we or us (including both the speaker and the person(s) spoken to) / (dialect) I or me / (dialect) (in a coaxing or familiar way) you / also pr. [za2 men5]
plumbing and electrical work / tradesman who does both plumbing and electrical work
兼而有之
jiān ér yǒu zhī
to have both (at the same time)
玉石俱焚
yù shí jù fén
to burn both jade and common stone / to destroy indiscriminately (idiom)
鱼与熊掌
yú yǔ xióng zhǎng
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
左右开弓
zuǒ yòu kāi gōng
lit. to shoot from both sides (idiom) / fig. to display ambidexterity / to slap with one hand and then the other, in quick succession / to use both feet equally (football)
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
坐山观虎斗
zuò shān guān hǔ dòu
sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight / watch in safety whilst others fight then reap the rewards when both sides are exhausted (idiom)
双职工
shuāng zhí gōng
working couple (husband and wife both employed)
骑墙
qí qiáng
to sit on the fence / to take both sides in a dispute
imperial five punishments of feudal China, up to Han times: tattooing characters on the forehead 墨[mo4], cutting off the nose 劓[yi4], amputation of one or both feet 刖[yue4], castration 宮|宫[gong1], execution 大辟[da4 pi4] / Han dynasty onwards: whipping 笞[chi1], beating the legs and buttocks with rough thorns 杖[zhang4], forced labor 徒[tu2], exile or banishment 流[liu2], capital punishment 死[si3]
lit. knifes piercing both sides (idiom) / fig. to attach a great importance to friendship, up to the point of being able to sacrifice oneself for it
捧腹大笑
pěng fù dà xiào
uproarious / hilarious / to split one's sides laughing / lit. to hold one's belly with both hands
软硬兼施
ruǎn yìng jiān shī
use both carrot and stick / use gentle methods and force / an iron hand in a velvet glove
一穷二白
yī qióng èr bái
impoverished / backward both economically and culturally
左右逢源
zuǒ yòu féng yuán
lit. to strike water right and left (idiom) / fig. to turn everything into gold / to have everything going one's way / to benefit from both sides
一分为二
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)
公私兼顾
gōng sī jiān gù
to adequately take into account both public and private interests
才兼文武
cái jiān wén wǔ
talent in both military and civil field (idiom)
教学相长
jiào xué xiāng zhǎng
when you teach someone, both teacher and student will benefit
兰艾同焚
lán ài tóng fén
lit. to burn both fragrant orchids and stinking weeds (idiom) / fig. to destroy indiscriminately the noble and common / the rain falls on the just and unjust alike
里勾外连
lǐ gōu wài lián
to act from inside in coordination with attackers outside / attacked from both inside and out
遐迩一体
xiá ěr yī tǐ
both near and distant treated alike (idiom)
鹬蚌相争渔翁得利
yù bàng xiāng zhēng yú wēng dé lì
lit. sandpiper and clam war together and the fisherman catches both (idiom) / fig. neighbors who can't agree lose out to a third party
脚踏两只船
jiǎo tà liǎng zhī chuán
to have a foot in both camps / to have a bet each way / to be having an affair
人琴俱亡
rén qín jù wàng
person and lute have both vanished (idiom) / death of a close friend
彼此彼此
bǐ cǐ bǐ cǐ
you and me both / that makes two of us
品学兼优
pǐn xué jiān yōu
excelling both in morals and studies (idiom) / top marks for studies and for behavior (at school) / a paragon of virtue and learning
dōu
