yī mìng èr yùn sān fēng shuǐ sì jī yīn dé wǔ dú shū

the main factors determining one's life are, in decreasing order of importance, destiny, luck, feng shui, doing good deeds and education

出处: First attested in the Qing dynasty novel Ernü Yingxiong Zhuan.

yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn

time is priceless; money cannot buy you time

直译: An inch of time is as long as an inch of gold in length, but an inch of time cannot be purchased with an inch of gold.

yī cháo tiān zǐ yī cháo chén

When a leader falls from power, his/her subordinates may fall from power too.

直译: One reign of emperor, one reign of ministers

yī zhī cǎo yī diǎn lù

As long as one is still breathing, one has a chance to live.; There is always a way out.

出处: Literally, “For every blade of grass, there is a drop of dew.”

yī dī jīng shí dī xuè

A drop of semen is equal to ten drops of blood; Semen is extremely precious and ejaculation leads to a loss of vitality

yī zhāo cuò mǎn pán jù shì kōng

synonym of 一著不慎，滿盤皆輸 /一着不慎，满盘皆输 (“one careless move and the whole game is lost”)

yī zuì jiě qiān chóu

One time getting drunk will cure a thousand worries.

sān nián zhī sāng

One should mourn one's parents for three years when they die

直译: Three years of mourning

出处: From the Analects, Book 17 (《論語·陽貨》)

shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi

if leadership sets a bad example, their subordinates will follow suit

直译: If the top beam is not straight, the lower beams will be crooked

bù yǐ chéng bài lùn yīng xióng

A person should not be deemed a hero merely on the basis of the success or failure of their endeavors.

bù sè bù liú bù zhǐ bù xíng

There is no flowing without damming and no motion without rest.

出处: From the "Origin of Dao" by Han Yu.

bù dāng jiā bù zhī chái mǐ guì

managing a family is not easy, and requires responsibility

直译: if one does not keep the house, one does not know how expensive firewood and rice are

bù zhī zhě bù zuì

One who errs unknowingly need not be held responsible.

直译: the ignorant person is not guilty

bù zhī zhě wú zuì

One who errs unknowingly need not be held responsible.

直译: One who does not know is not guilty.

chǒu xí fu zǒng děi jiàn gōng pó

One cannot avoid an embarrassing or unpleasant situation forever. One must face an embarrassing or unpleasant situation sooner or later.

直译: Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her parents-in-law eventually.

chǒu xí fu zǎo wǎn yě děi jiàn gōng pó

alternative form of 醜媳婦總得見公婆 /丑媳妇总得见公婆 (chǒu xífu zǒngděi jiàn gōngpó, “One cannot avoid an embarrassing or unpleasant situation forever. One must face an embarrassing or unpleasant situation sooner or later.”)

直译: Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her parents-in-law eventually.

yán shī chū gāo tú

A strict teacher produces outstanding students

wéi shàn bù yù rén zhī

Those who do good deeds, should not do so out of a desire for others to know about it.

jiǔ chū shí sān guī

When borrowing $10 from a pawnbroker or usurer, one receives only $9 but will have to repay $13.

shū dào yòng shí fāng hèn shǎo

It is only when it comes time to apply knowledge that you regret not acquiring enough of it.

rén wèi cái sǐ niǎo wèi shí wáng

men would die in pursuit of wealth just like how birds would die in pursuit for food; human beings would sacrifice even their lives in pursuit of wealth

rén zhī huàn zài hào wéi rén shī

it is bad to give unsolicited counsel or lectures

出处: From Mencius

rén shàn dé rén qī mǎ shàn dé rén qí

nice guys finish last

rén pà chū míng zhū pà zhuàng

fame portends trouble for men just as fattening does for pigs

rén wú yuǎn lǜ bì yǒu jìn yōu

He who gives no thought to problems of the future is sure to be beset by worries much closer at hand

出处: From the Analects, Book 15 (《論語·衞靈公》)

tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù

advice from others may help remedy one's own shortcomings

直译: Stones from another hill can be used to polish my jade

出处: From the Classic of Poetry, poem 184 (《詩經·小雅·鶴鳴》)

zuò yī tiān hé shang zhuàng yī tiān zhōng

alternative form of 當一天和尚撞一天鐘 /当一天和尚撞一天钟 (“to do the least that is expected; to do the absolute minimum; to not put oneself out”)

直译: to toll the bell for as long as one is a monk

zuò yī tiān hé shàng zhuàng yī tiān zhōng⚠ 拼音待校

💡 Ажилдаа сэтгэлгүй, нэг өдрийг л өнгөрөөж, наад захын юмаа л хийх.

直译: as a monk for today, toll today's bell

guāng yīn sì jiàn

Time flies like an arrow.

出处: From Wei Zhuang's poem 《關河道中》

yǎng ér yī bǎi suì cháng yōu jiǔ shí jiǔ

A parent always cares about their children no matter how old they are.

直译: When a parent raises a child for 100 years, he/she would worry for him/her for 99 years

jǐ jiā huān lè jǐ jiā chóu

Some are more fortunate than others.

出处: Literally: Some families are happy, some families have worries.

qián chē fù hòu chē jiè

previous experience of failure can serve as a lesson for oneself or others

直译: the carts to come should be alerted by the overturned cart ahead

kě lián zhī rén bì yǒu kě hèn zhī chù

Blame the victim.

直译: A pitiful person is certainly despicable somehow.

jí rén zì yǒu tiān xiàng

A good person naturally enjoys the help from the Heaven. (Used as blessing words for people in difficulties)

míng shī chū gāo tú

great teachers make great students

hé shàng dòng dé wǒ dòng bù dé

My wrongdoing is justified by someone else doing the same thing. Two wrongs make a right.

直译: The monks can touch [this nun], [but] I can't?

出处: From a quote in the novel The True Story of Ah Q (1921) by the protagonist Ah Q, who holds a cynical belief that Buddhist monks and nuns all have secret immoral sexual relationships.

hé shàng mō dé wǒ mō bù dé

synonym of 和尚動得，我動不得 /和尚动得，我动不得 (héshàng dòng dé, wǒ dòng bùdé)

直译: The monks can touch [this nun], [but] I can't?

shàn yǒu shàn bào è yǒu è bào

what goes around comes around

zuǐ shàng méi máo bàn shì bù láo

a young person is unreliable to do things.