| |
Idiom |
jyutping |
pinyin |
Meaning |
|
三歲定八十
|
saam1 seoi3 ding6 baat3 sap6 |
san1 sui4 ding4 ba1 shi2 |
the character of a person at age three is already formed and will never change |
|
|
後果堪虞
|
hau6 gwo2 ham1 jyu4 |
hou4 guo3 kan1 yu2 |
the consequences make one feel worrisome and upsetting |
|
|
國泰民安
|
gwok3 taai3 man4 on1 |
guo2 tai4 min2 an1 |
the country flourishes and people live in peace |
|
|
愈早愈好
|
jyu6 zou2 jyu6 hou2 |
|
the earlier the better |
|
|
早起的鳥兒有蟲吃
|
zou2 hei2 dik1 niu5 ji4 jau5 cung4 hek3 |
|
the early bird catches the worm |
|
|
傾國傾城
|
king1 gwok3 king1 sing4 |
qing1 guo2 qing1 cheng2 |
the face that launched a thousand ships |
|
|
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) |
|
|
始作俑者
|
ci2 zok3 jung2 ze2 |
shi3 zuo4 yong3 zhe3 |
the initiator of a bad precedent; the originator of a vile practise |
|
|
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 |
