中 zhōng within / among / in / middle / center / while (doing sth) / during / (dialect) OK / all right syn 将 將 jiāng will / shall / to use / to take / to checkmate / just a short while ago / (introduces object of main verb, used in the same way as 把[ba3]) syn 却 卻 què but / yet / however / while / to go back / to decline / to retreat / nevertheless / even though syn 办法 辦法 bàn fǎ means / method / way (of doing sth) / CL:條|条[tiao2],個|个[ge4] syn 当时 當時 dāng shí then / at that time / while syn 正在 zhèng zài to be in the process of (doing sth) / to be currently ...-ing syn 少 shǎo few / less / to lack / to be missing / to stop (doing sth) / seldom syn 干什么 幹甚麼 gàn shén me what are you doing? / what's he up to? syn 一会儿 一會兒 yī huì r a moment / a while / in a moment / now...now... / also pr. [yi1 hui3 r5] syn 值得 zhí de worth the money / to merit / to deserve / to be worth (doing sth) syn 一边 一邊 yī biān one side / either side / on the one hand / on the other hand / doing while syn 之中 zhī zhōng inside / among / in the midst of (doing sth) / during syn 一会 一會 yī huì a moment / a while / in a moment / also pr. [yi1 hui3] 好久 hǎo jiǔ quite a while syn 手段 shǒu duàn method / way / means (of doing sth) / skill / ability / trick / wile syn 快要 kuài yào nearly at the point of (doing sth) / about to (do sth) syn 抓紧 抓緊 zhuā jǐn to keep a firm grip on / to pay close attention to / to lose no time in (doing sth) syn 偶尔 偶爾 ǒu ěr occasionally / once in a while / sometimes syn 无意 無意 wú yì inadvertent / accidental / to have no intention of (doing sth) syn 稍后 稍後 shāo hòu in a little while / shortly after 一时 一時 yī shí a period of time / a while / for a short while / temporary / momentary / at the same time syn 钓鱼 釣魚 diào yú to fish (with line and hook) / to angle / (fig.) to entrap / (Tw) to repeatedly nod one's head while dozing syn 一阵子 一陣子 yī zhèn zi a while / a spell / a short time / a burst syn 专心 專心 zhuān xīn to focus one's attention / to concentrate on (doing sth) syn 花样 花樣 huā yàng pattern / way of doing sth / trick / ruse / fancy-style (as in 花樣滑冰|花样滑冰[hua1 yang4 hua2 bing1] figure skating) syn 一下子 yī xià zi in a short while / all at once / all of a sudden syn 引诱 引誘 yǐn yòu to coerce (sb into doing sth bad) / to lure (into a trap) / to seduce syn 活生生 huó shēng shēng real (people) / living (artist) / while still alive (e.g. skinned alive) syn 生前 shēng qián (of a deceased) during one's life / while living 风尚 風尚 fēng shàng current custom / current way of doing things syn 懒得 懶得 lǎn dé not to feel like (doing sth) / disinclined to syn 活活 huó huó while still alive / simply / totally syn 顺路 順路 shùn lù by the way / while out doing sth else / conveniently syn 逗留 dòu liú to stay for a while / to sojourn syn 消磨 xiāo mó to wear down / to sap / to whittle away / to while away / to idle away syn 指手画脚 指手畫腳 zhǐ shǒu huà jiǎo to gesticulate while talking (idiom) / to explain by waving one's hands / to criticize or give orders summarily syn 忽悠 hū you to rock / to sway / to flicker (e.g. of lights reflected on water) / to flutter (e.g. of a flag) / to trick sb into doing sth / to dupe / to con syn 消遣 xiāo qiǎn to while the time away / amusement / pastime / recreation / to make sport of syn 半天 bàn tiān half of the day / a long time / quite a while / midair / CL:個|个[ge4] syn 改头换面 改頭換面 gǎi tóu huàn miàn to change outwardly while remaining essentially the same (derog.) (idiom) / (Tw) (non-derogatory) to change considerably / to undergo a transformation syn 无从 無從 wú cóng not to have access / beyond one's authority or capability / sth one has no way of doing syn 不禁 bù jīn can't help (doing sth) / can't refrain from syn 顺带 順帶 shùn dài (do sth) in passing / incidentally (while doing sth else) syn 无妨 無妨 wú fáng no harm (in doing it) / One might as well. / It won't hurt. / no matter / it's no bother syn 窍门 竅門 qiào mén a trick / an ingenious method / know-how / the knack (of doing sth) syn 干劲 幹勁 gàn jìn enthusiasm for doing sth syn 顺手 順手 shùn shǒu easily / without trouble / while one is at it / in passing / handy syn 不屑 bù xiè to disdain to do sth / to think sth not worth doing / to feel it beneath one's dignity syn 随手 隨手 suí shǒu conveniently / without extra trouble / while doing it / in passing syn 有生之年 yǒu shēng zhī nián (idiom) during one's lifetime / while one is on this earth / in one's remaining years syn 门路 門路 mén lù way of doing sth / the right social connection syn 无缘 無緣 wú yuán to have no opportunity / no way (of doing sth) / no chance / no connection / not placed (in a competition) / (in pop lyrics) no chance of love, no place to be together etc 曾几何时 曾幾何時 céng jǐ hé shí just a while before / not so long ago / everyone can remember when.. syn 顺手牵羊 順手牽羊 shùn shǒu qiān yáng lit. to lead away a goat while passing by (idiom) / fig. to opportunistically pocket sb's possessions and walk off syn 天长地久 天長地久 tiān cháng dì jiǔ enduring while the world lasts (idiom) / eternal syn 不由 bù yóu can't help (doing sth) 何妨 hé fáng what harm is there in (doing sth) syn 作法 zuò fǎ course of action / method of doing sth / practice / modus operandi 兵变 兵變 bīng biàn mutiny / (Tw) to be dumped by one's girlfriend while serving in the army 混迹 混跡 hùn jì mixed in as part of a community / hiding one's identity / occupying a position while not deserving it syn 趁热打铁 趁熱打鐵 chèn rè dǎ tiě to strike while the iron is hot syn 弯路 彎路 wān lù winding road / roundabout route / detour / (fig.) wrong way (of doing sth) syn 丢开 丟開 diū kāi to cast or put aside / to forget for a while syn 大有可为 大有可為 dà yǒu kě wéi with great prospects for the future (idiom) / well worth doing syn 逾期 yú qī to be overdue / to fail to meet a deadline / to be behind in doing sth syn 哭丧 哭喪 kū sāng to wail at a funeral / formal wailing while offering sacrifice to the departed syn 双簧 雙簧 shuāng huáng a form of theatrical double act in which one performer speaks or sings while the other, in front, pretends to be doing the speaking or singing / double reed (as in an oboe or bassoon) 生意经 生意經 shēng yi jīng knack of doing business / business sense 风靡一时 風靡一時 fēng mǐ yī shí fashionable for a while (idiom) / all the rage 推托 tuī tuō to make excuses / to give an excuse (for not doing something) syn 良久 liáng jiǔ a good while / a long time syn 亦步亦趋 亦步亦趨 yì bù yì qū to blindly follow suit (idiom) / to imitate slavishly / to do what everyone else is doing syn 浑圆 渾圓 hún yuán perfectly round / (fig.) accommodating / considerate / smooth (way of doing things) syn 避重就轻 避重就輕 bì zhòng jiù qīng to avoid the important and dwell on the trivial / to keep silent about major charges while admitting minor ones syn 亟待 jí dài to need urgently / to need doing without delay syn 勤工俭学 勤工儉學 qín gōng jiǎn xué to work part-time while studying / work-study program syn 念诵 念誦 niàn sòng to read out / to recite / to remember sb (while talking about sth else) 左邻右舍 左鄰右舍 zuǒ lín yòu shè neighbors / next-door neighbors / related work units / colleagues doing related work syn 协办 協辦 xié bàn to assist / to help sb do sth / to cooperate in doing sth syn 少来 少來 shǎo lái refrain (from doing sth) / (coll.) Come on! / Give me a break! / Save it! 骂骂咧咧 罵罵咧咧 mà ma liē liē to swear while talking / to be foul-mouthed syn 得法 dé fǎ (doing sth) in the right way / suitable / properly syn 声泪俱下 聲淚俱下 shēng lèi jù xià to shed tears while recounting sth / speaking in a tearful voice syn 大步流星 dà bù liú xīng at a stride / taking large steps (while walking) syn 倒行逆施 dào xíng nì shī to go against the tide (idiom) / to do things all wrong / to try to turn back history / a perverse way of doing things syn 劳而无功 勞而無功 láo ér wú gōng to work hard while accomplishing little / to toil to no avail syn 烦劳 煩勞 fán láo to put sb to trouble (of doing sth) / vexation / inconvenience syn 挂羊头卖狗肉 掛羊頭賣狗肉 guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu lit. to hang a sheep's head while selling dog meat (idiom) / fig. to cheat / dishonest advertising / wicked deeds carried out under banner of virtue syn 苦主 kǔ zhǔ (old) the family of the victim in a murder case / (Tw, HK) victim (of a crime, misfortune etc) / (Tw) (coll.) person who bears the burden while others benefit; 干嘛 幹嘛 gàn má what are you doing? / whatever for? / why on earth? 非要 fēi yào to want absolutely / to insist on (doing sth) 忙着 忙著 máng zhe to be occupied with (doing sth) 半晌 bàn shǎng half of the day / a long time / quite a while syn 在那儿 在那兒 zài na r (adverbial expression indicating that the attention of the subject of the verb is focused on what they are doing, not distracted by anything else) / just ...ing (and nothing else) 两下 兩下 liǎng xià twice / for a little while 抓紧时间 抓緊時間 zhuā jǐn shí jiān to waste no time in (doing sth) / to hurry up 硬要 yìng yào firmly set on doing sth / to insist on doing / determined in one's course of action 妙招 miào zhāo smart move / clever way of doing sth 偏要 piān yào to insist on doing sth / must do it, despite everything 