贪多嚼不烂 貪多嚼不爛 tān duō jiáo bù làn to bite off more than one can chew (idiom)
一发而不可收 一發而不可收 yī fā ér bù kě shōu to be impossible to stop once started
三寸不烂之舌 三寸不爛之舌 sān cùn bù làn zhī shé 1. to have a silver tongue2. to have the gift of the gab
上气不接下气 上氣不接下氣 shàng qì bù jiē xià qì (idiom) to be out of breath; to gasp for air
不分青红皂白 不分青紅皂白 bù fēn qīng hóng zào bái 1. not distinguishing red-green or black-white (idiom)2. not to distinguish between right and wrong
不问青红皂白 不問青紅皂白 bù wèn qīng hóng zào bái 1. not distinguishing red-green or black-white (idiom)2. not to distinguish between right and wrong
不打不成相识 不打不成相識 bù dǎ bù chéng xiāng shí don't fight, won't make friends (idiom); an exchange of blows may lead to friendship
1. lit. not fit for elegant hall (of artwork)2. not presentable3. coarse4. unrefined+1 条 1. not to know the immensity of heaven and earth2. an exaggerated opinion of one's own abilities
不费吹灰之力 不費吹灰之力 bù fèi chuī huī zhī lì 1. as easy as blowing off dust2. effortless3. with ease
不足为外人道 不足為外人道 bù zú wèi wài rén dào 1. (idiom) no need to tell others; let's keep this between ourselves2. also pr. [bù zú wéi wài rén dào]
不显山不露水 不顯山不露水 bù xiǎn shān bù lù shuǐ lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
井水不犯河水 jǐng shuǐ bù fàn hé shuǐ (saying) everyone minds their own business
伸手不见五指 伸手不見五指 shēn shǒu bù jiàn wǔ zhǐ pitch-dark (idiom)
八竿子打不着 八竿子打不著 bā gān zi dǎ bù zháo (coll.) unrelated; lacking any connection
1. lit. to grow out of the mud unsullied (idiom)2. fig. to be principled and incorruptible
吃不了兜着走 吃不了兜著走 chī bu liǎo dōu zhe zǒu 1. lit. if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home (idiom)2. fig. you'll have to take the consequences
吃人不吐骨头 吃人不吐骨頭 chī rén bù tǔ gǔ tóu 1. ruthless2. vicious and greedy
学然后知不足 學然後知不足 xué rán hòu zhī bù zú to learn is to know one's ignorance (the Book of Rites 礼记[lǐ jì])
家丑不可外扬 家醜不可外揚 jiā chǒu bù kě wài yáng 1. lit. family shames must not be spread abroad (idiom)2. fig. don't wash your dirty linen in public
强扭的瓜不甜 強扭的瓜不甜 qiǎng niǔ de guā bù tián 1. lit. if you have to use force to break a melon off the vine, it won't taste sweet (because it's only when the melon is ripe that it can be removed with just a slight twist) (idiom)2. fig. if sth is not meant to be, it's no use trying to force it to happen
恭敬不如从命 恭敬不如從命 gōng jìng bù rú cóng mìng 1. deference is no substitute for obedience (idiom)2. (said to accept sb's request, invitation etc)
1. angry, but not daring to speak out (idiom); obliged to remain silent about one's resentment2. unable to voice objections
an honest person does not act surreptitiously (idiom)
有眼不识泰山 有眼不識泰山 yǒu yǎn bù shí tài shān 1. lit. to have eyes but fail to recognize Mt Tai (idiom)2. fig. to fail to recognize sb important or sb's great talent3. to be blind to the fact
河水不犯井水 hé shuǐ bù fàn jǐng shuǐ 1. lit. river water does not interfere with well water (idiom); Do not interfere with one another.2. Mind your own business.
无所不用其极 無所不用其極 wú suǒ bù yòng qí jí 1. committing all manner of crimes2. completely unscrupulous
男女授受不亲 男女授受不親 nán nǚ shòu shòu bù qīn men and women should not touch hands when they give or receive things (citation, from Mencius)
真金不怕火炼 真金不怕火煉 zhēn jīn bù pà huǒ liàn True gold fears no fire. (idiom)
神不知鬼不觉 神不知鬼不覺 shén bù zhī guǐ bù jué 1. top secret2. hush-hush
闻名不如见面 聞名不如見面 wén míng bù rú jiàn miàn knowing sb by their reputation can't compare to meeting them in person (idiom)
远水不解近渴 遠水不解近渴 yuǎn shuǐ bù jiě jìn kě 1. lit. distant water does not cure present thirst; fig. urgent need2. a slow remedy does not address immediate needs
远亲不如近邻 遠親不如近鄰 yuǎn qīn bù rú jìn lín A relative afar is less use than a close neighbor (idiom). Take whatever help is on hand, even from strangers.
驴唇不对马嘴 驢唇不對馬嘴 lǘ chún bù duì mǎ zuǐ 1. (lit.) a donkey's lips do not match a horse's mouth (saying)2. (fig.) wide of the mark; irrelevant; incongruous
can't reach the high or accept the low (idiom); not good enough for a high post, but too proud to take a low one
一个巴掌拍不响 一個巴掌拍不響 yī ge bā zhǎng pāi bù xiǎng 1. lit. one palm alone cannot clap (proverb)2. fig. it takes two persons to start a dispute3. it takes two to tango4. it's difficult to achieve anything without support+1 条 三句话不离本行 三句話不離本行 sān jù huà bù lí běn háng to talk shop all the time (idiom)
不到长城非好汉 不到長城非好漢 bù dào cháng chéng fēi hǎo hàn lit. until you reach the Great Wall, you're not a proper person; fig. to get over difficulties before reaching the goal
不到黄河心不死 不到黃河心不死 bù dào huáng hé xīn bù sǐ 1. lit. not to stop until one reaches the Yellow River (idiom)2. fig. to persevere until one reaches one's goal3. to keep going while some hope is left
不敢越雷池一步 bù gǎn yuè léi chí yī bù dare not go one step beyond the prescribed limit
不是冤家不聚头 不是冤家不聚頭 bù shì yuān jiā bù jù tóu 1. destiny will make enemies meet (idiom)2. (often said about lovers who have a disagreement)
不看僧面看佛面 bù kàn sēng miàn kàn fó miàn 1. lit. not for the monk's sake but for the Buddha's sake (idiom)2. fig. (to do sth for sb) out of deference to sb else
不识庐山真面目 不識廬山真面目 bù shí lú shān zhēn miàn mù 1. lit. not to know the true face of Lushan Mountain (idiom)2. fig. can't see the forest for the trees
人心不足蛇吞象 rén xīn bù zú shé tūn xiàng a man who is never content is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant (idiom)
来而不往非礼也 來而不往非禮也 lái ér bù wǎng fēi lǐ yě 1. not to reciprocate is against etiquette (classical)2. to respond in kind
兔子不吃窝边草 兔子不吃窩邊草 tù zi bù chī wō biān cǎo 1. (lit.) a rabbit never eats the grass beside its own burrow (saying)2. (fig.) even a scoundrel does not do harm in his immediate neighborhood
初生之犊不畏虎 初生之犢不畏虎 chū shēng zhī dú bù wèi hǔ 1. lit. a new-born calf has no fear of the tiger (idiom)2. fig. the fearlessness of youth
初生牛犊不怕虎 初生牛犢不怕虎 chū shēng niú dú bù pà hǔ 1. lit. newborn calves do not fear tigers (idiom)2. fig. the young are fearless
多行不义必自毙 多行不義必自斃 duō xíng bù yì bì zì bì persisting in evil brings about self-destruction (idiom)
好汉不吃眼前亏 好漢不吃眼前虧 hǎo hàn bù chī yǎn qián kuī a wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him (idiom)