双管齐下 雙管齊下 shuāng guǎn qí xià lit. to paint holding two brushes (idiom) / fig. to work on two tasks at the same time / to attack one problem from two angles at the same time syn 六书 六書 liù shū 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) 一分为二 一分為二 yī fēn wéi èr one divides into two / to be two-sided / there are two sides to everything / to see both sb's good points and shortcomings (idiom) syn 双向时间 雙向時間 two-way traveltime / two-way transit time / two-way time 一山不容二虎 yī shān bù róng èr hǔ lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom) / fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us / (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive 唯二 wéi èr (slang) (adjective) (of one thing) one of the only two / (of two things) the only two 无关 無關 wú guān unrelated / having nothing to do (with sth else) syn 孤立 gū lì to isolate / isolated / unrelated / irrelevant 风马牛不相及 風馬牛不相及 fēng mǎ niú bù xiāng jí to be completely unrelated to one another (idiom) / irrelevant syn 鳅 鰍 qiū loach (family Cobitidae) / used in 鯕鰍|鲯鳅[qi2qiu1] (mahi-mahi, a fish unrelated to the loaches) syn 非亲非故 非親非故 fēi qīn fēi gù lit. neither a relative nor a friend (idiom) / fig. unrelated to one another in any way syn 没有联系 沒有聯繫 méi yǒu lián xì to be unrelated 衍声复词 衍聲複詞 yǎn shēng fù cí compound word, such as 玫瑰[mei2gui1] or 咖啡[ka1fei1], whose meaning is unrelated to the individual characters (Note: These characters are often not used independently in modern Chinese.) 八竿子打不着 八竿子打不著 bā gān zi dǎ bù zháo (coll.) unrelated / lacking any connection 二次 èr cì second (i.e. number two) / second time / twice / (math.) quadratic (of degree two) 大桥 大橋 dà qiáo Da Qiao, one of the Two Qiaos, according to Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义[San1 guo2 Yan3 yi4], the two great beauties of ancient China syn 两手 兩手 liǎng shǒu one's two hands / two prongs (of a strategy) / both aspects, eventualities etc / skills / expertise syn 空隙 kòng xì crack / gap between two objects / gap in time between two events syn 小桥 小橋 xiǎo qiáo Xiao Qiao, one of the Two Qiaos, according to Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义[San1 guo2 Yan3 yi4], the two great beauties of ancient China 夹击 夾擊 jiā jī pincer attack / attack from two or more sides / converging attack / attack on a flank / fork in chess, with one piece making two attacks syn 一举两得 一舉兩得 yī jǔ liǎng dé one move, two gains (idiom) / two birds with one stone syn 夹攻 夾攻 jiā gōng attack from two sides / pincer movement / converging attack / attack on a flank / fork in chess, with one piece making two attacks syn 轮距 輪距 lún jù tread (the distance between the two front – or two rear – wheels of a vehicle) 两码事 兩碼事 liǎng mǎ shì two things that are fundamentally different from each other / two very different things syn 一箭双雕 一箭雙鵰 yī jiàn shuāng diāo lit. one arrow, two golden eagles (idiom) / to kill two birds with one stone syn 拉锯 拉鋸 lā jù a two-man saw / fig. to-and-fro between two sides 脚踏两条船 腳踏兩條船 jiǎo tà liǎng tiáo chuán lit. to stand with each foot in a different boat (idiom) / fig. to have it both ways / to run after two hares / (especially) to have two lovers at the same time 四体 四體 sì tǐ one's four limbs / two arms and two legs 两虎相斗 兩虎相鬥 liǎng hǔ xiāng dòu lit. two tigers fight (idiom) / fig. a dispute between two powerful adversaries / a battle of the giants 一个巴掌拍不响 一個巴掌拍不響 yī ge bā zhǎng pāi bù xiǎng lit. one palm alone cannot clap (proverb) / fig. it takes two persons to start a dispute / it takes two to tango / it's difficult to achieve anything without support 在天愿做比翼鸟，在地愿做连理枝 在天願做比翼鳥，在地願做連理枝 zài tiān yuàn zuò bǐ yì niǎo , zài dì yuàn zuò lián lǐ zhī In the sky to be two birds flying wing to wing, on earth to be two trees with branches intertwined / wishing for conjugal bliss 对顶角 對頂角 duì dǐng jiǎo angle to the vertical / angle (between two lines or two planes) 一是一，二是二 yī shì yī , èr shì èr lit. one is one, two is two (idiom) / fig. things are (or ought to be) perfectly clear-cut / unequivocal 𬣙 訏 xū to boast / great / large / multicolored silk / piece of silk torn in two, used to verify the holder's identity by matching up the two halves 两重天 兩重天 liǎng chóng tiān two entirely different worlds / two contrasting realities 情头 情頭 qíng tóu "lovers' avatar" – avatar that matches the avatar of a significant other (e.g. two halves of one image, two images drawn in a similar style etc), used to indicate a romantic relationship (abbr. for 情侶頭像|情侣头像[qing2 lu : 3 tou2 xiang4]) 做事 zuò shì to work / to handle matters / to have a job syn 事宜 shì yí matters / arrangements syn 领导小组 領導小組 lǐng dǎo xiǎo zǔ leading small group (LSG), a CCP body that exercises general oversight on matters relating to a specific area (LSG for foreign affairs 外事工作, LSG for comprehensively deepening reforms 全面深化改革 etc) / aka central leading group 务实 務實 wù shí to deal with concrete matters / pragmatic 理事 lǐ shì member of council / (literary) to take care of matters 处事 處事 chǔ shì to handle affairs / to deal with matters syn 家事 jiā shì family matters / domestic affairs / housework syn 公事 gōng shì work-related matters / documents syn 省事 shěng shì to simplify matters / to save trouble syn 自爆 zì bào to explode / spontaneous detonation / self-detonation / suicide bombing / to disclose private matters about oneself 谜团 謎團 mí tuán riddle / enigma / unpredictable situation / elusive matters 个人隐私 個人隱私 gè rén yǐn sī personal privacy / private matters 私事 sī shì personal matters syn 雪上加霜 xuě shàng jiā shuāng (idiom) to make matters even worse / to add insult to injury syn 斤斤计较 斤斤計較 jīn jīn jì jiào to haggle over every ounce / (fig.) to fuss over minor matters / to split hairs syn 总务 總務 zǒng wù general matters / division of general affairs / person in overall charge syn 杂碎 雜碎 zá suì offal / mixed entrails / trivial matters syn 目中无人 目中無人 mù zhōng wú rén to consider everyone else beneath one (idiom) / so arrogant that no-one else matters / condescending / to go about with one's nose in the air syn 侨务 僑務 qiáo wù matters relating to the Chinese diaspora (as a concern of the Chinese government) 操办 操辦 cāo bàn to arrange matters syn 一概而论 一概而論 yī gài ér lùn to lump different matters together (idiom) syn 轻重缓急 輕重緩急 qīng zhòng huǎn jí slight or important, urgent or non-urgent (idiom) / to deal with important matters first / sense of priority syn 明哲保身 míng zhé bǎo shēn a wise man looks after his own hide (idiom) / to put one's own safety before matters of principle syn 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 火上加油 huǒ shàng jiā yóu to add oil to the fire (idiom) / fig. to aggravate a situation / to enrage people and make matters worse syn 务虚 務虛 wù xū to discuss matters of principle (as opposed to concrete issues) 饮鸩止渴 飲鴆止渴 yǐn zhèn zhǐ kě lit. drinking poison in the hope of quenching one's thirst (idiom) / fig. a supposed remedy that only makes matters worse syn 中共中央办公厅 中共中央辦公廳 zhōng gòng zhōng yāng bàn gōng tīng General Office of the Central Committee of the CCP, responsible for technical and logistical matters relating to the Central Committee / abbr. to 中辦|中办[Zhong1 Ban4] 越俎代庖 yuè zǔ dài páo lit. to go beyond the sacrificial altar and take over the kitchen (idiom) / fig. to exceed one's place and meddle in other people's affairs / to take matters into one's own hands syn 谋事 謀事 móu shì to plan matters / to look for a job syn 琐屑 瑣屑 suǒ xiè trivial matters / petty things syn 干休 gān xiū to let matters rest 戎 róng generic term for weapons (old) / army (matters) / military affairs syn 欲盖弥彰 欲蓋彌彰 yù gài mí zhāng trying to hide it makes it more conspicuous (idiom) / A cover up only makes matters worse. 应付自如 應付自如 yìng fu zì rú to handle matters with ease (idiom) / to hold one's own 火上浇油 火上澆油 huǒ shàng jiāo yóu to pour oil on the fire (idiom) / fig. to aggravate a situation / to enrage people and make matters worse syn 众说纷揉 眾說紛揉 zhòng shuō fēn róu lit. diverse opinions confused and divided (idiom) / opinions differ / controversial matters 缓急轻重 緩急輕重 huǎn jí qīng zhòng slight or important, urgent or non-urgent (idiom) / to deal with important matters first / sense of priority / also written 輕重緩急|轻重缓急 床笫之私 chuáng zǐ zhī sī intimate matters 宵衣旰食 xiāo yī gàn shí to dress before light and not eat before dark (idiom) / diligently attending to official matters 不辨菽麦 不辨菽麥 bù biàn shū mài lit. cannot tell beans from wheat (idiom) / fig. ignorant of practical matters syn 两耳不闻窗外事 兩耳不聞窗外事 liǎng ěr bù wén chuāng wài shì to pay no attention to outside matters 不慌不忙 bù huāng bù máng calm and unhurried (idiom) / composed / to take matters calmly syn 共商大计 共商大計 gòng shāng dà jì to discuss matters of vital importance 势殊事异 勢殊事異 shì shū shì yì lit. conditions unique and matters different / things are not the same as before (idiom) 小聪明 小聰明 xiǎo cōng ming clever-clever / clever in trivial matters / sharp but petty-minded syn 后账 後賬 hòu zhàng undisclosed account / to settle matters later / to blame sb after the event 此道 cǐ dào such matters / things like this / this line of work / this pursuit / this hobby / this endeavor 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) 留尾巴 liú wěi ba to leave loose ends / to leave matters unresolved 话里套话 話裡套話 huà lǐ tào huà to use seemingly innocent conversation topics as a pretext to glean information / to touch upon other matters not central to the topic being discussed 超然世事 chāo rán shì shì to consider oneself above worldly matters (idiom) 重文轻武 重文輕武 zhòng wén qīng wǔ to value letters and belittle arms (idiom) / to stress civil matters and neglect the military / to prefer the pen to the sword 司法、立法和宪法框架问题委员会 司法、立法和憲法框架問題委員會 Committee for Judicial, Legislative Matters and Constitutional Framework 工业安全和环境事项工作队 Task Force on Industrial Safety and Environmental Matters 美洲刑事事项互助公约 Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters 刑事事项互助公约 Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters 欧洲联盟成员国刑事事项互助公约 Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union 税务信息交换协定 shuì wù xìn xī jiāo huàn xié dìng Agreement on Exchange of Information on Tax Matters 刑事事项诉讼转移示范协定 Model Agreement on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters 负责维持和平问题和特别任务的助理主任 Assistant Director for Peace-Keeping Matters and Special Assignments 语文事务 Linguistic Matters 维持和平事项和特别任务股 Unit for Peacekeeping Matters and Special Assignements 