(prefix indicating ordinal number, as in 第六[di4-liu4] "sixth") / (literary) grades in which successful candidates in the imperial examinations were placed / (old) residence of a high official / (literary) but / however / (literary) only / just
to act against one's will / to have no alternative but to / to have to / to have no choice / must
花瓶
huā píng
flower vase / (fig.) female employee considered to be just a pretty face (attractive but not very competent)
毕业证书
bì yè zhèng shū
(PRC) (since 1985) graduation certificate, which certifies that the student has graduated, but not necessarily met all requirements to be awarded a degree certificate 學位證書|学位证书[xue2 wei4 zheng4 shu1] / (1981-1985) graduation certificate, which certified that the student graduated, and, if it included a final sentence indicating a degree type, also certified that the student met all the requirements for a degree
力不从心
lì bù cóng xīn
less capable than desirable (idiom) / not as strong as one would wish / the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
Diaoyu Islands, claimed by China but controlled by Japan as the Senkaku Islands, also called the Pinnacle Islands
鲜为人知
xiǎn wéi rén zhī
rarely known to anyone (idiom) / almost unknown / secret to all but a few
名堂
míng tang
item (in a program of entertainments) / trick (act of mischief) / worthwhile result / accomplishment / sth significant but not immediately apparent / sth more than meets the eye
you (Note: In Taiwan, 妳 / is used to address females, but in mainland China, it is not commonly used. Instead, 你 / is used to address both males and females.)
求之不得
qiú zhī bù dé
lit. seek but fail to get (idiom) / fig. exactly what one’s been looking for
臭豆腐
chòu dòu fu
stinky tofu / strong-smelling preserved beancurd / fig. rough exterior but lovable person
lit. doesn't hurt, doesn't tickle (idiom) / sth is wrong, but not quite sure what / fig. not getting to any matter of substance / scratching the surface / superficial / perfunctory
倒贴
dào tiē
to lose money instead of being paid (i.e. sb should pay me, but is actually taking my money)
擦边球
cā biān qiú
(table tennis) edge ball / (fig.) actions that are technically legal but perhaps not respectable
可遇不可求
kě yù bù kě qiú
can be discovered but not sought (idiom) / one can only come across such things serendipitously
得过且过
dé guò qiě guò
satisfied just to get through (idiom) / to muddle through / without high ambitions, but getting by
虎头蛇尾
hǔ tóu shé wěi
lit. tiger's head, snake's tail (idiom) / fig. a strong start but weak finish
心有余而力不足
xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú
the will is there, but not the strength (idiom) / the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
好吃懒做
hào chī lǎn zuò
happy to partake but not prepared to do any work (idiom) / all take and no give
闷骚
mēn sāo
(coll.) outwardly cold or retiring but deep and passionate inside
有名无实
yǒu míng wú shí
lit. has a name but no reality (idiom) / exists only in name / nominal
the appearance of unity, but divided at heart (idiom) / seeming harmony belies underlying disagreement
旁系
páng xì
collateral relative (descended from a common ancestor but through different lines)
东施效颦
dōng shī xiào pín
lit. Dong Shi imitates Xi Shi's frown (idiom) / fig. to mimick sb's idiosyncrasies but make a fool of oneself
万变不离其宗
wàn biàn bù lí qí zōng
many superficial changes but no departure from the original stand (idiom) / plus ça change, plus ça reste la mème chose
天网恢恢
tiān wǎng huī huī
lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73) / fig. the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape / you can't run from the long arm of the law
花拳绣腿
huā quán xiù tuǐ
flowery of fist with fancy footwork (idiom) / highly embellished and ineffectual / fancy but impractical skills / all show and no go / pugilistic wankery
bù guò