to leave one's native place, esp. against one's will (idiom)
心有余而力不足
xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú
the will is there, but not the strength (idiom) / the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
鹿死谁手
lù sǐ shéi shǒu
lit. at whose hand will the deer die (idiom) / fig. who will emerge victorious
后患无穷
hòu huàn wú qióng
it will cause no end of trouble (idiom)
雷打不动
léi dǎ bù dòng
not shaken by thunder (idiom) / the arrangements are unalterable / to adhere rigidly to regulations / will go ahead whatever happens (of an arrangement or plan)
lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73) / fig. the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape / you can't run from the long arm of the law
沆瀣一气
hàng xiè yī qì
to act in collusion (idiom) / in cahoots with / villains will look after one another
lit. paper can't wrap fire / fig. the truth will out
困兽犹斗
kùn shòu yóu dòu
a cornered beast will still fight (idiom) / to fight like an animal at bay
见微知著
jiàn wēi zhī zhù
one tiny clue reveals the general trend (idiom) / small beginnings show how things will develop
清官难断家务事
qīng guān nán duàn jiā wù shì
even an honest and upright official will have difficulty resolving a family dispute (proverb)
不平则鸣
bù píng zé míng
where there is injustice, there will be an outcry / man will cry out against injustice
生拉硬拽
shēng lā yìng zhuài
to drag sb along against his will / to draw a forced analogy
名垂青史
míng chuí qīng shǐ
lit. reputation will go down in history (idiom) / fig. achievements will earn eternal glory
有志者事竟成
yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng
a really determined person will find a solution (idiom) / where there's a will, there's a way
玩物丧志
wán wù sàng zhì
lit. trifling destroys the will (idiom) / infatuation with fine details prevents one making progress / excessive attention to trivia saps the will
时不再来
shí bù zài lái
Time that has passed will never come back. (idiom)
上梁不正下梁歪
shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi
lit. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiom) / fig. subordinates imitate their superiors' vices
置之死地而后生
zhì zhī sǐ dì ér hòu shēng
place sb on a field of death and he will fight to live (idiom based on Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sun1 zi3 Bing1 fa3]) / to fight desperately when confronting mortal danger / fig. to find a way out of an impasse
大器晚成
dà qì wǎn chéng
lit. it takes a long time to make a big pot (idiom) / fig. a great talent matures slowly / in the fullness of time a major figure will develop into a pillar of the state / Rome wasn't built in a day
空城计
kōng chéng jì
the empty city stratagem (in which Zhuge Liang presents himself as unperturbed while making it evident that his city is undefended, hoping his adversary will suspect an ambush) / double bluff
掷地有声
zhì dì yǒu shēng
lit. if thrown on the floor, it will make a sound (idiom) / fig. (of one's words) powerful and resonating / to have substance
伊於胡底
yī yú hú dǐ
when will it stop
不吝珠玉
bù lìn zhū yù
lit. do not begrudge gems of wisdom (idiom, humble expr.) / fig. Please give me your frank opinion. / Your criticism will be most valuable.
the future is long (idiom) / there will be ample time for that later / We'll cross that bridge when we get there
功到自然成
gōng dào zì rán chéng
effort will undoubtedly lead to success (idiom)
名师出高徒
míng shī chū gāo tú
A famous teacher trains a fine student (idiom). A cultured man will have a deep influence on his successors.
少见多怪
shǎo jiàn duō guài
lit. a person who has seen little of the world will be be astonished by certain things (idiom) / fig. to be taken aback by sth because of one's lack of sophistication / naive / unworldy
得道多助
dé dào duō zhù
a just cause enjoys abundant support (idiom) / those upholding justice will find help all around
应天承运
yìng tiān chéng yùn
lit. to respond to heaven and suit the times (idiom) / to rule according to the will of heaven / the Divine Right of kings
怀璧其罪
huái bì qí zuì
lit. treasuring a jade ring becomes a crime (idiom) / to get into trouble on account of a cherished item / fig. A person's talent will arouse the envy of others.
教学相长
jiào xué xiāng zhǎng
when you teach someone, both teacher and student will benefit
是非自有公论
shì fēi zì yǒu gōng lùn
to determine right and wrong based on public opinion (idiom) / Public opinion will judge what's right and wrong.
有志竟成
yǒu zhì jìng chéng
persevere and you will succeed (idiom) / where there's a will, there's a way
朝露溘至
zhāo lù kè zhì
the morning dew will swiftly dissipate (idiom) / fig. ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence
泄漏天机
xiè lòu tiān jī
to divulge the will of heaven (idiom) / to leak a secret / to let the cat out of the bag
泄露天机
xiè lù tiān jī
to divulge the will of heaven (idiom) / to leak a secret / to let the cat out of the bag
溘先朝露
kè xiān zhāo lù
the morning dew will swiftly dissipate (idiom) / fig. ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence
漏泄天机
lòu xiè tiān jī
to divulge the will of heaven (idiom) / to leak a secret / to let the cat out of the bag
燕雀安知鸿鹄之志
yàn què ān zhī hóng hú zhī zhì
lit. can the sparrow and swallow know the will of the great swan? (idiom) / fig. how can we small fry predict the ambitions of the great?
牵一发而动全身
qiān yī fà ér dòng quán shēn
lit. pull one hair and the whole body moves / fig. a slight change will affect everything else / the butterfly effect
疏而不漏
shū ér bù lòu
loose, but allows no escape (idiom, from Laozi 老子[Lao3 zi3]) / the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape
皇天不负苦心人
Huáng tiān bù fù kǔ xīn rén
Heaven will not disappoint the person who tries (idiom). If you try hard, you're bound to succeed eventually.
盂方水方
yú fāng shuǐ fāng
If the basin is square, the water in it will also be square. (idiom)
积恶余殃
jī è yú yāng
Accumulated evil will be repaid in suffering (idiom).
缓不济急
huǎn bù jì jí
lit. slow no aid to urgent (idiom) / slow measures will not address a critical situation / too slow to meet a pressing need
万死不辞
wàn sǐ bù cí
ten thousand deaths will not prevent me (idiom) / ready to risk life and limb to help out
蜀犬吠日
Shǔ quǎn fèi rì
lit. Sichuan dogs bark at the sun (idiom) / fig. a simpleton will marvel at even the most common things / alludes to the Sichuan foggy weather where it's uncommon to see a sunny day
见风是雨
jiàn fēng shì yǔ
lit. see the wind and assume it will rain (idiom) / fig. gullible / to believe whatever people suggest
视微知著
shì wēi zhī zhuó
one tiny clue reveals the general trend (idiom) / small beginnings show how things will develop
身先朝露
shēn xiān zhāo lù
body will go with the morning dew (idiom) / fig. ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence
yào