拉不出屎来怨茅房 拉不出屎來怨茅房 lā bù chū shǐ lái yuàn máo fáng 1. lit. to blame the toilet because one is having difficulty completing a bowel movement (idiom)2. fig. to blame others for problems caused by one's own shortcomings
是可忍，孰不可忍 shì kě rěn , shú bù kě rěn 1. if this can be tolerated, what cannot? (idiom)2. enough is enough
永不生锈的螺丝钉 永不生鏽的螺絲釘 yǒng bù shēng xiù de luó sī dīng a "screw that never rusts" – metaphor used in CCP propaganda to praise loyal, selfless contributors, famously applied to model worker Lei Feng 雷锋[léi fēng]
注意力不足过动症 注意力不足過動症 zhù yì lì bù zú guò dòng zhèng attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
狗嘴里吐不出象牙 狗嘴裏吐不出象牙 gǒu zuǐ li tǔ bù chū xiàng yá 1. lit. no ivory comes from the mouth of a dog (idiom)2. fig. one does not expect fine words from a scoundrel
百足之虫死而不僵 百足之蟲死而不僵 bǎi zú zhī chóng sǐ ér bù jiāng 1. a centipede dies but never falls down2. old institutions die hard
跑了和尚跑不了庙 跑了和尚跑不了廟 pǎo le hé shàng pǎo bù liǎo miào 1. the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom)2. you can run this time, but you'll have to come back3. I'll get you sooner or later4. also written 跑得了和尚，跑得了和尚，跑不了庙[pǎo dé liǎo hé shàng pǎo bù liǎo miào]+1 条 鱼与熊掌不可兼得 魚與熊掌不可兼得 yú yǔ xióng zhǎng bù kě jiān dé 1. lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other2. you can't always get everything you want3. you can't have your cake and eat it
一日不见，如隔三秋 一日不見，如隔三秋 yī rì bù jiàn , rú gé sān qiū one day apart seems like three years (idiom)
一着不慎，满盘皆输 一著不慎，滿盤皆輸 yī zhāo bù shèn , mǎn pán jiē shū One careless move and the whole game is lost. (idiom)
三天不打，上房揭瓦 sān tiān bù dǎ , shàng fáng jiē wǎ 1. three days without a beating, and a child will scale the roof to rip the tiles (idiom)2. spare the rod, spoil the child
不干不净，吃了没病 不乾不淨，吃了沒病 bù gān bù jìng , chī le méi bìng 1. a little dirt never killed anybody (proverb)2. a couple of germs won't do you any harm
不以物喜，不以己悲 bù yǐ wù xǐ , bù yǐ jǐ bēi not to become attached to material things, not to pity oneself
不入虎穴，焉得虎子 bù rù hǔ xué , yān dé hǔ zǐ How do you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair? (idiom); Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
不在其位，不谋其政 不在其位，不謀其政 bù zài qí wèi , bù móu qí zhèng don't meddle in affairs that are not part of your position (Confucius)
不孝有三，无后为大 不孝有三，無後為大 bù xiào yǒu sān , wú hòu wéi dà there are three ways to be unfilial; having no sons is the worst (from Mencius 孟子[mèng zǐ])
不怕一万，就怕万一 不怕一萬，就怕萬一 bù pà yī wàn , jiù pà wàn yī 1. better to be safe than sorry (proverb)2. to be prepared just in case
不怕贼偷就怕贼惦记 不怕賊偷就怕賊惦記 bù pà zéi tōu jiù pà zéi diàn jì much worse than having something stolen is when a thief has you in his sights (idiom)
不求有功，但求无过 不求有功，但求無過 bù qiú yǒu gōng , dàn qiú wú guò 1. lit. not aiming to achieve the best possible result, but rather trying to avoid making mistakes (idiom)2. fig. to take a risk-averse approach
不经一事，不长一智 不經一事，不長一智 bù jīng yī shì , bù zhǎng yī zhì 1. lit. you can't gain knowledge without practical experience (idiom)2. fig. wisdom only comes with experience
不要在一棵树上吊死 不要在一棵樹上吊死 bù yào zài yī kē shù shàng diào sǐ 1. don't insist on only taking one road to Rome (idiom)2. there's more than one way to skin a cat
事不关己，高高挂起 事不關己，高高掛起 shì bù guān jǐ , gāo gāo guà qǐ to feel unconcerned and let matters rest (idiom)
人不为己，天诛地灭 人不為己，天誅地滅 rén bù wèi jǐ , tiān zhū dì miè 1. Look out for yourself, or heaven and earth will combine to destroy you.2. Every man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost.
人在江湖，身不由己 rén zài jiāng hú , shēn bù yóu jǐ (proverb) you can't always do as you like; one has to compromise in this world
来者不善，善者不来 來者不善，善者不來 lái zhě bù shàn , shàn zhě bù lái 1. He who comes is surely ill-intentioned, no-one well-meaning will come (idiom).2. Be careful not to trust foreigners.3. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!
先天不足，后天失调 先天不足，後天失調 xiān tiān bù zú , hòu tiān shī tiáo 1. to be born with a weak constitution and suffer from ill health during one's life2. (fig.) to be problematic from the start, and get even worse over time
两国相争，不斩来使 兩國相爭，不斬來使 liǎng guó xiāng zhēng , bù zhǎn lái shǐ when two kingdoms are at war, they don't execute envoys (idiom)
冰炭不言，冷热自明 冰炭不言，冷熱自明 bīng tàn bù yán , lěng rè zì míng ice or coals, whether hot or cold goes without saying (idiom); fig. sincerity is not expressed in words
出其不意，攻其不备 出其不意，攻其不備 chū qí bù yì , gōng qí bù bèi to catch an enemy off guard with a surprise attack (idiom, from Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孙子兵法[sūn zǐ bīng fǎ])
前不着村，后不着店 前不著村，後不著店 qián bù zháo cūn , hòu bù zháo diàn 1. lit. no village ahead and no inn behind (idiom)2. fig. to be stranded in the middle of nowhere3. to be in a predicament
前事不忘，后事之师 前事不忘，後事之師 qián shì bù wàng , hòu shì zhī shī don't forget past events, they can guide you in future (idiom); benefit from past experience
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
只可意会，不可言传 只可意會，不可言傳 zhǐ kě yì huì , bù kě yán chuán can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子[zhuāng zǐ]); mysterious and subtle
只知其一，不知其二 zhǐ zhī qí yī , bù zhī qí èr to know the first, but not know the second (idiom); only partial information
只见树木，不见森林 只見樹木，不見森林 zhǐ jiàn shù mù , bù jiàn sēn lín can't see the wood for the trees
可以意会，不可言传 可以意會，不可言傳 kě yǐ yì huì , bù kě yán chuán can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子[zhuāng zǐ]); mysterious and subtle
吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸 吃不到葡萄說葡萄酸 chī bù dào pú tao shuō pú tao suān 1. sour grapes (set expr. based on Aesop)2. lit. to say grapes are sour when you can't eat them
吃别人嚼过的馍不香 吃別人嚼過的饃不香 chī bié rén jiáo guò de mó bù xiāng 1. lit. bread previously chewed by someone has no flavor (idiom)2. fig. there's no joy in discovering something if someone else got there first
吃屎都赶不上热乎的 吃屎都趕不上熱乎的 chī shǐ dōu gǎn bu shàng rè hu de 1. (lit.) if you were eating warm shit, it'd be stone cold by the time you finished it (saying)2. (fig.) (of a person) too slow; can't keep up
君子报仇，十年不晚 君子報仇，十年不晚 jūn zi bào chóu , shí nián bù wǎn 1. lit. for a nobleman to take revenge, ten years is not too long (idiom)2. fig. revenge is a dish best served cold
嘴上没毛，办事不牢 嘴上沒毛，辦事不牢 zuǐ shàng méi máo , bàn shì bù láo a youth without facial hair cannot be relied upon (proverb)
四体不勤，五谷不分 四體不勤，五穀不分 sì tǐ bù qín , wǔ gǔ bù fēn never move your four limbs, can't distinguish the five crops (idiom); living as a parasite
大难不死，必有后福 大難不死，必有後福 dà nàn bù sǐ , bì yǒu hòu fú one is bound for good fortune after surviving a great disaster (proverb)
天下没有不散的筵席 天下沒有不散的筵席 tiān xià méi yǒu bù sàn de yán xí all good things must come to an end (idiom)
天网恢恢，疏而不漏 天網恢恢，疏而不漏 tiān wǎng huī huī , shū ér bù lòu 1. lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73)2. fig. the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape3. you can't run from the long arm of the law
学而不厌，诲人不倦 學而不厭，誨人不倦 xué ér bù yàn , huì rén bù juàn study tirelessly, teach with endless enthusiasm (idiom, from Analects)
家累千金，坐不垂堂 jiā lěi qiān jīn , zuò bù chuí táng lit. a wealthy person does not sit under the eaves (idiom); fig. a rich man does not expose himself to danger
宁做鸡头，不做凤尾 寧做雞頭，不做鳳尾 nìng zuò jī tóu , bù zuò fèng wěi 1. lit. would rather be a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail (idiom)2. fig. to prefer to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond
宁为玉碎，不为瓦全 寧為玉碎，不為瓦全 nìng wéi yù suì , bù wéi wǎ quán 1. Better broken jade than intact tile.2. Death is preferable to dishonor. (idiom)
己所不欲，勿施于人 己所不欲，勿施於人 jǐ suǒ bù yù , wù shī yú rén 1. What you don't want done to you, don't do to others. (idiom, from the Confucian analects)2. Do as you would be done by.3. Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.