yǒu shè zì rán xiāng

good wine needs no bush

zhāo wén dào xī sǐ kě yǐ

if in the morning I were to gain knowledge of the correct path in life, I would be able to die at sunset without regrets

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

běn shì tóng gēn shēng xiāng jiān hé tài jí

People of the same origin (siblings, relatives or compatriots) should show mercy to each other.

出处: See 煮豆燃萁 (zhǔdòuránqí). This form with 本是同根生 is from the 79th chapter of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

běn zì tóng gēn shēng xiāng jiān hé tài jí

synonym of 本是同根生，相煎何太急 (běn shì tóng gēn shēng, xiāng jiān hé tài jí, “People of the same origin (siblings, relatives or compatriots) should show mercy to each other.”)

出处: See 煮豆燃萁 (zhǔdòuránqí).

xiǔ mù bù kě diāo

You can’t teach a student that doesn’t have the aptitude.

直译: One cannot make a carving from rotten wood.

出处: From the Analects, Book 5 (《論語·公冶長》)

shā rén cháng mìng qiàn zhài huán qián

a murderer must pay with his life as a debtor pays with money

shā jī yān yòng zǎi niú dāo

alternative form of 殺雞焉用牛刀 /杀鸡焉用牛刀 (gējī yān yòng niúdaō, “something of a big calibre is not necessary to handle small or minor problems; why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut”)

直译: Why use an ox cleaver to a chicken?

shā jī yān yòng niú dāo

synonym of 割雞焉用牛刀 /割鸡焉用牛刀 (gējī yān yòng niúdaō, “something of a big calibre is not necessary to handle small or minor problems; why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut”)

直译: Why use an ox cleaver to kill a chicken?

出处: See 割雞焉用牛刀／割鸡焉用牛刀 (gējī yān yòng niúdāo).

tiáo tiáo dà lù tōng luó mǎ

all roads lead to Rome

出处: Calque of English all roads lead to Rome.

shù dǎo hú sūn sàn

When a leader loses power, his/her followers disperse.

直译: When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter.

guì lín shān shuǐ jiǎ tiān xià

The landscapes of Guilin are the finest in the world

qí cuò yī zhāo mǎn pán jiē shū

A big failure is caused by a small mistake.

直译: one wrong move and the whole game is lost

gùn bàng zhī xià chū xiào zǐ

spare the rod and spoil the child

gùn bàng dǐ xià chū xiào zǐ

spare the rod and spoil the child

bàng xià chū xiào zǐ

spare the rod and spoil the child

qī shān mò qī shuǐ

Rather climb a mountain than swim or play in the water; i.e. better the Devil you know, alluding to the fact that when climbing a mountain, all dangers are clearly visible but when swimming, there may be invisible dangers lurking.

dǎi zhú chū hǎo sǔn

an exceptional child is born from lowly parents

sǐ yǒu zhòng yú tài shān qīng yú hóng máo

Some deaths are more weighty than Mount Tai, while others are lighter (and less significant) than a wild goose feather.

shuǐ kě zài zhōu, yì kě fù zhōu⚠ 拼音待校

People's will may support the leader, but may also cause the leader to fall from power.; If something is used correctly, it will be of benefit. If used incorrectly, it will do harm; X is a good servant but a bad master; alternative form of 水能載舟，亦能覆舟 /水能载舟，亦能覆舟 (shuǐ néng zài zhōu, yì néng fù zhōu)

直译: Water can carry a boat, [but] it can also overturn a boat.

出处: From the book Xunzi (third century BC)

jiāng shān yì gǎi, bǐng xìng nán yí⚠ 拼音待校

a leopard can't change its spots

直译: The rivers and mountains are easily altered, but one's inherent nature is difficult to change

méi yǒu jīn gāng zuàn bié lǎn cí qì huó

if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen

直译: If you don't have a diamond, stay out of the porcelain business.

fǎ wǎng huī huī shū ér bù lòu

The net of justice is vast, it may not close in tight right away, but nothing will evade it forever.

yàn què ān zhī hóng hú zhì

How can an ordinary person understand the ambitions of a great person?

出处: From Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian

mǔ dān huā xià sǐ zuò guǐ yě fēng liú

If I die under a skirt, I can still flirt as a ghost. / If my body should perish, girls I'll still cherish.

直译: If I should die beneath a peony flower (metaphor for beautiful woman), I will still be charming as a ghost.

gǒu gǎi bù liǎo chī shǐ

a leopard cannot change its spots (said of bad habits or traits)

直译: dogs can't help eating shit

yù bù zhuó bù chéng qì

One must be educated and endure trials to succeed.

出处: From the Book of Rites, Book 18 (《禮記·學記》)

ruì xuě zhào fēng nián

a timely snow augurs a year of good harvest

shēng shì duǎn zàn sǐ shì yǒng héng

Life is short, while death is eternal.

yóu jiǎn rù shē yì yóu shē rù jiǎn nán

It is easy for a thrifty person to become extravagant, but difficult for an extravagant person to become thrifty

出处: Quoted from Sima Guang.

nán ér xī xià yǒu huáng jīn

A man should have dignity and not grovel or bow down.

直译: there is gold under a man's knees (so why kneel down?)

yí xīn shēng àn guǐ

suspicions create imaginary fears; a suspicious heart will see imaginary ghosts; fear takes molehills for mountains

bìng lái rú shān dǎo bìng qù rú chōu sī

Illness strikes like a landslide, recovery is as slow as reeling silk.

shòu sǐ de luò tuo bǐ mǎ dà

Although a rich family has become less rich than previous, they are still richer than a poor family.; Although someone/something is inferior compared with oneself's past or fellows, the one is still better than people/things of one's inferior rank.

直译: a camel starved to death is (still) bigger than a (living) horse

lài há ma xiǎng chī tiān é ròu

to be carried away by one's wishful thinking and overestimate one's abilities; to pursue something that is out of one's league

直译: a toad wants to eat the meat of a swan

bǎi shàn xiào wéi xiān

Of all virtues, filial piety comes first; Filial piety is the most important of all virtues