|
Idiom |
jyutping |
pinyin |
Meaning |
|
天下第一
|
tin1 haa6 dai6 jat1 |
tian1 xia4 di4 yi1 |
the first / the best under heaven |
|
刀光劍影
|
dou1 gwong1 gim3 jing2 |
dao1 guang1 jian4 ying3 |
the flash and glitter of knives and swords |
|
行百里半九十
|
haang4 baak3 lei5 bun3 gau2 sap6 |
|
the going is toughest toward the end of a journey |
|
隔籬飯香
|
gaak3 lei4 faan6 hoeng1 |
ge2 li2 fan4 xiang1 |
the grass is always greener on the other side |
|
罪有攸歸
|
zeoi6 jau5 jau4 gwai1 |
zui4 you3 you1 gui1 |
the guilty will be punished; a crime has it\'s perpetrator |
|
欲蓋彌彰
|
juk6 koi3 nei4 zoeng1 |
yu4 gai4 mi2 zhang1 |
the harder you try to conceal sth. the more obvious it becomes |
|
多勞多得
|
do1 lou4 do1 dak1 |
duo1 lao2 duo1 de2 |
the harder you work, the more you reap |
|
寒窗苦讀
|
hon4 coeng1 fu2 duk6 |
han2 chuang1 ku3 du2 |
the hardships that a student must endure; the life of a student |
|
期望越高失望越大
|
kei4 mong6 jyut6 gou1 sat1 mong6 jyut6 daai6 |
qi1 (PRC) / qi2 (Taiwan) wang4 yue4 gao1 shi1 wang4 yue4 da4 |
the higher your expectation, the greater your disappointment |
|
夫唱婦隨
|
fu1 coeng3 fu5 ceoi4 |
|
the husband leads and the wife follows; domestic harmony (also 夫倡婦隨) |
|
夫倡婦隨
|
fu1 coeng3 fu5 ceoi4 |
|
the husband leads and the wife follows; domestic harmony (also 夫唱婦隨) |
|
萬丈高樓從地起
|
maan6 zoeng6 gou1 lau4 cung4 dei6 hei2 |
wan4 zhang4 gao1 lou2 cong2 di4 qi3 |
the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step |
|
萬丈高樓平地起
|
maan6 zoeng6 gou1 lau4 ping4 dei6 hei2 |
|
the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step |
|
回光反照
|
wui4 gwong1 faan2 ziu3 |
|
the last glow before sunset |
|
言多必失
|
jin4 do1 bit1 sat1 |
yan2 duo1 bi4 shi1 |
the less said, the better |
|
螳螂捕蟬
|
tong4 long4 bou6 sim4 |
tang2 lang2 bu3 chan2 |
the mantis stalks the cicada |
|
千里送鵝毛,禮輕情意重
|
cin1 lei5 sung3 ngo4 mou4, lai5 hing1 cing4 ji3 zung6 |
|
the meaning is more important than the value of the present |
|
千里送鵝毛,物輕情意重
|
cin1 lei5 sung3 ngo4 mou4, mat6 hing1 cing4 ji3 zung6 |
|
the meaning is more important than the value of the present |
|
烏合之眾
|
wu1 hap6 zi1 zung3 |
wu1 he2 zhi1 zhong4 |
the mob of people that gathered |
|
多多益善
|
do1 do1 jik1 sin6 |
duo1 duo1 yi4 shan4 |
the more the better |