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

méi yǒu bù tòu fēng de qiáng

no secret can be kept forever

qīng guān nán duàn jiā wù shì

even upright officials find it hard to settle family quarrels

mǎn zhāo sǔn qiān shòu yì

A conceited person receives failure, whereas a modest person receives benefits; pride comes before a fall

cháo zhōu rén fú jiàn zǔ

Teochew people have Fujian ancestors

ài zhī yù qí shēng wù zhī yù qí sǐ

If you love somebody, you want them to live forever, but if you hate somebody, you want them dead.

出处: From the Analects, Book 12 (《論語·顏淵》)

guā tián bù nà lǚ lǐ xià bù zhěng guān

to avoid suspicion, don't put yourself in suspicious situations

直译: do not put on shoes in a melon patch; do not adjust a hat under a plum tree.

出处: from Cao Zhi's poem Jūnzǐ Xíng (《君子行》, Three Kingdoms period).

shēng yú yōu huàn sǐ yú ān lè

Life springs from sorrow and calamity; death comes from ease and pleasure.

出处: From Mencius (《孟子·告子下》)

nán dà dāng hūn nǚ dà dāng jià

A man should get married on coming of age, and so should a girl.

liú dé qīng shān zài bù pà méi chái shāo

while there's life, there's hope

直译: As long as the green mountains are there, one need not worry about firewood.

liú dé qīng shān zài bù chóu méi chái shāo

alternative form of 留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒 /留得青山在，不怕没柴烧 (liú dé qīngshān zài, bùpà méi chái shāo, “While there's life, there's hope.”)

直译: As long as the green mountains are there, one need not worry about firewood.

huáng tiān bù fù kǔ xīn rén

Heaven helps those who help themselves; Providence doesn't let down a man who does his best.

zhēn rén bù lòu xiàng

A truly talented individual does not vie for attention by showing off his skills.

直译: a true person (of talent) does not show his face

ǎi zi ǎi yī dù zi guǎi

a short person has many tricks, ideas, etc.

féi shuǐ bù liú wài rén tián

synonym of 肥水不落外人田 (féishuǐ bù luò wàirén tián, “a benefit should not be given to others and should be shared exclusively among one’s own people”)

直译: Fertile water should not flow into someone else's field.

féi shuǐ bù luò wài rén tián

a benefit should not be given to others and should be shared exclusively among one’s own people

直译: Fertile water should not flow into someone else's field.

yīng xióng chū shào nián

Heroes come from the youth.

yīng xióng suǒ jiàn lüè tóng

Great minds think alike.

直译: The views of heroes are roughly alike.

yīng xióng nán guò měi rén guān

Even the strongest warrior can be seduced by a beautiful woman.

直译: A brave hero will find it difficult to get past an outpost occupied by a beautiful woman.

shéi dà shéi è shéi zhèng què

might is right

出处: From the 2018 TVB drama The Learning Curve of a Warlord.

lù yáo zhī mǎ lì

a long road tests a horse's strength; distance tests a horse's stamina; only time can reveal a person's true strength

lù yáo zhī mǎ lì shì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn

a long road tests a horse's strength, and a long task proves a person's heart

lù yáo zhī mǎ lì rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn

a long road tests a horse's strength and time proves a person's heart

yùn yòng zhī miào cún hū yī xīn

ingenuity in varying tactics depends on mother wit

tuì yī bù hǎi kuò tiān kōng

Yielding (taking a step back) to someone else may make life much easier.

直译: Take one step back, (and you will see) the vastness of the sea and sky

jiǔ hòu tǔ zhēn yán

in wine, there is truth

jiǔ ròu chuān cháng guò fó zǔ xīn zhōng liú

It is fine for a Buddhist to consume meat and alcohol as long as they have Buddha in their heart

直译: Alcohol and meat pass through the gut while Buddha remains in the heart.

出处: From Ji Gong. The full quote was

ā pó bù jià nǚ nǎ dé sūn ér bào

How can one expect to gain anything if one is unwilling to make sacrifices?

直译: (if) a grandmother does not let her daughter marry, how can she get a grandson to hold in her arms

fēi wǒ zú lèi qí xīn bì yì

People of a different race or ethnicity can not be trusted.

直译: If he be not of our kin, he is sure to have a different mind.

出处: A quote from the Commentary of Zuo.

bǎo hàn bù zhī è hàn jī

the well-fed do not know how the starving suffer; to have no realization of how others feel; to be oblivious

直译: well-fed men do not know starving men's hunger