zhēn lǐ yuè biàn yuè míng

the more the truth is debated, the clearer the truth becomes

zhī jǐ zhī bǐ bǎi zhàn bù dài

know thy enemy (Know yourself and know the enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.)

出处: From The Art of War

zhī chǐ jìn hū yǒng

Having a sense of shame is a form of bravery.

出处: From the Doctrine of the Mean (《中庸》) in the Book of Rites

ǎi yán zhī xià chū tóu nán

One has little chance of succeeding when one is at another's mercy.

直译: difficult to hold up one's head under low eaves

mó dāo bù wù kǎn chái gōng

Making full preparation will not delay your job but quicken the process.

直译: Sharpening the axe will not hold up the work of chopping firewood

shén xiān dǎ jià xiǎo guǐ zāo yāng

disagreement of leaders causes disorder in subordinates; confrontation of politicians causes suffering to ordinary people

直译: When the deities fight, the imps will suffer.

qióng shān è shuǐ chū diāo mín

very poor and adverse natural environments produce crafty and malevolent people

qiè gōu zhě zhū qiè guó zhě hóu

Used to criticize political corruption to an extent that right and wrong is falsified.

zāo kāng zhī qī bù xià táng

Treasure those who had been good to you when you were in need.

cōng míng yī shì měng dǒng yī shí

synonym of 聰明一世，糊塗一時 /聪明一世，糊涂一时 (cōngmíng yīshì, hútú yīshí, “even smart people can have a momentary lapse in judgement; even Homer nods”)

cōng míng yī shì hú tú yī shí

even smart people can have a momentary lapse in judgement; even Homer nods

shèng zhě wáng hóu bài zhě kòu

synonym of 成者為王，敗者為寇 /成者为王，败者为寇 (chéng zhě wéi wáng, bài zhě wéi kòu, “Legitimacy belongs to the victor; might makes right; Used to mean a person is judged solely on whether they succeeded or failed”)

直译: the winner is nobility, the loser is a bandit

zì gǔ jiē yǒu sǐ rén wú xìn bù lì

From of old, death has been the lot of all men; but if people have no faith in a person, there is no standing for that person.

出处: See 無信不立／无信不立 (wúxìnbùlì).

zì gǔ jiē yǒu sǐ mín wú xìn bù lì

Since ancient times, all men experience death; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state.

出处: See 無信不立／无信不立 (wúxìnbùlì).

liáng qín zé mù ér qī

A talented person is free to choose his own boss.

huā kāi kān zhé zhí xū zhé

Seize the day; carpe diem.

直译: If a flower is blooming, and you can pluck it, go ahead and pluck it.

出处: From the poem “The Golden Dress” (《金縷衣》): : This is also the etymology for 莫待無花空折枝／莫待无花空折枝 (mò dài wú huā kōng zhé zhī).

cāng ying bù dīng wú fèng de dàn

there's no smoke without fire

直译: flies do not sting a crackless egg

cāng ying fù jì wěi ér zhì qiān lǐ

a dwarf stands on the shoulders of giants

直译: The housefly on the tail of a noble steed travels a thousand miles.

kē zhèng měng yú hǔ

Oppressive governments are more terrible than tigers.

出处: From the Book of Rites, Book 4 (《禮記·檀弓下》)

ruò yào rén bù zhī chú fēi jǐ mò wéi

murder will out; one should not do it if they do not want others to know

直译: if one wants others to not know [of their wrongdoings], only [happens] when themselves had not done it

出处: The earliest appearance of similar expressions was in Mei Cheng (枚乘)'s Petition to the Prince of Wu

yīng xióng mò wèn chū chù

don't ask where a hero is from

mò dài wú huā kōng zhé zhī

Seize the day; carpe diem.

直译: Do not wait until there are no flowers left, to snap a barren branch in vain.

出处: See 花開堪折直須折／花开堪折直须折 (huā kāi kān zhé zhí xū zhé).

luó bo bái cài gè yǒu suǒ ài

one man's trash is another man's treasure, to each his own

直译: Daikon or bok choi; everyone has their preference.

luò hòu jiù yào ái dǎ

Those who fall behind get beaten.

出处: Calque of Russian Отсталых бьют (Otstalyx bʹjut), quoted from Joseph Stalin's speech The Tasks of Business Executives (О задачах хозяйственников).

luò shuǐ de fèng huáng bù rú jī

an important person that has lost their power or has become down-and-out is even more inferior than common folk.

péng shēng má zhōng bù fú ér zhí

one can become a good person by being in a good environment

出处: From Xunzi

hǔ fù wú quǎn zǐ

like father, like son

直译: a father tiger does not have a puppy for a son

hǔ luò píng yáng bèi quǎn qī

a man who loses position and influence may be subjected to much indignity

shǔ zhōng wú dà jiàng liào huà zuò xiān fēng

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

直译: When there are no generals left in Shu Han, even Liao Hua can become the leader

fú yóu zài shì

life is short

yíng fù jì wěi ér zhì qiān lǐ

a dwarf stands on the shoulders of giants

直译: The fly on the tail of a noble steed travels a thousand miles.

fù cháo zhī xià wú wán luǎn

No individual can escape from the calamity its group is suffering.

直译: No eggs remain intact when the nest overturns.

fù cháo zhī xià ān yǒu wán luǎn

synonym of 覆巢之下無完卵 /覆巢之下无完卵 (fùcháozhīxiàwúwánluǎn, “No individual can escape from the calamity its group is suffering.”)

fù cháo zhī xià qǐ yǒu wán luǎn

synonym of 覆巢之下無完卵 /覆巢之下无完卵 (fùcháozhīxiàwúwánluǎn, “No individual can escape from the calamity its group is suffering.”)

fù cháo zhī xià yān yǒu wán luǎn

synonym of 覆巢之下無完卵 /覆巢之下无完卵 (fùcháozhīxiàwúwánluǎn, “No individual can escape from the calamity its group is suffering.”)

jiàn rén jiǎng rén huà jiàn guǐ jiǎng guǐ huà

to be flexible and know what to say in different situations and to different people; (derogatory) to be crafty and two-faced

直译: speaking the language of humans when seeing a human, and speaking the language of devils when seeing a devil

jiàn rén shuō rén huà jiàn guǐ shuō guǐ huà

to be flexible and know what to say in different situations and to different people; (derogatory) to be crafty and two-faced

直译: speaking the language of humans when seeing a human, and speaking the language of devils when seeing a devil

guān qí bù yǔ zhēn jūn zǐ qǐ shǒu wú huí dà zhàng fu

Do not make any comments on a chess game when watching it, and do not regret your move when playing a chess game.

shuō cáo cāo cáo cāo dào

speak of the devil and he shall appear

直译: speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives