| 江湖 | [Jiāng hú, ㄐㄧㄤ ㄏㄨˊ, 江 湖] rivers and lakes; around the whole country; cf 两江 and 两湖, Jiangnan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan provinces in Qing times #4,371 [Add to Longdo] | | 琴 | [qín, ㄑㄧㄣˊ, 琴] guqin or zither, cf 古琴; musical instrument in general #4,620 [Add to Longdo] | | 大方 | [dà fāng, ㄉㄚˋ ㄈㄤ, 大 方] expert; scholar; mother earth (cf 大地, because the earth is square 地方); a type of green tea #6,541 [Add to Longdo] | | 入世 | [rù shì, ㄖㄨˋ ㄕˋ, 入 世] to join the WTO; cf China joined WTO in 2003, after 15 years' negotiations #9,966 [Add to Longdo] | | 文联 | [wén lián, ㄨㄣˊ ㄌㄧㄢˊ, 文 联 / 文 聯] abbr. for 中國文學藝術界聯合會|中国文学艺术界联合会, China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) #19,806 [Add to Longdo] | | 王八 | [wáng bā, ㄨㄤˊ ㄅㄚ, 王 八] tortoise; cuckold; (insult with the flavor of bastard, son of a bitch); cf 王八蛋 #27,221 [Add to Longdo] | | 任重道远 | [rèn zhòng dào yuǎn, ㄖㄣˋ ㄓㄨㄥˋ ㄉㄠˋ ㄩㄢˇ, 任 重 道 远 / 任 重 道 遠] a heavy load and a long road; fig. to bear heavy responsibilities through a long struggle (cf Confucian Analects, 8.7) #27,922 [Add to Longdo] | | 救星 | [jiù xīng, ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄒㄧㄥ, 救 星] lit. saving star (cf star of Bethlehem in biblical nativity story); fig. savior (individual or organization); liberator; emancipator; knight in shining armor; cf Mao Zedong in north Shaanxi folk song The East is red 東方紅|东方红 #31,475 [Add to Longdo] | | 貉 | [háo, ㄏㄠˊ, 貉] raccoon dog; cf 貉子 #33,374 [Add to Longdo] | | 圆锥 | [yuán zhuī, ㄩㄢˊ ㄓㄨㄟ, 圆 锥 / 圓 錐] conical; (cf 圓錐體|圆锥体 a cone) #38,076 [Add to Longdo] | | 运筹帷幄 | [yùn chóu wéi wò, ㄩㄣˋ ㄔㄡˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄨㄛˋ, 运 筹 帷 幄] lit. to devise battle plan in a tent (成语 saw); fig. planning strategies; cf Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦 in his tent trusts his general a thousand miles away to make better decisions #39,641 [Add to Longdo] | | 纸上谈兵 | [zhǐ shàng tán bīng, ㄓˇ ㄕㄤˋ ㄊㄢˊ ㄅㄧㄥ, 纸 上 谈 兵 / 紙 上 談 兵] lit. military tactics on paper (成语 saw); fig. theoretical discussion that is worse than useless in practice (cf. Zhao Kuo 趙括|赵括 leading an army of 400, 000 to annihilation at Changping in 260 BC); an armchair strategist; idle theorizing #40,926 [Add to Longdo] | | 甲午 | [jiǎ wǔ, ㄐㄧㄚˇ ㄨˇ, 甲 午] thirty first year A7 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1954 or 2014; cf 甲午戰爭|甲午战争, the first Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95 #41,306 [Add to Longdo] | | 人去楼空 | [rén qù lóu kōng, ㄖㄣˊ ㄑㄩˋ ㄌㄡˊ ㄎㄨㄥ, 人 去 楼 空 / 人 去 樓 空] people are gone, the tower is empty; cf Yellow Crane Tower 黄鹤楼, Tang poem by Cui Hao 崔顥|崔颢, with theme the past will never return; nostalgia for old friends #42,694 [Add to Longdo] | | 辛亥 | [xīn hài, ㄒㄧㄣ ㄏㄞˋ, 辛 亥] forty eigth year H12 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1971 or 2031; cf 辛亥革命, Xinhai revolution of 1911 #45,485 [Add to Longdo] | | 庚子 | [gēng zǐ, ㄍㄥ ㄗˇ, 庚 子] thirty seventh year G1 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1960 or 2020; cf 庚子國變|庚子国变, the crisis year of 1900 involving the Boxer uprising and the eight nation military invasion #45,563 [Add to Longdo] | | 曾经沧海 | [céng jīng cāng hǎi, ㄘㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄘㄤ ㄏㄞˇ, 曾 经 沧 海 / 曾 經 滄 海] lit. once experienced the vast ocean(成语 saw); fig. widely experienced in the vicissitudes of life; cf. to have known the world #48,688 [Add to Longdo] | | 戊戌 | [wù xū, ㄨˋ ㄒㄩ, 戊 戌] thirty fifth year E11 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1958 or 2018; cf 戊戌政變|戊戌政变, failed attempt to reform the Qing dynasty in 1898 #49,843 [Add to Longdo] | | 辛丑 | [xīn chǒu, ㄒㄧㄣ ㄔㄡˇ, 辛 丑] thirty eighth year H2 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1961 or 2021; cf 辛丑條約|辛丑条约, Protocol of Beijing of 1901 ending the 8-nation intervention after the Boxer uprising #54,016 [Add to Longdo] | | 伍子胥 | [Wǔ Zǐ xū, ㄨˇ ㄗˇ ㄒㄩ, 伍 子 胥] Wu Zixu (-484 BC), powerful politician in Wu; famous as destitute refugee begging in Wu town, cf 吳市吹簫|吴市吹箫 #56,282 [Add to Longdo] | | 空城计 | [kōng chéng jì, ㄎㄨㄥ ㄔㄥˊ ㄐㄧˋ, 空 城 计 / 空 城 計] empty city strategy (成语 saw), cf Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮|诸葛亮 playing the guqin 古琴 zither over the open gate to his empty fort, fooling Sima Yi 司馬懿|司马懿 into suspecting an ambush; a bold front hides a weak defense; double bluff #64,043 [Add to Longdo] | | 吹箫 | [chuī xiāo, ㄔㄨㄟ ㄒㄧㄠ, 吹 箫 / 吹 簫] to play the xiao 箫 (mouth organ); to beg while playing pipes; cf politician Wu Zixu 伍子胥, c. 520 BC destitute refugee in Wu town, 吳市吹簫|吴市吹箫; to busk; virtuoso piper wins a beauty, cf 玉人吹箫; fellatio (oral sex); a blowjob #68,083 [Add to Longdo] | | 锎 | [kāi, ㄎㄞ, 锎 / 鐦] californium Cf98, radioactive actinoid element #69,818 [Add to Longdo] | | 三顾茅庐 | [sān gù máo lú, ㄙㄢ ㄍㄨˋ ㄇㄠˊ ㄌㄨˊ, 三 顾 茅 庐 / 三 顧 茅 廬] lit. three humble visits to a thatched cottage; cf famous episode in the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义 in which Liu Bei 劉備|刘备 recruits Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮|诸葛亮 (the Hidden Dragon 臥龍|卧龙) to his cause by visiting him three times #73,190 [Add to Longdo] | | 倒打一耙 | [dào dǎ yī pá, ㄉㄠˋ ㄉㄚˇ ㄧ ㄆㄚˊ, 倒 打 一 耙] lit. to strike with a muck-rake (成语 saw), cf. Pigsy 豬八戒|猪八戒 in Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记; fig. to counter-attack; to make bogus accusations (against one's victim) #84,956 [Add to Longdo] | | 断弦 | [duàn xián, ㄉㄨㄢˋ ㄒㄧㄢˊ, 断 弦 / 斷 弦] widowed; lit. one string short, cf. 琴瑟 qin and se, two instruments epitomizing marital harmony #89,545 [Add to Longdo] | | 燕雀 | [yàn què, ㄧㄢˋ ㄑㄩㄝˋ, 燕 雀] Eurasian finch or brambling (Fringilla montifringilla); fig. small fry; cf can the sparrow know the will of the great swan? 燕雀安知鴻鵠之志|燕雀安知鸿鹄之志 #97,179 [Add to Longdo] | | 续弦 | [xù xián, ㄒㄩˋ ㄒㄧㄢˊ, 续 弦 / 續 絃] to remarry (of a widow); a second wife; cf qin and se 琴瑟, two string instruments as symbol of marital harmony #101,664 [Add to Longdo] | | 箜 | [kōng, ㄎㄨㄥ, 箜] ancient harp; cf 箜篌, Chinese harp #109,843 [Add to Longdo] | | 卤代烃 | [lǔ dài tīng, ㄌㄨˇ ㄉㄞˋ ㄊㄧㄥ, 卤 代 烃 / 鹵 代 烴] haloalkane (obtained from hydrocarbon by substituting halogen for hydrogen, e.g. chlorobenzene or the CFCs) #133,243 [Add to Longdo] | | 丧门神 | [sàng mén shén, ㄙㄤˋ ㄇㄣˊ ㄕㄣˊ, 丧 门 神 / 喪 門 神] messenger of death (cf Irish banshee); person bringing bad luck #154,322 [Add to Longdo] | | 丧门星 | [sàng mén xīng, ㄙㄤˋ ㄇㄣˊ ㄒㄧㄥ, 丧 门 星 / 喪 門 星] messenger of death (cf Irish banshee); person bringing bad luck #177,268 [Add to Longdo] | | 木马计 | [mù mǎ jì, ㄇㄨˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄐㄧˋ, 木 马 计 / 木 馬 計] wooden horse stratagem (cf Trojan horse) #201,304 [Add to Longdo] | | 锕系元素 | [ā xì yuán sù, ㄚ ㄒㄧˋ ㄩㄢˊ ㄙㄨˋ, 锕 系 元 素 / 錒 系 元 素] actinoids (rare earth series), namely: actinium Ac89 錒|锕, thorium Th90 釷|钍, protoactinium Pa91 鏷|镤, uranium U92 鈾|铀, neptunium Ne93 镎|镎, plutonium Pu94 鈈|钚, americium Am95 镅|镅, curium Cm96 鋦|锔, berkelium Bk97 錇|锫, californium Cf98 鐦|锎, einsteinium Es99 鎄| #239,279 [Add to Longdo] | | 伐柯 | [fá kē, ㄈㄚˊ ㄎㄜ, 伐 柯] (cf. Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax; fig. to follow a principle; fig. to act as match-maker #261,483 [Add to Longdo] | | 杏林 | [xìng lín, ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄌㄧㄣˊ, 杏 林] forest of apricot trees; fig. honorific term for fine doctor (cf Dr Dong Feng 董奉, 3rd century AD, asked his patients to plant apricot trees instead of paying fees); Xinglin district of Xiamen city (renamed Haicang 海沧区 in 2003) #292,674 [Add to Longdo] | | 郢书燕说 | [Yǐng shū Yān shuō, ㄧㄥˇ ㄕㄨ ㄧㄢ ㄕㄨㄛ, 郢 书 燕 说 / 郢 書 燕 說] words distorted in reading (成语 saw); cf letter from Chu 楚 capital Ying 郢|郢 contains inadvertent words "hold up the candle" that minister of Yan 燕 puzzles out to mean "brilliant prospects" #453,435 [Add to Longdo] | | 花朝月夕 | [huā zhāo yuè xī, ㄏㄨㄚ ㄓㄠ ㄩㄝˋ ㄒㄧ, 花 朝 月 夕] a beautiful day; cf. Birthday of the Flowers on lunar 15th February and Mid-autumn Festival on lunar 15th August #466,134 [Add to Longdo] | | 吴市吹箫 | [Wú shì chuī xiāo, ㄨˊ ㄕˋ ㄔㄨㄟ ㄒㄧㄠ, 吴 市 吹 箫 / 吳 市 吹 簫] to beg while playing the xiao 箫 (mouth organ); cf Wu Zixu 伍子胥, destitute refugee from Chu 楚, busked in Wu town c. 520 BC, then became a powerful politician #613,570 [Add to Longdo] | | 琴瑟不调 | [qín sè bù tiáo, ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄙㄜˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄊㄧㄠˊ, 琴 瑟 不 调 / 琴 瑟 不 調] out of tune; marital discord, cf qin and se 琴瑟, two string instruments as symbol of marital harmony #682,190 [Add to Longdo] | | 中国文学艺术界联合会 | [Zhōng guó wén xué yì shù jiè lián hé huì, ㄓㄨㄥ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄨㄣˊ ㄒㄩㄝˊ ㄧˋ ㄕㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄝˋ ㄌㄧㄢˊ ㄏㄜˊ ㄏㄨㄟˋ, 中 国 文 学 艺 术 界 联 合 会 / 中 國 文 學 藝 術 界 聯 合 會] China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC); abbr. as 文聯|文联 [Add to Longdo] | | 中国文联 | [Zhōng guó wén lián, ㄓㄨㄥ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄨㄣˊ ㄌㄧㄢˊ, 中 国 文 联 / 中 國 文 聯] abbr. for 中國文學藝術界聯合會|中国文学艺术界联合会, China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) [Add to Longdo] | | 五四 | [wǔ sì, ㄨˇ ㄙˋ, 五 四] fourth of May, cf 五四運動|五四运动, national renewal movement that started with 4th May 1919 protest against the Treaty of Versailles [Add to Longdo] | | 五瘟神 | [wǔ wēn shén, ㄨˇ ㄨㄣ ㄕㄣˊ, 五 瘟 神] five chief demons of folklore personifying pestilence; cf four horsemen of the apocalypse [Add to Longdo] | | 八·一五 | [bā yī wǔ, ㄅㄚ ㄧ ㄨˇ, 八 · 一 五] cf Japanese surrender in WWII on 15th August 1945 [Add to Longdo] | | 八一五 | [bā yī wǔ, ㄅㄚ ㄧ ㄨˇ, 八 一 五] cf Japanese surrender in WWII on 15th August 1945 [Add to Longdo] | | 吹箫乞食 | [chuī xiāo qǐ shí, ㄔㄨㄟ ㄒㄧㄠ ㄑㄧˇ ㄕˊ, 吹 箫 乞 食 / 吹 簫 乞 食] to beg while playing the xiao 箫 (mouth organ); cf Wu Zixu 伍子胥, destitute refugee from Chu 楚, busked in Wu town c. 520 BC, then became a powerful politician [Add to Longdo] | | 操斧伐柯 | [cāo fǔ fá kē, ㄘㄠ ㄈㄨˇ ㄈㄚˊ ㄎㄜ, 操 斧 伐 柯] (cf. Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax; fig. to follow a principle; fig. to act as match-maker [Add to Longdo] | | 断絃 | [duàn xián, ㄉㄨㄢˋ ㄒㄧㄢˊ, 断 絃 / 斷 絃] a widow; lit. a single string, cf qin and se 琴瑟, two string instruments as symbol of marital harmony [Add to Longdo] | | 木骨都束 | [Mù gǔ dū shù, ㄇㄨˋ ㄍㄨˇ ㄉㄨ ㄕㄨˋ, 木 骨 都 束] Chinese name for African kingdom in Somalia, cf. Mogadishu 摩加迪沙 [Add to Longdo] |
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