1. nothing serious2. just hot air
1. from that2. following from that3. after that
1. happen unexpectedly2. turn out contrary to one's expectations
to concentrate on trivial points while neglecting the main problem (idiom)
不得其门而入 不得其門而入 bù dé qí mén ér rù to be unable to get into (a house, an organization, a field of study, a particular type of career etc)
以失败而告终 以失敗而告終 yǐ shī bài ér gào zhōng 1. to succeed through failure2. to achieve one's final aim despite apparent setback
may be done once and once only; just this once
未可同日而语 未可同日而語 wèi kě tóng rì ér yǔ 1. lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom); not to be mentioned in the same breath2. incomparable
良禽择木而栖 良禽擇木而棲 liáng qín zé mù ér qī 1. a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in (proverb)2. fig. a talented person chooses a patron of integrity
不患寡而患不均 bù huàn guǎ ér huàn bù jūn do not worry about scarcity, but rather about uneven distribution (idiom, from Analects)
有百利而无一弊 有百利而無一弊 yǒu bǎi lì ér wú yī bì to have many advantages and no disadvantages
知其不可而为之 知其不可而為之 zhī qí bù kě ér wéi zhī to keep going resolutely despite knowing the task is impossible (idiom)
听其言而观其行 聽其言而觀其行 tīng qí yán ér guān qí xíng hear what he says and observe what he does (idiom, from Analects); judge a person not by his words, but by his actions
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
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)
日出而作，日入而息 rì chū ér zuò , rì rù ér xī 1. lit. to get up at sunrise and work until sunset (proverb)2. fig. to lead a plain and hardworking life
法网恢恢，疏而不漏 法網恢恢，疏而不漏 fǎ wǎng huī huī , shū ér bù lòu large though its mesh may be, no criminal can slip through the wide net of justice
过而能改，善莫大焉 過而能改，善莫大焉 guò ér néng gǎi , shàn mò dà yān If one can change after making a mistake, there is nothing better (idiom)
鞠躬尽瘁，死而后已 鞠躬盡瘁，死而後已 jū gōng jìn cuì , sǐ ér hòu yǐ 1. to bend to a task and spare no effort unto one's dying day (idiom); striving to the utmost one's whole life2. with every breath in one's body, unto one's dying day
知其然而不知其所以然 zhī qí rán ér bù zhī qí suǒ yǐ rán (saying) to know that it is so but not why it is so
吾生也有涯，而知也无涯 吾生也有涯，而知也無涯 wú shēng yě yǒu yá , ér zhī yě wú yá 1. Life is short, learning is limitless2. Ars longa, vita brevis
临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网 臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網 lín yuān xiàn yú , bù rú tuì ér jié wǎng 1. better to go home and weave a net than to stand by the pond longing for fish (idiom)2. one should take practical steps to achieve one's aim
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])
千里马常有，而伯乐不常有 千里馬常有，而伯樂不常有 qiān lǐ mǎ cháng yǒu , ér bó lè bù cháng yǒu 1. (lit.) there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (proverb)2. (fig.) many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it
学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆 學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆 xué ér bù sī zé wǎng , sī ér bù xué zé dài To learn without thinking is confusing, to think without learning is dangerous (Confucius)
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])
see 欲速则不达[yù sù zé bù dá]
天网恢恢，疏而不失 天網恢恢，疏而不失 tiān wǎng huī huī , shū ér bù shī see 天網恢恢，天网恢恢，疏而不漏[tiān wǎng huī huī shū ér bù lòu]
Viagra (male impotence drug) (Tw)