A
愛不釋手fondle admiringly
愛財如命skin a flea for its hide
愛屋及烏love me,love my dog
安居樂業live and work in peace and contentment
按部就班 Learn to walk before you run.
B
白手起家build up from nothing
百里挑一one in hundred
百聞不如一見 Seeing is believing.
百折不撓be indomitable
半途而廢give up halfway leave sth. Unfinished
包羅萬象all-embracing all-inclusive
飽經風霜weather-beaten
飽食終日無所事事 to eat the bread of idleness
卑躬屈膝bow and scrape cringe
笨鳥先飛 A slow sparrow should make an early start.
悲歡離合vicissitudes of life
背道而馳run counter to run in the opposite direction
笨鳥先飛A slow sparrow should make an early start. the slow need to start early
本末倒置put the cart before the horse
必由之路the only way
比上不足比下有余 worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst。
閉關自守close the country to international intercourse
鞭長莫及 beyond one's grasp
變本加厲be further intensified
變化無常chop and change fantasticality
變化無常chop and change fantasticality
別開生面having sth. New
別有用心have ulterior motives
彬彬有禮refined and courteous urbane
兵不厭詐in war nothing is too deceitful
病從口入禍從口出 Illness comes in by mouth and comes out by it.
博古通今erudite and informed
不眠之夜white night
不遺余力spare no effort; go all out
不打不成交"No discord, no concord.
不寒而栗 Shivering All Over Though Not Cold
不敗之地incincible position
不恥下問feel not ashamed to learn from one's subordinates
不可救藥be past praying for beyond redemption
不勞而獲reap where one has not sown
不屈不撓fortitude indefatigability perseverance persevere tenacity
不速之客crasher uninvited guest
不同凡響outstanding
不言而喻speak for itself tell its own story tell its own tale went without saying
不以為然not approve object to
不義之財filthy lucre filthy pelf the mammon of unrighteousness
不遠千里go to the trouble of travelling a long distance
不約而同happen to coincide
不擇手段by any kind of means by hook or crook play hard by fair means or foul
不知所措be at a loss be all adrift lose one's head out of one's wits
八仙過海，各顯神通like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea,each showing his or her special prowes.
拔苗助長try to help the shoots to grow by pulling them upward/spoil things by excessive enthusiasm.
不以物喜，不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses
C
才疏學淺have little talent and learning
慘絕人寰extremely cruel
滄海桑田time brings a great change to the worlds
滄海一粟/九牛一毛a drop in the bucket
草木皆兵a state of extreme nervousness
層出不窮emerge in endlessly
層巒迭嶂peaks over peaks
差之毫厘失之千里 A miss is as good as a mile
察言觀色carefully watch what sb. is doing and saying
姹紫嫣紅very beautiful flowers
暢行無阻checkless
車水馬龍heavy traffic
沉默寡言taciturnity
稱心如意well-content
趁熱打鐵strike while iron is hot Hold a wolf the iron is hot
趁火打劫 to fish in troubled waters
成群結隊gang horde
誠惶誠恐with reverence and awe
誠心誠意sincere desire
承上啟下a connecting link between the preceding and the following
吃苦耐勞tough
吃里扒外live on sb. while helping others secretly
癡心妄想 胡思亂想wishful thinking
持之以恒preserve
叱咤風云ride the whirlwind
愁眉苦臉pull a long face snoot
臭名遠揚，臭名昭著flagrancy， notorious
出口成章have an outstanding eloquence
出類拔萃，鶴立雞群fill the bill supereminence
出謀劃策give counsel suggest
出奇制勝defeat sb. by a surprise action
出生入死go through fire and water
觸類旁通comprehend by analogy
垂頭喪氣，無精打采 down in the mouth lose one's spirits with the tail between the legs
垂頭喪氣的blue about the gills crestfallen downhearted
綽綽有余more than sufficient
初出茅廬 at the beginning of one’s career
拆東墻補西墻rob Peter to pay Paul
此起彼伏as one falls,another rises
辭舊迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new
聰明反被聰明誤 to suffer for one's wisdom
從容不迫go easy take one's time
粗枝大葉careless slapdash sloppy
錯綜復雜 撲朔迷離 anfractuosity
措手不及unaware unprepared
D
大開眼界open one"s eyes; broaden one"s horizon; be an eye-opener
打草驚蛇to wake a sleeping dog
大張旗鼓 on a large and spectacular scale
大材小用waste one's talent on a petty job
大海撈針look for a needle in a bottle of hay
大惑不解be extremely puzzled
大驚小怪a storm in a teacup foofaraw fuss like a hen with one chicken
大快人心affording general satisfaction
大名鼎鼎famous well known
大器晚成great minds mature slowly
大千世界the boundless universe
大失所望greatly disappointed
大事化小，小事化了 try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to
大同小異largely identical but with minor differences
大顯身手 大顯神通strut one's stuff
大言不慚 夸夸其談fanfaronade rodomontade
大義凜然inspiring awe by upholding justice
大義滅親place righteousness above family loyalty
大智若愚Still waters run deep. An empty vessel makes the most sound Still water runs deep
呆若木雞dumbstruck transfixed
待人接物the ways one gets along with others
殫思極慮rack one's brains
膽小如鼠cannot say boh to a goose
淡泊明志not seek fame and wealth
道貌岸然be sanctimonious
道高一尺，魔高一丈as virtue rises one foot,vice rises ten\the more illumination,the more temptation
得過且過drift along muddle along
得心應手handy with facility
得意洋洋elated elation exaltation jauntiness
得意揚揚ride high
德才兼備have both ability and moral integrity
德高望重sainted saintlike
登峰造極reach the limit reach the peak of perfection
地大物博vast territory and abundant resources
顛倒黑白 顛倒是非 混淆是非call white black swear black is white
顛三倒四confused disorderly
雕蟲小技insignificant skill
調兵遣將move forces
調虎離山lure the enemy away from his base
掉以輕心treat sth. Lightly
喋喋不休blat cackle chackle harp harp on jaw-jaw rattle twitter wag
頂天立地of indomitable spirit
東施效顰blind imitation with ludicrous effection
東山再起bob up like a cork
獨具匠心show originality
獨樹一幟develop a school of one's own
獨一無二in a class by oneself
度日如年one day seems like a year
斷章取義garble quote out of context
對牛彈琴whistle jigs to a milestone Cast pearls before swine
對癥下藥suit the remedy to the case
多才多藝versatility
多才多藝的accomplished all-round allround miscellaneous versatile
多愁善感sensitivity sentimentality
多此一舉bring owls to Athens hold a candle to the sun
E
阿諛奉承 趨炎附勢greasiness
惡事傳千里 Bad news travels quickly.
惡有惡報 He that does evil shall find evil.
恩將仇報 以怨報德 忘恩負義 bite the hand that feeds one
恩威并濟 alternate weakness with severity
爾虞我詐each trying to cheat the other
F
發人深省set people thinking
發揚光大carry forward
翻山越嶺tramp over hill and dale
翻天覆地world-shaking
繁榮昌盛thriving and prosperous
泛濫成災overrun
飛黃騰達 青云直上come into one's kingdom rise in the world strike oil
飛禽走獸birds and beasts
廢寢忘食forget food and sleep
分道揚鑣part company,each going his own way
分化瓦解disintegrate divide and demoralize
分門別類classify
紛至沓來come in a continuous stream
紛至沓來的thick as hail
奮不顧身dash ahead regardless of one's safety
憤憤不平be indignant
豐富多彩rich and colorful
豐衣足食have ample food and clothing
風花雪月sentimental writings of the exploiting classes
風馬牛不相及be totally unrelated
風靡一時be the rage
風起云涌like a rising wind and scudding clouds
風雨同舟stand together regardless of situation
風雨無阻in all weathers
風燭殘年 to have one foot in the grave
風雨飄搖 (of a situation)being unstable
風聲鶴唳，草木皆兵 to apprehend danger in every sound
鋒芒畢露make a showy display of one's abilities
逢場作戲join in the fun on occasion
逢兇化吉trun ill luck into good
敷衍了事make short shrift of palter scuffle
釜底抽薪take a drastic measure to deal with a situation
赴湯蹈火 出生入死go through fire and water
覆水難收spilt water cannot be gathered up again It is no use crying over spilt milk
富貴在天 Riches and honors come from heaven.
G
蓋棺論定 Judge none blessed before his death.
隔墻有耳 Pitchers have ears; walls have ears.
功夫不負有心人Everything comes to him who waits.
孤注一擲 to put all one's egg in one basket
關公門前耍大刀 There's no need to teach a fish to swim.
寡不擊眾 There is no contending against odds.
掛羊頭賣狗肉 cry up wine and sell vinegar
國泰民安The country flourishes and people live in peace
過猶不及beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little
H
害群之馬 black sheep
海底撈針 to look for a needle in a bundle of hay
海底撈月 to fish in the air
好了傷疤忘了疼once on shore, one prays no more
好事不出門，惡事傳千里 Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.
和氣生財Harmony brings wealth
虎父無虎子 Like father, like son.
畫蛇添足\add feet to a snake\gild the lily
緩兵之計 a fabian policy
渾水摸魚 to fish in the troubled water
火上加油 to pour oil on the flame
活到老，學到老 One is never too old to learn.
禍不單行 Misfortunes never come single.
J
機不可失 Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
積少成多 Every little makes a mickle.
饑不擇食 A good appetite is a good sauce.
既往不咎let bygones be bygones
集思廣義 Two heads are better than one.
疾風知勁草 Adversity reveals genius.
家丑不可外揚 Don't wash your dirty linen in public.
驕者必敗 Pride goes before a fall
腳踏實地be down-to-earth
腳踩兩只船sit on the fence
捷足先登 The early bird catches the worm.
金玉滿堂Treasures fill the home
金無足赤,人無完人 Gold cant be pure and man cant be perfect.
金玉其外敗絮其中 All that glitters is not gold.
精神旺盛to be full of beans
舊調重談 to harp on the same string
鞠躬盡瘁 to give the last measure of devotion
君子之交淡如水 the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps friendship green
K
慷他人之慨 to be free with other's money
空中樓閣 castle in the air
膾炙人口 in everyone's mouth
L
老生常談，陳詞濫調cut and dried
樂極生悲 After joy comes sadness.
禮多必詐 full of courtesy, full of craft
禮尚往來Courtesy calls for reciprocity.
量入為出 to cut one's coat according to one's cloth/ make both ends meet
路遙知馬力日久見人心 A distant journey tests the strength of a horse and a long task proves the character of a man.
留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒"Where there is life, there is hope."
流芳百世 a niche in the temple of fame
落井下石 to hit a person when he's down
M
馬到成功achieve immediate victory; win instant success
名利雙收gain in both fame and wealth
滿招損，謙受益 Haughtiness invites ruin; humility receives benefits.
茅塞頓開be suddenly enlightened
毛遂自薦 to volunteer one’s service
沒有規矩不成方圓 Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.
每逢佳節倍思親 On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away.
It is on the festival occasions when one misses his dear most.
美中不足 a fly in the ointment
沒有笑臉不出門 A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.
謀事在人，成事在天 "The planning lies with man, the outcome with Heaven. / Man proposes, God disposes. "
莫在太歲頭上動土 Let sleeping dogs lie.
N
弄巧成拙be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself.
拿手好戲masterpiece
逆來順受 to make the best of a bad bargain
P
旁觀者清，當局者迷 Lookers-on see most of the game.
拋磚引玉 a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale
跑了和尚跑不了廟 The monk may run away, but the temple can't run with him.
賠了夫人又折兵throw good money after bad
破釜沉舟 cut off all means of retreat； burn one‘s own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end
Q
搶得先機take the preemptive opportunities
強強聯手win-win co-operation
搶得先機 take the preemptive opportunities
巧婦難為無米之炊 If you have no hand you can't make a fist./ One can't make bricks without straw.
千里之行始于足下a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step
前事不忘,后事之師 Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
前人栽樹,后人乘涼 One generation plants the trees in whose shade another generation rests.One sows and another reaps.
前怕狼,后怕虎 fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind/ hesitate in doing something
強龍難壓地頭蛇 Even a dragon (from the outside) finds it hard to control a snake in its old haunt-Powerful outsiders can hardly afford to neglect local bullies.
晴天霹靂 like a bolt from the blue
輕如鴻毛 as light as a feather
情人眼里出西施 Love is blind.
窮寇莫追 A cornered animal is a dangerous foe.
R
瑞雪兆豐年A timely snow promises a good harvest.
人之初,性本善Man"s nature at birth is good.
人逢喜事精神爽Joy puts heart into a man.
人海戰術huge-crowd strategy
如履薄冰 to be on the thin ice
若要人不知除非己莫為 If you would not be known to do anything, never do it.
S
塞翁失馬，焉知非福Misfortune may be an actual blessing.
三十而立 "A man should be independent at the age of thirty. At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself."
三顧茅廬make three calls at the thatched cottage\ repeatedly request someone to take up a responsible post.
殺雞用牛刀break a butterfly on the wheel
殺身成仁 to sacrifice one's life to preserve one's virtue complete
山不在高，有仙則名 "No matter how high the mountain is, its name will spread far and wide if there is a fairy; "
上有天堂，下有蘇杭 "Just as there is paradise in heaven, ther are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth.
升級換代updating and upgrading (of products)
聲東擊西 to look one way and row another
勝不驕敗不餒 to be not elated by success nor disturbed by failure
時運不濟 to have a bad time
實事求是 seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
實話實說speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is
實踐是檢驗真理的唯一標準Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.
勢不兩立be mutually exclusive
世上無難事，只要肯攀登"Where there is a will, there is a way. "
事實勝于雄辯 Facts are most convincing.
世外桃源a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world;
時不我待Time and tide wait for no man.
守株待兔stand by a stump waiting for hares to come and dash themselves against it/trust to chance and windfalls/waiting for gains without pains.
守口如瓶 as dumb as an oyster; as silent as the graves;
壽終正寢 to die a natural death (to die in one's bed)
熟能生巧 Practice makes perfect.
殊途同歸 All roads lead to Rome .
誰言寸草心，報得三春暉 "Such kindness of warm sun, can't be repaid by grass. "
水漲船高When the river rises, the boat floats high.
說曹操,曹操到Talk of the devil and he comes.
死而后已until my heart stops beating
四十不惑Life begins at forty.
四面楚歌hear the sounds of the Chu all around\be besieged on all sides/be utterly isolated/be in desperate straits
歲歲平安Peace all year round "
歲月不饒人 Time and tide wait for no man.
損人利己 to enrich oneself at others expense
T
貪小失大 penny-wise and poundfoolish
糖衣炮彈sugar-coated bullets
螳臂擋車 to kick against the pricks
韜光養晦 hide one's capacities and bide one's time
天有不測風云Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue
鐵石心腸 a heart of steel
聽天由命 to be guided by destiny
團結就是力量Unity is strength.
脫胎換骨thoroughly remould oneself
跳進黃河洗不清 "eve if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean--there's nothing one can do to clear one's name "
兔子不吃窩邊草 The fox preys farthest from his hole.
W
歪風邪氣unhealthy practices and evil phenomena
物以類聚，人以群分Birds of a feather flock together.
望子成龍hold high hopes for one"s child
屋漏又逢連陰雨Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it pours.
文韜武略military expertise; military strategy
唯利是圖draw water to one"s mill
為虎作倀 to act as guide to a tiger
無源之水,無本之木water without a source, and a tree wiithout roots
無中生有make/create something out of nothing
無孔不入 to take advantage of every weakness
萬事開頭難 Everything is difficult at the start
萬事俱備，只欠東風everything is ready,all that's needed is an east wind/all is ready except what is crucial.
萬無一失 not a single miss in a thousand times.
圍魏救趙besiege Wei to rescue Zhao/relieve the besieged by besieging the base of the besiegers.
完璧歸趙return the jade intact to the State of Zhao/return sth.to its owner in perfect condition.
往者不可諫，來者猶可追 A mill cannot grind with the water that is past.
往事如風 "The past has vanished (from memory) like wind.; What in past, is past."
徇私枉法 bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends
無源之水,無本之木 water without a source, and a tree wiithout roots
無風不起浪 There are no waves without wind. There's no smoke without fire.
X
新官上任三把火a new broom sweeps clean
蓄勢而發accumulate strength for a take-off
洗心革面 to turn over a new leaf
心想事成May all your wish come true
心照不宣 have a tacit understanding; give tacit consent; tacit understanding
先入為主First impressions are firmly entrenched.
先下手為強catch the ball before the bound
像熱鍋上的螞蟻like an ant on a hot pan
現身說法warn people by taking oneself as an example
息事寧人pour oil on troubled waters
喜憂參半mingled hope and fear
習慣成自然 once a use forever a custom
星星之火可以燎原 A single spark can start a prairie fire.
笑里藏刀 a smile to hide one's hate
秀才不出門能知天下事 A scholor does not step outside his gate, yet he knows the happenings under the sun.
循序漸進step by step
徇私枉法 bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends
虛心使人進步,驕傲使人落后 Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind.
蓄勢而發 accumulate strength for a take-off
雪中送炭 to help a lame dog over a stile
血流如注 to bleed like a pig
雪中送炭真君子/患難見真情 A friend in need is a friend indeed.
小菜一碟 a piece of cake
Y
眼不見為凈 Out of sight, out of mind.
嚴以律己,寬以待人 be strict with oneself and lenient towards others
掩耳盜鈴Hide the ears and stole the bell
揚眉吐氣 to feel proud and elated
陽奉陰違 ostensible obedience
一言既出，駟馬難追A real man never goes back on his words.
一箭雙雕 to kill two birds with one stone
一唱一和one sings,the other harmonizes——sing the same tune/echo each other.
一毛不拔as close as wax
一貧如洗 as poor as a Church mouse
異曲同工different tunes sung with equal skill/different approaches but equally satisfactory results.
一路平安，一路順風 speed somebody on their way; speed the parting guest
以人為本 people oriented; people foremost
易如反掌as easy as falling off a log
異想天開 to give loose to one's fancy
因材施教teach students according to their aptitude
姻緣天注定 Marriages are made in heaven.
英雄所見略同Great minds think alike。
勇者不懼 A brave man will not shrink from dangers.
有情人終成眷屬 "Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well."
有錢能使鬼推磨 Money makes the mare go. Money talks.
有識之士 people of vision
有勇無謀 use brawn rather than brain
有緣千里來相會 Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.
優勝劣汰 survival of the fittest
魚米之鄉a land of milk and honey
與時俱進 advance with times
欲速則不達Haste does not bring success.
欲窮千里目，更上一層樓 "to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend
冤家宜解不宜結Better make friends than make enemies.
further, were you to look farther; Would eye embrace a thousand miles? Go up, one flight."
冤假錯案 "cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases"
遠親不如近鄰 Distant kinsmen mean less than close neighbors. / A near neighbor is better than a distant cousin.
緣木求魚 to get water from a flint
Z
招財進寶Money and treasures will be plentiful
債臺高筑become debt-ridden
致命要害Achilles" heel
眾矢之的target of public criticism
紙上談兵be an armchair strategist
紙包不住火Truth will come to light sooner or later
知己知彼,百戰不殆 Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.
置之死地而后生 Put the troops in death ground and they will live.
智者不惑 A wise man is free from perplexities.
眾志成城/團結就是力量 Union is strenth.
種瓜得瓜種豆得豆 You must reap what you have sown. / As you sow, so shall you reap.
轉敗為勝 to convert defeat into victory
轉石不生苔 A rolling stone gathers no moss.
左右為難 between the devil and the deep blue sea; between the rock and the hard place
