Chinese Idiom: 无可奈何 (Wu Ke Nai He) English Translation: There is Nothing that can be Done pīn yīn: wú kě nài hé Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes a situation where one feels unwilling or unhappy about something but finds that there is no way to change it or do anything about it. Historical Source: Records […]
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Chinese Idiom: 无出其右 (Wu Chu Qi You) English Translation: No One Surpasses Him pīn yīn: wú chū qí yòu Idiom Meaning: This idiom is used to indicate that someone is unmatched in their abilities or achievements. It signifies that no one can surpass or exceed them in their particular domain. Historical Source: Records of the
Chinese Idiom: 五日京兆 (Wu Ri Jing Zhao) English Translation: Five Days as the Governor of Jingzhao pīn yīn: wǔ rì jīng zhào Idiom Meaning: This idiom refers to a situation where someone is in a position of authority or office for a very brief period, often implying that their tenure is fleeting or temporary. Historical
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Chinese Idiom: 乌合之众 (Wu He Zhi Zhong) English Translation: A Disorganized Crowd pīn yīn: wū hé zhī zhòng Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes a group of people who are disorganized and lack cohesion, similar to a flock of crows that gather without any particular order or purpose. It implies that the group is chaotic and
Chinese Idiom: 文武并用 (Wen Wu Bing Yong) English Translation: Combining Both Civil and Military Measures pīn yīn: wén wǔ bìng yòng Idiom Meaning: This idiom signifies the importance of balancing both intellectual (civil) and martial (military) capabilities for effective governance and long-term stability. It reflects the idea that both cultural achievements and military strength are
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Chinese Idiom: 以身试法 (Yi Shen Shi Fa) English Translation: Test the Law with One’s Own Body pīn yīn: yǐ shēn shì fǎ Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes the behavior of deliberately breaking the law, despite knowing it is prohibited, in order to experience the consequences firsthand. Historical Source: Han Shu (《汉书·王尊传》) Idiom Story During the Western
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Chinese Idiom: 见利忘义 (Jian Li Wang Yi) English Translation: Forget principles for the sake of profit pīn yīn: jiàn lì wàng yì Idiom Meaning: It describes someone who disregards moral values and justice when tempted by personal benefits or advantages. Historical Source: Book of Han: Biographies of Fan, Li, Teng, Guan, Fu, and Jin (《汉书·樊郦滕灌傅靳周传》).
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Chinese Idiom: 开门揖盗 (Kai Men Yi Dao) English Translation: Open the door and invite in the thief pīn yīn: kāi mén yī dào Idiom Meaning: Refers to inviting trouble or danger by one’s own actions; metaphorically, it means to bring harm upon oneself by inadvertently welcoming it. Historical Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms by
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Chinese Idiom: 车水马龙 (Che Shui Ma Long) English Translation: A scene of bustling traffic and activity pīn yīn: chē shuǐ mǎ lóng Idiom Meaning: Describes a lively and bustling scene with constant movement of vehicles and people, similar to the way a stream of water and a line of dragons move continuously. Historical Source: Book
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Chinese Idiom: 公正无私 (Gong Zheng Wu Si) English Translation: Fair and Unbiased pīn yīn: gōng zhèng wú sī Idiom Meaning: Huainanzi (《淮南子·修务训》) Historical Source: Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of the Marquis of Huaiyin (史记·淮阴侯列传) Idiom Story: In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a scholar named Su Zhang from Pingling, Fufeng (now northwest
