wài lái de hé shàng hǎo niàn jīng

People always value opinions from foreign sources higher than their fellows' advice.

直译: Monks from afar are better at chanting sutras

tiān xià xīng wáng pǐ fū yǒu zé

whether a nation stands or falls depends on ordinary citizens

出处: Paraphrase of a quote from Gu Yanwu.

tiān bù pà dì bù pà zhǐ pà guǎng dōng rén shuō guān huà

There is nothing to be afraid of except Cantonese people speaking Mandarin (from a stereotype that Cantonese people cannot speak Mandarin well).

fú sān nián zhī sāng tiān xià zhī tōng sàng yě

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

直译: The three years' mourning is the common funeral rite of all under Heaven

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

nǚ dà sān bào jīn zhuān

A wife three years older than the husband ensures a richer life. (rhyming saying)

直译: woman older [by] three [years] carries gold bricks

nǚ zǐ wú cái biàn shì dé

A woman who lacks talent is virtuous; An old fashioned saying meaning that women should stay at home.

hǎo shì bù chū mén, è shì chuán qiān lǐ⚠ 拼音待校

good news goes on crutches, but bad news travels fast

hào zhàn bì wáng wàng zhàn bì wēi

a country that loves to go to war will perish, but a country that forgets how to go to war will be endangered

出处: From The Methods of the Sima [circa 4th century B.C.].

hǎo sǐ bù rú lài huó zhe

it’s better to live a wretched existence than to experience a good death; better a bad life than a good death; a living ass is better than a dead lion

qǔ qī qǔ dé

marry a woman for her morality (rather than beauty)

直译: take wife, take virtue

xí fù áo chéng pó

Those who suffer, will one day get their chance; What goes around comes around.

直译: A daughter-in-law who suffers will one day become a mother-in-law.

guān zì liǎng ge kǒu

Officials have all the say; officials can say whatever they want; there is no point in arguing with officials.

直译: The character for "official" (官) has two mouths (口)

jiā shū dǐ wàn jīn

A letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold.

xiǎo shí tōu zhēn dà shí tōu jīn

One who commits small wrongs at a young age, if left uncorrected, will continue to commit crimes that are more serious.

直译: one who steals a needle during childhood will steal gold as an adult

xiǎo cái bù chū dà cái bù rù

One must sacrifice a small amount of money to earn big money.

shào zhuàng bù nǔ lì lǎo dà tú shāng bēi

💡 Залуудаа хичээхгүй бол хөгшрөөд харамсахаас өөр юм үлдэхгүй.

chén guī chén tǔ guī tǔ

ashes to ashes, dust to dust

出处: Calque of English ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn cùn yǒu suǒ cháng

everyone has their weak points as well as their strong ones; Everybody has their own merits and demerits

出处: From Chuci

shān shàng wú lǎo hǔ, hóu zi chēng dà wáng⚠ 拼音待校

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king; when the cat's away the mice will play

直译: the monkeys reign when there are no tigers in the mountain

shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu

A big event is always preceded by some kind of omen (often describing the tense situation and atmosphere before a serious event happens)

直译: the wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm in the mountains

gōng yù shàn qí shì bì xiān lì qí qì

One must have good tools in order to do a good job.

直译: If a workman wishes to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools.

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

chā yǐ háo lí shī zhī qiān lǐ

synonym of 差之毫釐，謬以千里 (chāzhīháolí, miùyǐqiānlǐ)

qiáng niǔ de guā bù tián

something done grudgingly will not produce satisfactory results

直译: a forcibly twisted melon will not be sweet

dé bù gū bì yǒu lín

a virtuous person is never solitary but always has companions

出处: From the Analects, Book 4 (《論語·里仁》)

yōu dào bù yōu pín

Worry about seeking the proper path, do not worry about being poor.

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

huàn nàn jiàn zhēn qíng

a friend in need is a friend indeed

直译: Adversity allows one to see the true feelings of others.

dǎ shé dǎ qī cùn

Attack the problem at its core; Hit where it hurts

直译: to beat the snake, one must strike seven inches below its head

jiāo huì tú dì è sǐ shī fù

If a master teaches his apprentice everything without reservation, the apprentice may surpass the master, causing the master to lose his livelihood

xīn guān shàng rèn sān bǎ huǒ

a new broom sweeps clean

直译: a new official has three fires when he takes up the new post

wú dú bù zhàng fū

A great man will not refuse to do something vicious, cruel or immoral when it is necessary.

出处: Unknown. Attested since the Yuan Dynasty. Sometimes believed to be a corruption of 無度不丈夫 (“A great man should be able to forgive”), but this is likely a folk etymology.

shí shì zào yīng xióng

the time creates the hero

出处: From Liang Qichao's Biography of Li Hongzhang (《李鴻章傳》)

míng qiāng yì duǒ àn jiàn nán fáng

It is easy to dodge an open attack, but difficult to defend against a concealed one.

直译: A spear (thrown in) daylight is easy to dodge, (but) an arrow (shot in the) dark is difficult to defend against.

shì yào sān fēn dú

all medicine has its side effects

直译: this medicine contains 30% poison

yǒu lǐ zǒu biàn tiān xià wú lǐ cùn bù nán xíng

With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can't take a step.

qiāng dǎ chū tóu niǎo

One who is in the forefront will be attacked first. / The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

shù yù jìng ér fēng bù zhǐ

The objective laws often go counter to man's desires.

出处: Literally: The tree may prefer calm but the wind keeps blowing.

yù jiā zhī zuì hé huàn wú cí

If you want to convict someone, there is no need to worry about making a suitable pretext.; If you want to find a fault of someone, there is no need to worry about making a suitable pretext.; alternative form of 欲加之罪，何患無辭 /欲加之罪，何患无辞 (yù jiā zhī zuì, hé huàn wú cí)

出处: From Zuo Zhuan (《左傳·僖公十年》)

yù sù zé bù dá

💡 Хэт яаравчилбал зорилгодоо хүрэхгүй, харин ч удаашрана.

出处: From the Analects, Book 13 (《論語·子路》)

shuǐ dī shí chuān

💡 Жижиг ч гэсэн тасралтгүй хичээвэл том үр дүнд хүрнэ.

直译: dripping water wears through rock

出处: From Shizi: Later popularized by the following story