(after a noun N and before a predicate P) the reason why N P / Example: 我之所以討厭他|我之所以讨厌他[wo3 zhi1 suo3 yi3 tao3 yan4 ta1] "the reason why I dislike him (is ...)"
he or him / (used for either sex when the sex is unknown or unimportant) / (used before sb's name for emphasis) / (used as a meaningless mock object) / other / another
lit. win an inch, want a foot (idiom) / fig. not satisfied with small gains / give him an inch, and he'll want a mile
治病救人
zhì bìng jiù rén
to treat the disease to save the patient / to criticize a person in order to help him
三顾茅庐
sān gù máo lú
lit. three humble visits to a thatched cottage / cf famous episode in the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义 / in which Liu Bei 劉備|刘备 / recruits Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮|诸葛亮 / (the Hidden Dragon 臥龍|卧龙) to his cause by visiting him three times
避其锐气击其惰归
bì qí ruì qì jī qí duò guī
to avoid the enemy when he is fresh and strike him when he is tired and withdraws
以眼还眼
yǐ yǎn huán yǎn
an eye for an eye (idiom) / fig. to use the enemy's methods against him / to give sb a taste of his own medicine
量才录用
liàng cái lù yòng
to assess sb's capabilities and employ him accordingly (idiom) / to employ sb competent for the task
知遇之恩
zhī yù zhī ēn
lit. the kindness of recognizing sb's worth and employing him (idiom) / patronage / protection
好汉不吃眼前亏
hǎo hàn bù chī yǎn qián kuī
a wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him (idiom)
以眼还眼，以牙还牙
yǐ yǎn huán yǎn , yǐ yá huán yá
an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (idiom) / fig. to use the enemy's methods against him / to give sb a taste of his own medicine
吊打
diào dǎ
to hang sb up and beat him / (fig.) (slang) to own (one's opponent) / to thoroughly dominate
师父领进门，修行在个人
shī fu lǐng jìn mén , xiū xíng zài gè rén
the master leads you to the door, the rest is up to you / you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink
欲加之罪，何患无词
yù jiā zhī zuì , hé huàn wú cí
If you want to condemn sb, don't worry about the pretext (idiom, from Zuozhuan 左傳|左传) / one can always trump up a charge against sb / Give a dog a bad name, then hang him. / also written 慾加之罪,何
欲加之罪，何患无辞
yù jiā zhī zuì , hé huàn wú cí
If you want to condemn sb, don't worry about the pretext (idiom, from Zuozhuan 左傳|左传) / one can always trump up a charge against sb / Give a dog a bad name, then hang him.
成功的男人后面必有一个奉献的女人
chéng gōng de nán rén hòu mian bì yǒu yī gè fèng xiàn de nu:3 rén
Every successful man has a dedicated woman behind him (European proverb).
牵马到河易，强马饮水难
qiān mǎ dào hé yì , qiáng mǎ yǐn shuǐ nán
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. (idiom)
跑了和尚，跑不了寺
pǎo le hé shàng , pǎo bù liǎo sì
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
跑了和尚，跑不了庙
pǎo le hé shàng , pǎo bù liǎo miào
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
跑得了和尚，跑不了庙
pǎo dé liǎo hé shàng , pǎo bù liǎo miào
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
道之所存，师之所存
dào zhī suǒ cún , shī zhī suǒ cún
If sb has grasped the truth before you, take him as your teacher (Tang dynasty essayist Han Yu 韓愈|韩愈[Han2 Yu4]). / We should learn from one who knows the way.
道所存者，乃师所存者
dào suǒ cún zhě , nǎi shī suǒ cún zhě
If sb has grasped the truth before you, take him as your teacher (Tang dynasty essayist Han Yu 韓愈|韩愈[Han2 Yu4]). / We should learn from one who knows the way.
遭瘟
zāo wēn
to suffer from a plague / to endure a misfortune / a plague on him!
授人以鱼不如授人以渔
shòu rén yǐ yú bù rú shòu rén yǐ yú
give a man a fish and you feed him for a day / teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime / knowledge is the best charity
请神容易送神难
qǐng shén róng yì sòng shén nán
it's easier to invite the devil in than to send him away
士为知己者死，女为悦己者容
shì wèi zhī jǐ zhě sǐ , nu:3 wèi yuè jǐ zhě róng
a true gentleman will sacrifice his life for a friend who understands him, as a woman makes herself beautiful for her sweetheart
对着和尚骂贼秃
duì zhe hé shang mà zéi tū
lit. in the presence of a monk, insult another monk, calling him a bald-headed bandit (idiom) / fig. to insult indirectly / to criticize obliquely
授之以鱼不如授之以渔
shòu zhī yǐ yú bù rú shòu zhī yǐ yú
give a man a fish and you feed him for a day / teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime (idiom)
avoid the enemy when he is fresh and strike him when he is tired and withdraws (idiom)
牵马到河易，强马饮水难
qiān mǎ dào hé yì , qiǎng mǎ yǐn shuǐ nán
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. (idiom)
罚半蹲
fá bàn dūn
to punish a student by having him stand in a half-squatting position with arms extended forward
扶弟魔
fú dì mó
(coll.) (neologism c. 2017, a play on 伏地魔[Fu2 di4 mo2]) woman who devotes herself to supporting her little brother (assisting him with his studies, giving money to help him buy a house etc)
打狗还得看主人
dǎ gǒu hái děi kàn zhǔ rén
lit. when one beats a dog, one must answer to its master (idiom) / fig. before punishing sb, one should consider how that would affect others associated with him
不是鱼死就是网破
bù shì yú sǐ jiù shì wǎng pò
lit. either the fish dies or the net gets torn (idiom) / fig. it's a life-and-death struggle / it's either him or me
跑了和尚跑不了庙
pǎo le hé shàng pǎo bù liǎo miào
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]
人走茶凉
rén zǒu chá liáng
lit. when people leave, the tea cools (idiom) / fig. when sb is no longer in a position of power, others cease to care about him
zhī
