惡者傳千里 Bad news travels quickly. 0 T! i2 J. d4 c
智者不惑 A wise man is free from perplexities. ; Q; ^3 E; K9 o$ D0 [% b( T* k' Y% o
無風不起浪 There is no smoke without free(where there is smoke, # l0 e$ I) C5 ]3 W0 Z1 [/ J
there is fire)
; n9 s8 K o$ u/ J* M% a o% y為虎作倀 To act as guide to a tiger.
- {8 t) o# M6 K) B/ M畫蛇添足 To paint the lily.
4 y$ |. z t0 ?( h奇裝異服 A fantastic garb. & b# J# j r, A9 c" w, R
孤注一擲 To put all one's eggs in one basket. # t5 Z0 S8 q: v$ F
忠言逆耳 Honest advice is unpleasant to the ear. / l% o0 N9 |% M- B, A
拋磚引玉 To throw out a minnow to catch a whale. 1 L2 p1 [+ h' `
明辨是非 To distinguish right from wrong. . J1 ~7 @, z2 Z4 ^; N
知足常樂 Happy is he who is content.
7 A. U a4 \* b, _知足者富 He who feels contented is rich.
' m) e2 E! _# O$ T, J知人知面不知心 It's easy to know men's faces, but not their hearts. $ R% m6 S+ P0 @ U# G: X0 c z- |
知己知彼百戰百勝 Know your enemy and know yourself.
# {8 k% k4 a# ?- l$ M* Y空中樓閣 Castels in the air. 2 x$ t _: l: k5 c& A' ~
金科玉律 The golden rule. 9 c2 Y) S$ @* u
雨後春筍 Like bamboo shoots after a spring shower.
4 S# g1 J" e7 C* ]勇者不懼 A brave man will not shrink from dangers. ( a( m3 L J8 @" a
洗心革面 To turn over a new leaf. ; g: V6 C9 [9 ]6 U) ]: h* K2 W4 ~: `
美中不足 A fiy in the ointment. 8 n6 X4 d) Y9 ?! E
背道而馳 To run counter. ! D" A( M' e+ J1 h: O" ^
赴湯蹈火 To go through fire and water.
& S1 Z8 ?6 Q# R+ L) I風燭殘年 To have one foot in the grave.
* |) f# W& f2 D f( z" ~風聲鶴淚草木皆兵 To apprehend danger in every sound. & p, _$ {. Q, E" J# R
活到老學到老 It's never too late to learn.
3 e( b$ C& w, a+ N- m8 I7 |3 o前事不忘後事之師 Remember the past and it will guide your future. 8 h/ |2 T2 X5 g, m
星星之火可以燎原 A single spark can start a prairie fire.
* q. h2 x' X5 @4 z害群之馬 Black sheep. ; P2 @4 z' g) N2 ]) G
家醜不外揚 Don't wash your dirty linen in public.
! m- v% z# G4 _' D. N+ }恩威並用 Alternate weakness with severity. 8 F. A; Y1 H7 U8 R
旁觀者清 The outsider sees the best of the game. 7 Z# U6 |! Q9 q- ~4 `
時運不濟 To have a bad time. 9 M4 E4 D9 N0 k( i E+ u3 \
殊途同歸 All roads lead to Rome.
* _# s' O+ F( ~回頭浪子 The return of a prodigal.
% P% O; b7 X4 D3 ~ v1 |4 a! s6 C; [$ h先下手為強 Offence is the best defence(the best defence is ! a& ]8 E' j2 J5 J) x
offence.)
/ L- t4 }/ j v2 l同甘共苦 To share one's joys and sorrows.
/ X/ X2 f) P' g. {) T7 e4 @) n因時制宜 To act according to circumstances.
. z( E% V# s2 Z: `有勇無謀 More brave than wise. 1 q1 I4 l) @+ c( r! w2 }
有備無患 Good watch prevents misfortune. 6 N$ l) U: m4 i- W/ A O2 z& R" o
有志者事竟成 Where there's a will, there's a way. 6 I7 ?( D* ~6 r. n& X0 g
江山易改本性難移 The child is father of the man.
& K9 ^8 u/ ?0 v' |$ P- _$ }百無一失 Not a single miss in a hundred times.
, d9 e+ Y# ?0 p, }百聞不如一見 To see is to believe. 0 o) U2 j$ W$ N3 S
自力更生 To shift for oneself. 0 n# ^+ M K4 e- L4 R, K' b* B
自討苦吃 To make a rod for one's own back
! ]3 F& E& E& ?% n& }吃得苦中苦方為人上人 If you wish to be the best man, you must be prepared # v8 ]1 O/ r$ q# y1 z: r0 s
to suffer the bitterest of the bitter. " x& c* P2 a$ ^) X+ Q. c+ Y/ F
弄巧成拙 Overreach oneself; overshoot oneself; overshoot the
9 l' N4 W- }( ]mark.
4 n. D `0 h: D忍無可忍 To be at the end of one's patience.
5 Y; n r% a2 r忘恩負義 To kick down the ladder. 3 F, R; ?* L: I4 L
走馬看花 A flying visit.
8 {0 g8 K5 J S; g" S, K防患於未然 To nip a thing in the bud.
0 X- R6 Q9 ~- ^" N; J! q) Z7 @' d" E8 d秀才不出門能知天下事 A scholar does not step outside his gate, yet he knows
5 g) @6 q0 m' G: F0 F$ m) c) _the happenings under the sun.
- e! [: M2 z4 }0 B事實勝於雄辯 Facts are most convincing. 5 ?, H2 o$ b" ]) W0 C2 p' S" O, N
來得容易去得快 Easy come, easy fo.
+ ?" c5 X8 P1 k. u/ }. g) @一言既出,駟馬難追 A word spoken is past recalling. ! G" [: g! Z* M2 ]6 X/ Y
一見鍾情 To fall in love at first sight. 3 E/ h; O, u1 D4 z: E( x8 i
一箭雙?(一舉兩得) To kill two birds with one stone.
|& v( l6 f2 t' C. d4 P一寸光陰一寸金 Time is money.
0 k: x# a7 r$ d/ F一失足成千古恨 The error committed on impulse may turn out to be the
$ Q/ `# L, b/ g- @" X+ Isorrow of a whole life. ) M: v8 @. h K9 h8 @/ }- h
一將功成萬骨枯 What millions died that Caesar might be great. ' T0 h! h# W9 q, H
一年之計在於春,一日之計在於晨 % K" m/ ^: h. B
Plan your year in spring and your day at dawn.
/ Y8 c/ R& [. D9 x4 ]九死一生 To have a hair-breadth escape.
; n* b+ J+ k$ z" t+ L h; b人生如夢 Life is but a dream.
9 ]- N# b" g/ f e5 K0 \* {0 ^) `人生自古誰無死 Death comes to all men. 3 X5 l0 \1 f6 C* o2 }
人生百歲古來稀 It is seldom that a man lives to be a hundred years old
. c8 I9 {2 g, E8 a# M人定勝天 Man can conquer nature.
* `: ]: r7 ]7 _" H- T! I三思而後行 Look before your leap.
: [- t$ {8 u! E+ C4 p1 X* D5 I三句不離本行 To talk shop. 5 K3 m0 c6 x: ?1 B& x+ c
千鈞一髮 To hang by a hair thread. . ^, _* g: B5 J) C9 R$ a, w
大智若愚 He who cannot play the fool is not a wise man. 1 |9 q0 Q3 N6 Y, i' v* F; E
大器晚成 Rome was not built in a day. # C. T+ g+ T( z4 R) W9 \) z1 h
山窮水盡 At the end of one's resources. : T9 Z, j% w. o# C4 T9 [
不告而別 To take French leave.
% u. U" l" j% Q+ N積少成多 Every little makes a mickle.
) k. J/ D9 @1 T- y1 \& N錢可通神 Money can move even the gods.
2 _: Y! @2 w7 h' k( |謀事在人成事在天 Man proposes and God disposes.
# _0 r/ O5 ?6 Y- i優勝劣敗 The weakest goes to the wall.
: ?4 x, [0 y- U1 c1 a/ A" z聲東擊西 To look one way and row another. 2 t2 s1 ~: h( a, K h# s& g
膾炙人口 In everyone's mouth.
8 y: W- T' N# A- p0 J) g p# s螳臂擋車 To kick against the pricks. h4 m& j" l+ V( s9 P9 u
鞠躬盡瘁 To give the last measure of devotion. 8 z7 y- C$ f2 K3 g% h% K. K' E
聰明反被聰明誤 To suffer for one's wisdom. 6 P- t# K! X% j2 O3 j. I+ C; m
舊調重彈 To harp on the same string. & H* H( h+ `* S" c r4 z9 C
覆水難收 What's done cannot be undone.
, h* y% B: G% K% b轉敗為勝 To convert defeat into victory. ' t$ c* Y0 Z0 _, ^: N' `# H
鞭長莫及 Beyond one's grasp. ( w4 k6 c8 L6 \2 u
嚴以責己寬以待人 To be svere with oneself and lenient with others. 9 i9 n+ d- [, A! m
鐵石心腸 A heart of steel.
, g. P0 I% d1 _, P% F聽天由命 To be guided by destiny. 9 T2 v4 t5 e( U/ j
驕者必敗 Pride goes before a fall.
5 J$ u, f( b* D1 E4 T$ ?不戰而屈人之兵 The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without
& l5 s% Z0 p. K$ Jfighting. $ D. A5 d) B p
不入虎穴,焉得虎子 How can one obtain tiger-cabs without entering the 8 \9 `* C, b, u% F
tiger's lair? # @ Y1 s# _2 P+ M- g6 @
天下烏鴉一般黑 Crows are black all over the world.
9 G" g9 {5 |) _# W* ~0 U2 H少年老成 To have an old head on young shoulders. - I6 w) ^1 E9 W8 ]+ d" _: @
毛遂自薦 To recommand one's own person. 5 E. E# ~( U6 S9 q( {1 j
以身作則 To practice what one practices. : v1 V! L- t, [; ~6 N3 _
以毒攻毒 To set a thief to catch a thief.
i9 k% J3 o. S' k& B: J以德報怨 To bite the hand that feeds one. 8 k" U+ s9 j/ Z8 Q
To render good for evil. E* X0 `$ z( P; {2 J5 f
以逸待勞 To wait at ease till the enemy is exhausted.
4 L' J; B) H4 F1 p0 _* _( o以寡敵眾 To fight against longer odds.
* K: d) T" e5 y; W" A$ W6 E2 }) D, L: t以子之矛,攻子之盾 To turn a person's battery against himself.
1 @+ i" G7 Q( G( S四大皆空 All is vanity.
, \: A% w% @) i; q四海之內皆兄弟 All are brothers within the four seas.
9 J. F' i3 j/ g) {9 j打落水狗 To hit a person when he's down. ( W3 D, l( {- h, Q4 s W
打鐵趁熱 Strike while the iron is hot. 4 Y/ F4 Q( F6 I, J
未雨綢繆 To save against a rainy day.
9 L2 K. \( ?$ r# S目不識丁 Not know A from B.
5 d) v0 E$ G3 W失敗乃成功之母 Failure is the mother of success. 6 w K$ r) X; b1 I. l4 w4 [
任勞任怨 To bear hardship without complaint. $ i$ d, h7 H* S8 [) l
異想天開 To give loose to one's fancy. 0 Z- ^# S O2 t" _% ~) I+ ~4 O) q
眾志成城 Union is strength. $ d, V$ Q& ^1 p: Y
趁火打劫 To fish in troubled waters.
. k2 S4 Q* r% ~& e4 y量入為出 To cut one's coat according to one's cloth.
3 a: \, ?1 u) W陽奉陰違 Ostensible obedience. 9 u& n6 d* V; g9 @) j7 C
集思勝於獨斷 Two heads are better than one. 3 P& M1 q1 G/ }
殺雞焉用牛刀 Take not a musket to kill a butterfly. . W9 N5 P/ z8 \! a1 @
跑了和尚跑不了廟 The monk may run away, but the temple can't run with
/ |3 Y/ Y6 s* T1 G8 Z lhim.
8 T2 o# V/ A9 s" _8 d( i損人利己 To enrich oneself at others' expense. ( T5 N c9 [+ y& T5 j5 R. w8 {( z! y
置之死地而後生 Put the troops in death ground and they will live. + @) @5 u2 K, j5 U! @+ _
萬物之靈 The lords of creation.
h! x( s2 z( K; _2 k萬事開頭難 Everything is difficult at the start. 9 ]1 ^) I4 e. U
萬無一失 Not a single miss in a ten thousand times.
4 Y! X& D1 W; R; y$ v0 g落井下石 To hit a person when he's down.
* @" I, P) E1 w) c8 [, e3 G得過且過 To live from hand to mouth.
5 x" h# O: q3 ?+ C1 ]: z道高一尺魔高一丈 While the priest climbs a foot, the devil climbs ten.
2 D# S. x/ J5 _+ p$ @隔牆有耳 Pitchers have ears; walls have ears. 5 C# U# u* x7 j* S1 @# F
預防勝於治療 Prevention is better than cure. ' c0 z+ x& u. B; i+ J
新官上任三把火 New brooms sweep clean.
4 \" L! C" u9 I2 Z# k5 z塞翁失馬焉知非福 Misfortune might be a blessing in disguise. % N' Y; d7 k3 ~$ u
路遙知馬力日久見人心 A distant journey tests the strength of a horse and
! G6 N9 J' a2 p% \ Ba long task proves the character of a man.
; S' j- V% \3 X- `( e4 z( C壽終正寢 To die a natural death ( to die in one's bed)
+ I; }+ Y! a5 i( x2 a1 f寡不敵眾 There is no contending against odds.
/ W3 s( a7 \* B; }" L對牛彈琴 To cast pearls before swine.
* T5 R* J2 R9 d8 h# x禍不單行 Troubles never come singly.
( Y; R. ^0 D5 J9 d滄海一粟 A drop in the bucket. ' K ? v$ A: X% f4 u
蓋棺論定 Judge none blessed before his death. * O) C9 D/ f- R1 c) }3 a
飽食終日無所事事 To eat the bread of idleness. . T" h) ?3 t. \+ A; m/ H; z6 ~
慷他人之慨 To be free with other's money.
& K! |. Y7 ^) _: B6 N遠親不如近鄰 Distant kinsmen mean less than close neighbours.
4 J% t2 ?$ }+ t" C+ J1 I種瓜得瓜種豆得豆 You must reap what you have sown. / P* o1 z- J* T/ l5 U' r5 [
樂極生悲 After joy comes sadness. ; X4 _- k2 A* ~. M v1 p5 D
熟能生巧 Practice makes perfect.
# i* X+ w7 l. z1 o6 s2 d. ]) K緩兵之計 A fabian policy. 2 Y: f' O' T7 @" A+ E) q
緣木求魚 To get water from a flint. J W; c# C0 O( t+ a
適者生存 The survival of the fittest. |