文勝於武 The pen is mightier than the sword.
文不對題 His composition is wide of the mark. ( beside the point )
六親不認 As to the business, he often cuts loose from old ties. ( turn one's back on one's own flesh and blood )
火上加油 Don't bother her, or you'll pour oil on the flame.
支離破碎 The car was so seriously damaged that it was torn to pieces. (in shreds; rip apart)
匹夫之勇 Fighting with him is just courage without discipline . (brute courage)
比比皆是 This kind of mall can be found here and there and everywhere. (right and left) 切膚之痛 No one knows where the shoe pinches like the wearer. 夫唱婦隨 A good Jack makes a good Jill.
引狼入室 I know I'll set a fox to keep the geese if I take him for a good friend.
引以為榮 I am really proud of myself. (plume oneself on; pride oneself on; take pride in) 日薄西山 Now he knows that his days are numbered. (not to be long for this world; The sands are running out.)
水乳交融 That couple are really hand and (in) glove with each other. (be finger and glove with)
水性楊花 They got divorced for he thinks his wife was unstable as water. (as changeable as the moon; A woman's mind and winter wind change off.)
水深火熱 The rebels were in deep water and oppressed every day.
水落石出 The police are now looking into the case, and I suppose, the truth will out soon. (be brought to light; come out in the wash; Murder is out Truth lies at the bottom of a well.)
分文不值 What you bought yesterday is actually not worth a dump.
分身乏術 I'm now doing my homework, so I can't be in two places at once. 分秒必爭 Every minute counts.
分道揚標鑣 They have already gone separate ways. (part company)
化險為夷 It is John who helps me weather the storm. (escape/go/get off scot-free; bear a charmed life)
斤斤計較 Forget about it. Don't strain at gnat. He needs money lately. (look at both sides of a penny; skin a flint) 5
以身作則 You got to practice what one practices. ( set a good example for others) 以毒攻毒 to set a thief to catch a thief
以怨報德 He is a person who bites the hand that feeds one. 以逸待勞 To wait at ease till the enemy is exhausted. 以寡敵眾 to fight against longer odds
以德報怨 I think it is better for you to render/return good for evil . 以其人之道還治其人之身 Set a thief to catch a thief.
以子之矛，攻子之盾 to turn a person's battery against himself
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以柔克剛 Willows are weak yet they bind other wood. (Soft and fair goes far.) 以和為貴 A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit.
以卵擊石 What you do is throw a straw against the wind. (run one's head against a stone wall; Whether the pitcher strikes the stone or the stone strikes the pitcher, it is bad for the pitcher.)
四大皆空 All is vanity.
四海之內皆兄弟 All are brothers within the four seas.
四面八方 These folks come from in all directions (far and wide; there and everywere; length and breadth)
四海為家 I don't know where Jack is now; in my mind, he is a person who is here today and gone tomorrow.
未雨綢繆 Keep some extra money for a fainy day. 目不識丁 not know A from B / an illiterate
失敗為成功之母 Failure is the mother of success. 失之毫釐，差之千里 A miss is as good as a mile.
只要功夫深，鐵杵磨成針 Little strokes fell great oaks. 毛遂自薦 to recommend one's own person
毛骨悚然 That weird-looking person really makes my hair stand on end. (get goose bumps; make one creep all over; make one's flesh creep) 打落水狗 to hit a person when he's down
打鐵趁熱 Strike while the iron is hot.(Make hay while the sun is shining.) 打抱不平 He often bullies you. I really take up the cudgel for you.
打草驚蛇 Let's stay here in order not to wake a sleeping dog. (wake a sleeping lion/woof) 犯錯是人之常情，寬恕是超凡的 To err is human; to forgive divine. 只要功夫深，鐵杵磨成針 Little strokes fell great oaks. 白費唇舌 to waste your breath on him
生於憂患，死於安樂 Adversity spurs vitality, while comfort breeds sloth .
永垂不朽 The general's name will be always remembered and eternally immortal. 平白無故 Don't take others' money without rhyme or reason. (without provocation) 平分秋色 He did quite well, but I still think his is one equal terms with her.
平步青雲 What an amazing thing! He should make a smashing hit in short a time. (beat the top of the ladder; come to the top over night; hit the jackpot; skyrocket to fame) 平易近人 He is a person easy to get along with. (be well disposed; free and easy; have a taking way with one have the common touch)
未雨綢繆 Don't take everyting for granted. It's better for you to lay up against a rainy day. (prepare for foul in fair weather; prepare for a rainy day)
功敗垂成 I hate to tell you that your plan is a slip betwixt cup and the lip. 可歌可泣 His sacrifice for the country set us in a melting mood. 本末倒置 Don't put the cart before the horse.
甘拜下風 Would you like to play with me again? No, I'd rather play second fiddle. 甘之如飴 He lived a plain life and smacked his lips.
世外桃源 Switzerland is like Utopia, which I always dream of visiting.
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世界末日 Don't be so depressed. It's not Doomsday.
半斤八兩 John is no better than Peter. They are just Tweedledum and Tweedledee. (be as broad as it is long; six of one and half a dozen of the other)
半信半疑 A: Jimmy will invite you to dinner tonight? B: No, I don't think so. I will take it half in doubt. ( take with a grain of salt)
石沉大海 I couldn't find her. It seemed that her whereabouts sank into oblivion. 左右逢源 It appears that everything goes well with him.
司空見慣 The situation is already order of the day. (par for the course)
目瞪口呆 She was already tongue-tied, and didn't what to do. (lose one's tongue; struck dumb; stunned and speechless)
目光如豆 He is a person who sees no further than his nose.
出爾反爾 He is not a guy worthy of our trust. He often goes back on his word. (blow hot and cold)
出口成章 He is a learned person. His tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 出人頭地 Through his hard work, he finally came to the fore.
出類拔萃 John towers above the rest in math. (in a class by itself; out of the common run) 史無前例 His excellent performance at that play is without precedent in history. 令人髮指 His cruelty to animals make our hair stand on end. 令人咋舌 What he did really took my breath away.
付之一炬 Because of a blast, that new house just committed to the flames. 生龍活虎 Nessie says it is alive and kicking under different names By Sussy. 仗勢欺人 John always pulls rank on others.
白手起家 He is a successful business who started from scratch. 6
任勞任怨 to bear hardship without complaint
自作自受 As you make your bed so you must lie on it. 自討苦吃 to make a rod for one's own back 自力更生 to shift for oneself 自掃門前雪 After us the deluge. 回頭浪子 the return of a prodigal
先下手為強 Offence is the best defence. 同甘共苦 to share one's joys and sorrows 因地制宜 act according to circumstances 有勇無謀 more brave than wise
有備無患 Good watch prevents misfortune.
有志者事竟成 Where there is a will, there is a way.
有錢能使鬼推磨 Money makes the world go around. /Money talks.
有其父必有其子 Like father, like son.
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江山易改本性難移 The child is father of the man. 江山易改本性難移 A leopard cannot change it's spots. 百無一失 Not a single miss in a hundred times.
百依百順 She expects us to jump through hoops for her. 百聞不如一見 To see is to believe. (Seeing is believing.)
吃得苦中苦，方為人上人 If you wish to be the best man, you must be prepared to suffer the bitterest of the bitter.
每人一生中皆有得意之日 Every dog has his day.
色是假，美是空 Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty.
吉人自有天相 The good are protected by Heaven. / All's wel that ends well. 如願以償 The mayor finally got his way with the city council. 如人飲水冷暖自知 Only the wearer knows where the shoes pain. 吃得苦中苦，方為人上人 No gain without pain. 早起的鳥兒有蟲吃 The early bird catches the worm. 7 8
奇裝異服 a fantastic garb
忠言逆耳 Honest advice is unpleasant to the ear 明辨是非 to distinguish right from wrong 知足常樂 Happy is he who is content 知足者富 He who feels contented is rich
知人知面不知心 It's easy to know men's faces, but not their hearts. 知己知彼百戰百勝 Know your enemy and know yourself. 空中樓閣 castles in the air 金科玉律 the gold rule 奇裝異服 a fantastic garb
明辨事非 to distinguish right fromwrong
雨後春筍 like bamboo shoots after a spring shower 雨過天青 After a storm comes a calm.
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.
事實勝於雄辯 Facts are most convincing. 來得容易去得快 Easy come, easy go.
金玉其外敗絮其中 All that glitters is not gold.
兔子不吃窩邊草 The fox preys farthest from his hole.
若要人不知除非己莫為 If you would not be known to do anything, never do it. 沒有笑臉不出門 A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.
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虎父無虎子 Like father, like son.
往者不可諫，來者猶可追 A mill cannot grind with the water that is past. 見異思遷 Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
物競天擇 \物以類聚 Birds of a feather flock together.
夜以繼日 The nurse was with the patient day and night. 英雄所見略同 Great minds think alike.
於事無補 Complaining is of little(no) avail. It is better for you to take action now. 9
姻緣天註定 Marriages are made in heaven. 逆來順受 to make the best of a bad bargain 流芳百世 a niche in the temple of fame 為虎作倀 to act as guide to a tiger
孤注一擲 to put all one's egg in one basket
勇者不懼 A brave man will not shrink from dangers. 洗心革面 to turn over a new leaf 美中不足 a fly in the ointment 背道而馳 to run counter
走湯蹈火 to go through fire and water 風燭殘年 to have one foot in the grave
風聲鶴唳，草木皆兵 to apprehend danger in every sound 活到老學到老 It's never too late to learn./ Live and learn.
前事不忘後事之師 Remember the past and it will guide your future. 星星之火可以燎原 A single spark can start a prairie fire. 待人寬容如待己 Live and let live.
按部就班 Learn to walk before you run.
南轅北轍 The salesmen were working at cross purposes with their supervisor. 10
病從口入禍從口出 Illness comes in by mouth and comes out by it. 笑裏藏刀 a smile to hide one's hate
留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒 Where there's life there's hope 海底撈月 to fish in the air
海底撈針 to look for a needle in a bundle of hay 差之毫釐失之千里 A miss is as good as a mile 既往不咎 Let the dead bury their dead.
殺身成仁 to sacrifice one's life to preserve one's virtue complete
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