曰 shī yuē a poem goes: 那还用说 那還用說 nà hái yòng shuō that goes without saying 礼帽 禮帽 lǐ mào hat that goes with formal dress / top hat 糟糠 zāo kāng chaff, husks, distillers' dregs etc (food eaten by the poor) / (fig.) rubbish / junk / (abbr. for 糟糠妻[zao1 kang1 qi1]) wife who goes through the hardships of poverty with her husband syn 各奔前程 gè bèn qián chéng each goes his own way (idiom) / each person has his own life to lead syn 昧良心 mèi liáng xīn it goes against one's conscience 常言说得好 常言說得好 cháng yán shuō de hǎo as the saying goes / as they say... 骄兵必败 驕兵必敗 jiāo bīng bì bài lit. an arrogant army is bound to lose (idiom) / fig. pride goes before a fall 百无禁忌 百無禁忌 bǎi wú jìn jì all taboos are off (idiom) / anything goes / nothing is taboo syn 来鸿去燕 來鴻去燕 lái hóng qù yàn lit. the goose comes, the swallow goes (idiom) / fig. always on the move 着手成春 著手成春 zhuó shǒu chéng chūn lit. set out and it becomes spring (idiom) / to effect a miracle cure (of medical operation) / to bring back the dead / once it starts, everything goes well 所到之处 所到之處 suǒ dào zhī chù wherever one goes 自不必说 自不必說 zì bù bì shuō (idiom) needless to say / it goes without saying 百事大吉 bǎi shì dà jí (idiom) Everything goes smoothly and nothing goes wrong. It is often used ironically to question a supposedly perfect situation. 不待说 不待說 bù dài shuō needless to say / it goes without saying 不说自明 不說自明 bù shuō zì míng goes without saying / obvious / self-evident 冰炭不言，冷热自明 冰炭不言，冷熱自明 bīng tàn bù yán , lěng rè zì míng ice or coals, whether hot or cold goes without saying (idiom) / fig. sincerity is not expressed in words 失风 失風 shī fēng trouble / damage / setback / sth goes wrong 好事不出门，恶事传千里 好事不出門，惡事傳千里 hǎo shì bù chū mén , è shì chuán qiān lǐ lit. good deeds do not go beyond the door, evil deeds spread a thousand miles / a good deed goes unnoticed, but scandal spreads fast (idiom) 岁月流逝 歲月流逝 suì yuè liú shì as time goes by (idiom) 病来如山倒，病去如抽丝 病來如山倒，病去如抽絲 bìng lái rú shān dǎo , bìng qù rú chōu sī sickness comes like a landslide, but goes slowly like spinning silk (idiom) / expect to convalesce slowly 语云 語云 yǔ yún as the saying goes... 摸着石头过河 摸著石頭過河 mō zhe shí tou guò hé to wade across the river, feeling for footholds as one goes (idiom) / to advance cautiously, step by step / to feel one's way forward 下酒菜 xià jiǔ cài dish that goes well with alcoholic drinks / snack eaten with drinks 对地静止业务环境卫星服务 對地靜止業務環境衛星服務 Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Service 媳妇熬成婆 媳婦熬成婆 xí fù áo chéng pó lit. even a submissive daughter-in-law will one day become a domineering mother-in-law (idiom) / fig. the oppressed will become the oppressor / what goes around comes around 骄者必败 驕者必敗 jiāo zhě bì bài pride goes before a fall (idiom) 自不待言 zì bù dài yán needless to say / it goes without saying syn 糟糠妻 zāo kāng qī wife who goes through the hardships of poverty with her husband 不用说 不用說 bù yòng shuō needless to say / it goes without saying 多年媳妇熬成婆 多年媳婦熬成婆 duō nián xí fù áo chéng pó lit. even a submissive daughter-in-law will one day become a domineering mother-in-law (idiom) / fig. the oppressed will become the oppressor / what goes around comes around / see 媳婦熬成婆|媳妇熬成婆[xi2 fu4 ao4 cheng2 po2] 逢人说项 féng rén shuō xiàng (idiom) To praise someone or something wherever one goes and speak well of them to everyone. 果于自信 guǒ yú zì xìn (idiom) To be excessively self-confident. The expression emphasizes confidence in one’s own abilities that goes beyond what is reasonable. 过化存神 過化存神 guò huà cún shén (idiom) A sage transforms the people wherever he goes, while his spirit continues to exert a lasting influence where he has stayed. 目送手挥 目送手揮 mù sòng shǒu huī (idiom) To use one’s eyes and hands in harmony with ease / by extension, to use speech or writing whose meaning goes beyond the literal words. 深居简出 shēn jū jiǎn chū (idiom) Originally referred to an animal hiding in a secluded place and appearing rarely. It later came to describe a person who stays at home and seldom goes out. 随乡入乡 隨鄉入鄉 suí xiāng rù xiāng (idiom) To live in a place according to its customs and practices. By extension, to be able to adapt wherever one goes. syn 汤里来，水里去 tāng lǐ lái shuǐ lǐ qù (idiom) Refers to money that comes easily and goes just as quickly, never staying long enough to be saved. 无尽无休 wú jìn wú xiū (idiom) It goes on endlessly and without stopping, often conveying annoyance or exasperation. syn 一狠百狠 yī hěn bǎi hěn (idiom) Once one has made a ruthless decision, one goes all the way without further scruples. 一言便定 yī yán biàn dìng (idiom) A decision is settled in a single statement and will not be changed. It describes someone who keeps their word and never goes back on a commitment. 一言已定 yī yán yǐ dìng (idiom) A decision is settled in a single sentence and will not be changed. It describes someone who keeps their word and never goes back on a commitment. 一言而定 yī yán ér dìng (idiom) A matter is settled with a single statement and will not be changed. It describes someone who keeps their word and never goes back on a commitment. 三徙成国 三徙成國 sān xǐ chéng guó (idiom) Describes a sage who is welcomed and followed by the people wherever he goes. It has the same meaning as “three moves and a capital.” 不次不宠 不次不寵 bù cì zhī chǒng (idiom) A favor that goes beyond the usual order of things. The expression refers to exceptional favor or special preferential treatment. 不轨不物 不軌不物 bù guǐ bù wù (idiom) What goes beyond established norms and fails to comply with laws or rules / it describes a state of disorder. 东诳西骗 東誑西騙 dōng kuāng xī piàn (idiom) To lie to and deceive people wherever one goes. 事与心违 事與心違 shì yù xīn wéi (idiom) Reality goes against one’s wishes. What actually happens does not match what one had hoped for. 何往不利 hé wǎng bù lì (idiom) To be able to benefit and succeed wherever one goes. 出其不虞 chū qí bù yú (idiom) It means to take someone by surprise or to act unexpectedly. It describes an action that goes beyond what others anticipate. 南山有鸟，北山张罗 南山有鳥，北山張羅 nán shān yǒu niǎo，běi shān zhāng luó (idiom) The birds are on Southern Mountain, yet one goes to set nets on Northern Mountain. 反覆无常 fǎn fù wú cháng (idiom) To change one’s position or attitude unpredictably and inconsistently. It is especially used of someone who frequently goes back on decisions. 学如穿井 學如穿井 xué rú chuān jǐng (idiom) Learning is like digging a well: the deeper one goes, the harder the work becomes. To gain profound knowledge, one must therefore persevere and never give up. 岐出岐入 qí chū qí rù (idiom) Describes someone who comes and goes without having a fixed place. 平平安安 píng píng ān ān (idiom) To be safe and free from accidents or danger. It describes a situation in which everything goes smoothly and securely. syn 弃信违义 棄信違義 qì xìn wéi yì (idiom) To break one’s word and disregard morality. The expression condemns disloyal conduct that goes against accepted principles of justice. 张大其事 張大其事 zhāng dà qí shì (idiom) To exaggerate an affair beyond its actual proportions. It describes presenting facts in a way that goes beyond the truth. 张皇其事 張皇其事 zhāng huáng qí shì (idiom) To exaggerate what actually happened. It means that one’s account goes beyond the facts, much like overstating a claim. 得意不宜再往 dé yì bù yí zài wǎng (idiom) When something goes especially well and smoothly, it should not necessarily be repeated, lest difficulties or unexpected problems arise. 所向克捷 suǒ xiàng kè jié (idiom) Describes an army that wins wherever it goes. 无往不克 wú wǎng bù kè (idiom) Wherever one goes, one never suffers defeat / describes a person or force that is consistently victorious. 无往不复 wú wǎng bù fù (idiom) Nothing that goes away fails to return. It refers to the cyclical and repetitive movement of things. 日久玩生 rì jiǔ wán shēng (idiom) It means that various problems gradually arise as time goes by. It can also suggest deterioration caused by prolonged neglect. 日有长短，月有死生 日有長短，月有死生 rì yǒu cháng duǎn，yuè yǒu sǐ shēng (idiom) The length of the day varies, and the moon goes through phases of waxing and waning. 望屋以食 wàng wū yǐ shí (idiom) To describe an army that carries no provisions and obtains food wherever it goes. It is synonymous with “望屋而食.” 望屋而食 wàng wū ér shí (idiom) Describes an army that carries no provisions and obtains food wherever it goes. 消声匿影 消聲匿影 xiāo shēng nì yǐng (idiom) To stop speaking publicly or showing oneself. It describes someone or something that goes into hiding and no longer appears. 灯尽油干 dēng jìn yóu gān (idiom) The lamp goes out and its oil is exhausted. It describes a person whose energy or financial resources have been completely depleted. 独见之虑 獨見之慮 dú jiàn zhī lǜ (idiom) An original insight or strategy that goes beyond ordinary thinking. 矫枉过中 矯枉過中 jiǎo wǎng guò zhōng (idiom) To correct an error beyond what is necessary. It describes a reaction or reform that goes too far. 离经畔道 lí jīng pàn dào (idiom) To depart from the Confucian classics and norms. By extension, it describes thought or conduct that goes against dominant ideology and accepted standards. 索垢指瘢 suǒ gòu zhǐ bān (idiom) To remove dirt in order to look for a scar. Describes someone who goes to great lengths to find fault with others. 群方咸遂 qún fāng xián suì (idiom) Everything succeeds and proceeds as desired. It expresses the idea of overall success and a situation in which everything goes well. 脚跟无线 jiǎo gēn wú xiàn (idiom) Describes someone who comes and goes without leaving a trace, elusive and unpredictable. 蔑伦悖理 miè lún bèi lǐ (idiom) To violate morality and ethical principles. The expression strongly condemns conduct that goes against moral standards. 薪尽火灭 xīn jìn huǒ miè (idiom) When the firewood is consumed, the fire goes out. Figuratively, it means to die. 言之过甚 言之過甚 yán zhī guò shèn (idiom) What has been said goes too far / the statement is exaggerated. 谑而虐 謔而虐 xuè ér nüè (idiom) To joke in a very cutting or hurtful manner. The expression describes humor that goes beyond harmless teasing. 躬先士卒 gōng xiān shì zú (idiom) Equivalent to “to lead the troops from the front.” It describes a leader who sets an example and goes ahead of the group. 躬冒矢石 gōng mào shǐ shí (idiom) A commander personally goes to the front line and faces the enemy’s arrows and stones without fearing self-sacrifice. 躬蹈矢石 gōng dǎo shǐ shí (idiom) A commander goes personally to the front line and faces the enemy’s arrows and stones without fear of sacrificing himself. 过情之誉 過情之譽 guò qíng zhī yù (idiom) Praise that goes beyond the facts and does not match the person’s actual merit. 送君千里，终有一别 sòng jūn qiān lǐ，zhōng yǒu yī bié (idiom) No matter how far one goes to see someone off, the time eventually comes to part. 逆天犯顺 逆天犯順 nì tiān fàn shùn (idiom) To defy Heaven’s will and the righteous way. It describes conduct that goes against moral or rightful principles. 野鹤孤云 yě hè gū yún (idiom) It describes a person who is free from restraint and comes and goes as they please. 金飞玉走 金飛玉走 jīn fēi yù zǒu (idiom) The sun and moon pass swiftly / it describes how quickly time goes by. 随乡入俗 隨鄉入俗 suí xiāng rù sú (idiom) To live in a place according to its customs and practices. By extension, to adapt wherever one goes / see also “to follow local customs.” 骥伏盐车 驥伏鹽車 jì fú yán chē (idiom) It describes a talented person whose abilities are suppressed and who is placed in difficult circumstances, especially someone of merit who goes unrecognized. 鸿飞冥冥，弋人何篡 hóng fēi míng míng，yì rén hé cuàn (idiom) The wild goose flies into the distant sky, beyond the hunter’s reach. It refers to someone who goes far away to avoid danger or trouble. 