lit. to attend to one thing and lose sight of another (idiom) / fig. to be unable to manage two or more things at once / cannot pay attention to one thing without neglecting the other
no stronghold one cannot overcome (idiom) / to conquer every obstacle / nothing one can't do / to carry everything before one
欲速则不达
yù sù zé bù dá
lit. to want sth in haste, but cannot get there (idiom, from Analects) / more haste, less speed / don't try to run before you can walk
为富不仁
wéi fù bù rén
the benevolent man cannot be rich (idiom, from Mencius). It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:24).
酒酸不售
jiǔ suān bù shòu
"The wine´s gone bad and it cannot be sold"
不敢高攀
bù gǎn gāo pān
lit. not dare to pull oneself up high (humble term) / I cannot presume on your attention
不知者不罪
bù zhī zhě bù zuì
One who does not know is not guilty / If one does not know any better, one cannot be held responsible
夏虫不可以语冰
xià chóng bù kě yǐ yǔ bīng
a summer insect cannot discuss ice (idiom)
巧妇难为无米之炊
qiǎo fù nán wéi wú mǐ zhī chuī
The cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice (idiom) / You won't get anywhere without equipment.
强龙不压地头蛇
qiáng lóng bù yā dì tóu shé
lit. strong dragon cannot repress a snake (idiom) / fig. a local gangster who is above the law
心无二用
xīn wú èr yòng
one cannot concentrate on two things at the same time
死无对证
sǐ wú duì zhèng
the dead cannot testify (idiom) / dead men tell no tales
水至清则无鱼
shuǐ zhì qīng zé wú yú
Water that is too clear has few fish, and one who is too critical has few friends (idiom) / You cannot expect everyone to be squeaky clean. / Don't be too picky!
the rich man cannot be benevolent (idiom, from Mencius). It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:24).
无风不起浪
wú fēng bù qǐ làng
lit. without wind there cannot be waves (idiom) / there must be a reason / no smoke without fire
目不忍见
mù bù rěn jiàn
lit. the eye cannot bear to see it (idiom) / a scene too pitiful to behold
目不忍视
mù bù rěn shì
lit. the eye cannot bear to see it (idiom) / a scene too pitiful to behold
目不见睫
mù bù jiàn jié
lit. the eye cannot see the eyelashes (idiom) / fig. unable to see one's own faults / to lack self-awareness / truths too close to home
道不同不相为谋
dào bù tóng bù xiāng wéi móu
lit. persons who walk different paths cannot make plans together / to go separate ways (idiom)
饱人不知饿人饥
bǎo rén bù zhī è rén jī
The well-fed cannot know how the starving suffer (idiom).
饱汉不知饿汉饥
bǎo hàn bù zhī è hàn jī
The well-fed cannot know how the starving suffer (idiom).
独木不成林
dú mù bù chéng lín
a lone tree does not make a forest (idiom) / one cannot accomplish much on one's own
一个巴掌拍不响
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
一木难支
yī mù nán zhī
lit. a single post cannot prop up a falling house (idiom) / fig. one is helpless alone
汉贼不两立
Hàn zéi bù liǎng lì
lit. Shu Han 蜀漢|蜀汉[Shu3 Han4] and Cao Wei 曹魏[Cao2 Wei4] cannot coexist (idiom) / fig. two enemies cannot live under the same sky / (former KMT slogan against CCP) "gentlemen and thieves cannot coexist"
言不尽意
yán bù jìn yì
(conventional letter ending) words cannot fully express what is in my heart (idiom)
米已成炊
mǐ yǐ chéng chuī
lit. the rice has already been cooked (idiom) / fig. what is done cannot be undone
bù guò