千里之堤，溃于蚁穴 千里之堤，潰於蟻穴 qiān lǐ zhī dī , kuì yú yǐ xué 1. (lit.) an ant hole may cause the collapse of a great dike (idiom)2. (fig.) huge damage may result from a moment's negligence
千里之行，始于足下 千里之行，始於足下 qiān lǐ zhī xíng , shǐ yú zú xià 1. lit. a thousand mile journey begins with the first step2. fig. big accomplishments come from an accumulation of little achievements made one by one
取之不尽，用之不竭 取之不盡，用之不竭 qǔ zhī bù jìn , yòng zhī bù jié 1. limitless supply (of)2. inexhaustible
司马昭之心路人皆知 司馬昭之心路人皆知 sī mǎ zhāo zhī xīn lù rén jiē zhī 1. lit. Sima Zhao's intentions are obvious to everyone (idiom)2. fig. an open secret
呼之即来，挥之即去 呼之即來，揮之即去 hū zhī jí lái , huī zhī jí qù 1. to come when called (idiom); ready and compliant2. always at sb's beck and call
失之东隅，收之桑榆 失之東隅，收之桑榆 shī zhī dōng yú , shōu zhī sāng yú 1. to lose at sunrise but gain at sunset (idiom)2. to compensate later for one's earlier loss3. what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts
失之毫厘，谬以千里 失之毫厘，謬以千里 shī zhī háo lí , miù yǐ qiān lǐ a tiny lapse can lead to a huge mistake (idiom); a minor discrepancy leading to enormous losses
失之毫厘，差之千里 失之毫釐，差之千里 shī zhī háo lí , chà zhī qiān lǐ a tiny lapse can lead to a huge mistake (idiom); a minor discrepancy leading to enormous losses
失之毫厘，差以千里 失之毫釐，差以千里 shī zhī háo lí , chà yǐ qiān lǐ a tiny lapse can lead to a huge mistake (idiom); a minor discrepancy leading to enormous losses
差之毫厘，失之千里 差之毫釐，失之千里 chā zhī háo lí , shī zhī qiān lǐ 1. the slightest difference leads to a huge loss (idiom)2. a miss is as good as a mile
差之毫厘，谬以千里 差之毫釐，謬以千里 chā zhī háo lí , miù yǐ qiān lǐ 1. the slightest difference leads to a huge error (idiom)2. a miss is as good as a mile
幼吾幼，以及人之幼 yòu wú yòu , yǐ jí rén zhī yòu to care for other's children as one's own
爱美之心，人皆有之 愛美之心，人皆有之 ài měi zhī xīn , rén jiē yǒu zhī everyone loves beauty (idiom)
星星之火，可以燎原 xīng xing zhī huǒ , kě yǐ liáo yuán a single spark can start a huge blaze (idiom); an insignificant cause can have a massive effect
有则改之，无则加勉 有則改之，無則加勉 yǒu zé gǎi zhī , wú zé jiā miǎn correct any mistakes you made, but maintain your good record if you did not make them (idiom)
欲加之罪，何患无辞 欲加之罪，何患無辭 yù jiā zhī zuì , hé huàn wú cí 1. If you want to condemn sb, don't worry about the pretext (idiom, from Zuozhuan 左传); one can always trump up a charge against sb2. Give a dog a bad name, then hang him.
父母之命，媒妁之言 fù mǔ zhī mìng , méi shuò zhī yán (idiom) parents' orders and matchmaker's services (in establishing an arranged marriage)
甲之蜜糖，乙之砒霜 jiǎ zhī mì táng , yǐ zhī pī shuāng one man's meat is another man's poison (idiom)
老吾老，以及人之老 lǎo wú lǎo , yǐ jí rén zhī lǎo to honor old people as we do our own aged parents
道之所存，师之所存 道之所存，師之所存 dào zhī suǒ cún , shī zhī suǒ cún 1. If sb has grasped the truth before you, take him as your teacher (Tang dynasty essayist Han Yu 韩愈[hán yù]).2. We should learn from one who knows the way.
医之好治不病以为功 醫之好治不病以為功 yī zhī hào zhì bù bìng yǐ wéi gōng doctors like to treat those who are not sick so that they can get credit for the patient's "recovery" (idiom)
食之无味，弃之可惜 食之無味，棄之可惜 shí zhī wú wèi , qì zhī kě xī 1. lit. to be hardly worth eating, but it would still be a pity to discard it (idiom)2. fig. some things have little to no value, yet one is still reluctant to part with them
冰冻三尺，非一日之寒 冰凍三尺，非一日之寒 bīng dòng sān chǐ , fēi yī rì zhī hán three feet of ice does not form in a single day (idiom); Rome wasn't built in a day
授之以鱼不如授之以渔 授之以魚不如授之以漁 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)
以小人之心，度君子之腹 yǐ xiǎo rén zhī xīn , duó jūn zǐ zhī fù to gauge the heart of a gentleman with one's own mean measure (idiom)
人非生而知之者，孰能无惑 人非生而知之者，孰能無惑 rén fēi shēng ér zhī zhī zhě , shú néng wú huò 1. Knowledge is not innate to man, how can we overcome doubt?2. We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity? (i.e. without guidance from a teacher - Tang dynasty essayist Han Yu 韩愈[hán yù])
以其人之道，还治其人之身 以其人之道，還治其人之身 yǐ qí rén zhī dào , huán zhì qí rén zhī shēn 1. to use an opponent's own methods to obtain retribution (idiom, from Song dynasty neo-Confucianist Zhu Xi 朱熹[zhū xī])2. to get revenge by playing sb back at his own game; to give sb a taste of his own medicine
运筹帷幄之中，决胜千里之外 運籌帷幄之中，決勝千里之外 yùn chóu wéi wò zhī zhōng , jué shèng qiān lǐ zhī wài a general planning in the seclusion of his tent is able to determine the outcome of the distant battle (idiom)
先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐 先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂 xiān tiān xià zhī yōu ér yōu , hòu tiān xià zhī lè ér lè to be the first to worry about affairs of state, and the last to enjoy oneself (quotation from the essay On Yueyang Tower 岳阳楼记[yuè yáng lóu jì] by Song writer Fan Zhongyan 范仲淹[fàn zhòng yān])
害人之心不可有，防人之心不可无 害人之心不可有，防人之心不可無 hài rén zhī xīn bù kě yǒu , fáng rén zhī xīn bù kě wú refrain from hurting others, yet guard against those trying to hurt you (proverb)
老吾老，以及人之老，幼吾幼，以及人之幼 lǎo wú lǎo , yǐ jí rén zhī lǎo , yòu wú yòu , yǐ jí rén zhī yòu to honor old people as we do our own aged parents, and care for other's children as one's own
大旱之望云霓 大旱之望雲霓 dà hàn zhī wàng yún ní see 大旱望云霓[dà hàn wàng yún ní]
初生之犊不怕虎 初生之犢不怕虎 chū shēng zhī dú bù pà hǔ see 初生之犊不畏虎[chū shēng zhī dú bù wèi hǔ]
千里之堤，毁于蚁穴 千里之堤，毀於蟻穴 qiān lǐ zhī dī , huǐ yú yǐ xué see 千里之堤，千里之堤，溃于蚁穴[qiān lǐ zhī dī kuì yú yǐ xué]
食之无味，弃之不甘 食之無味，棄之不甘 shí zhī wú wèi , qì zhī bù gān see 食之無味，食之无味，弃之可惜[shí zhī wú wèi qì zhī kě xī]
(archaic) a state with a thousand chariots (to fight a war) – a powerful state