lit. when someone tells you you're fat, you pant (as if you were actually fat) (idiom) / fig. Hey! I pay you a compliment, and you start bragging! (typically jocular and teasing) / flattery, like perfume, should be smelled, not swallowed
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
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.
lit. Sow melon and you get melon, sow beans and you get beans (idiom) / fig. As you sow, so shall you reap. / One must live with the consequences of one's actions. / You've made your bed, now must lie on 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
true sentiments are seen in hard times (idiom) / you see who your true friends are when you go through tough times together / you see who your true friends are when you are in difficulties
lit. you may go undetected during the new moon, but at full moon you'll be found out (idiom) / fig. you can't put it off forever / sooner or later you'll have to deal with it
lit. you plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree / fig. things do not always turn out as one would expect / well-laid plans may fail, and success may come where you least expect it
(before a noun) Do (you, they etc) have ...? / Is there a ...? / (before a verb) Did (you, they etc) (verb, infinitive)? / Have (you, they etc) (verb, past participle)?
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]
lit. someone else stole the donkey / you only pulled up the stake it was tethered to (idiom) / fig. you're the least culpable, but you're the one who gets the blame
lit. if you tap a half-empty bottle it makes a sound (idiom) / fig. empty vessels make the most noise / one who has a little knowledge likes to show off, but one who is truly knowledgeable is modest
lit. use others' strengths to make up for one's weak points (idiom from Mencius) / to use this in place of that / what you lose on the swings, you win on the roundabouts
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]
dripping water penetrates the stone (idiom) / constant perseverance yields success / You can achieve your aim if you try hard without giving up. / Persistent effort overcomes any difficulty.
dripping water penetrates the stone (idiom) / constant perseverance yields success / You can achieve your aim if you try hard without giving up. / Persistent effort overcomes any difficulty.
lit. in every trade, a master appears (idiom) / fig. You can produce outstanding achievements in any task, provided you put it enough love and diligence
If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle. / cf idiom 磨杵成針|磨杵成针, to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom) / fig. to persevere in a difficult task / to study diligently
Since they have come, we should make them comfortable (idiom). Since we're here, take it easy. / Since this is so, we should accept it. / Now we have come, let's stay and take the rough with the smooth. / If you can't do anything to prevent it, you might as well sit back and enjoy it.
The four tones
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