1. to get there in one step (idiom); easily done2. success at a stroke3. to get results overnight
1. (lit.) to shrink back at the sight of (sth daunting) (idiom)2. (fig.) to be deterred
1. to respond instantly2. to act at once on hearing the news
1. to assess one's capabilities and act accordingly (idiom); to act within one's competence2. One does what one can.
不约而同 不約而同 bù yuē ér tóng HSK 7–9 (idiom) (of two or more people) to take the same action without prior consultation; (usu. used adverbially) all (or both) of them, independently; as if by prior agreement
置之死地而后生 置之死地而後生 zhì zhī sǐ dì ér hòu shēng (idiom based on Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孙子兵法[sūn zǐ bīng fǎ]) to deploy one's troops in such a way that there is no possibility of retreat, so that they will fight for their lives and win the battle; to fight desperately when confronted with mortal danger; to find a way to emerge from a dire situation
侃侃而谈 侃侃而談 kǎn kǎn ér tán HSK 7–9 to speak frankly with assurance
1. to work hard while accomplishing little2. to toil to no avail
1. lit. to grow fat eating one's words (idiom)2. fig. not to live up to one's promises
1. to apply sth more broadly2. by logical extension3. and, by extension,
(idiom) to feel intimidated
(idiom) from bottom to top; from the grass roots up; bottom-up
faithful unto death (i.e. Confucian ban on widow remarrying)
1. until death puts an end (idiom); one's whole life2. unto one's dying day
青出于蓝而胜于蓝 青出於藍而勝於藍 qīng chū yú lán ér shèng yú lán 1. lit. the color blue is made out of indigo but is more vivid than indigo (idiom)2. fig. the student surpasses the master
放之四海而皆准 放之四海而皆準 fàng zhī sì hǎi ér jiē zhǔn applicable anywhere (idiom)
(idiom) to slam the table and rise to one's feet in indignation
1. lit. to drain the pond to get at the fish (idiom)2. fig. to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
1. occasionally2. once in a while
1. by good fortune2. luckily
1. suddenly2. now (..., now...)
1. soon after2. later3. then
to disperse in confusion (idiom)
(of a group of people) to rush into action
1. to skate around2. to skip over3. to skimp
to finish (a letter, a painting) at a stroke
to swarm in (of people etc) (idiom)
(idiom) to be evident at a glance
1. to win instant success (idiom)2. to become an instant hit
1. to flash past2. to flit by
to drain the cup in one gulp (idiom)
thirty years old and therefore independent (idiom, from Confucius)
think three times then go (idiom); don't act before you've thought it through carefully
1. by no means an isolated case2. numerous
1. open hostilities without declaring war2. start an undeclared war
1. have sth ready just in case2. keep sth for possible future use
the whole nest came out (idiom); to turn out in full strength
(idiom) that's all; just this and nothing more
(idiom) to escape unscathed; to get through in one piece
1. for the common good and forgetting personal interests (idiom); to behave altruistically2. selfless
1. miniature2. scaled-down3. forming a microcosm
(idiom) to divide and rule
1. extensive but not refined (idiom); to know something about everything2. jack-of-all-trades, master of none
national danger, but no support (idiom, from Analects); the future of the nation is at stake but no-one comes to the rescue
lit. to reach the tip and try (idiom); to have a go when at one's peak
lit. to speak of two things on the same day (idiom); to mention things on equal terms (often with negatives: you can't mention X at the same time as Y)