| 纸上谈兵 | [zhǐ shàng tán bīng, ㄓˇ ㄕㄤˋ ㄊㄢˊ ㄅㄧㄥ, 纸 上 谈 兵 / 紙 上 談 兵] lit. military tactics on paper (成语 saw); fig. theoretical discussion that is worse than useless in practice (cf. Zhao Kuo 趙括|赵括 leading an army of 400, 000 to annihilation at Changping in 260 BC); an armchair strategist; idle theorizing #40,926 [Add to Longdo] |
| 曾经沧海 | [céng jīng cāng hǎi, ㄘㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄘㄤ ㄏㄞˇ, 曾 经 沧 海 / 曾 經 滄 海] lit. once experienced the vast ocean(成语 saw); fig. widely experienced in the vicissitudes of life; cf. to have known the world #48,688 [Add to Longdo] |
| 倒打一耙 | [dào dǎ yī pá, ㄉㄠˋ ㄉㄚˇ ㄧ ㄆㄚˊ, 倒 打 一 耙] lit. to strike with a muck-rake (成语 saw), cf. Pigsy 豬八戒|猪八戒 in Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记; fig. to counter-attack; to make bogus accusations (against one's victim) #84,956 [Add to Longdo] |
| 断弦 | [duàn xián, ㄉㄨㄢˋ ㄒㄧㄢˊ, 断 弦 / 斷 弦] widowed; lit. one string short, cf. 琴瑟 qin and se, two instruments epitomizing marital harmony #89,545 [Add to Longdo] |
| 伐柯 | [fá kē, ㄈㄚˊ ㄎㄜ, 伐 柯] (cf. Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax; fig. to follow a principle; fig. to act as match-maker #261,483 [Add to Longdo] |
| 花朝月夕 | [huā zhāo yuè xī, ㄏㄨㄚ ㄓㄠ ㄩㄝˋ ㄒㄧ, 花 朝 月 夕] a beautiful day; cf. Birthday of the Flowers on lunar 15th February and Mid-autumn Festival on lunar 15th August #466,134 [Add to Longdo] |
| 操斧伐柯 | [cāo fǔ fá kē, ㄘㄠ ㄈㄨˇ ㄈㄚˊ ㄎㄜ, 操 斧 伐 柯] (cf. Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax; fig. to follow a principle; fig. to act as match-maker [Add to Longdo] |
| 木骨都束 | [Mù gǔ dū shù, ㄇㄨˋ ㄍㄨˇ ㄉㄨ ㄕㄨˋ, 木 骨 都 束] Chinese name for African kingdom in Somalia, cf. Mogadishu 摩加迪沙 [Add to Longdo] |
| 圣婴 | [shèng yīng, ㄕㄥˋ ㄧㄥ, 圣 婴 / 聖 嬰] Holy Infant (cf. biblical nativity story) [Add to Longdo] |