一发千钧a hundredweight hanging by a hair
云谲波诡as changeable as clouds and waves
图穷匕见hidden intentions are exposed in the end
数见不鲜encountered with many times
明珠暗投a bright pearl cast into darkness
比肩继踵stand shoulder to shoulder, and follow on the heels of another
涸辙之鲋person in a desperate situation
绳锯木断little strokes fell great oaks
向隅而泣be left to grieve in the cold
抽薪止沸stop the boiling by taking off the fire
旁逸斜出grow out from the side irregularly
磨杵成针little strokes fell great oaks
蚍蜉撼树an ant trying to topple a giant tree- ridiculously overrate one's own ability or strength
倜傥不羁unconventional and unconstrained
山肴野蔌mountain meat and wild vegetables
杀回马枪make a sudden backward thrust at one's pursuer
杳无消息have never been heard of since
肆意妄为do what one wishes without restraint
取义成仁die to preserve one's virtue intact
一不沾亲，二不带故have no relationship with
一人吃饱，全家不饿one's repletion means all the family members' repletion
一分钱，一分货a penny can only buy what's worth a penny
一家人不说两家话do not treat family members as strangers
一棍子打死人knock somebody down at one stroke
一步跟不上，步步跟不上as long as we fall behind, we will always be passive and fail to keep pace with others
一针对一线match every needle with its thread
一阵秋风一阵凉in autumn, every time it rains, it gets colder
东一句，西一句talk about this and talk about that
交人交心，浇花浇根make friends through heart and water flower from its root
人善有人欺，马善有人骑kind people are vulnerable to be bullied, while docile horsestend to be ridden
人活一口气，树活一层皮nobody can live without breath, while no tree can live without bark
人过留名，雁过留声people leave their names and geese leave their voices
众人一条心，黄土变成金if everyone shares the same idea, the loess could be turned into gold
住在狼窝边，小心不为过one can't be too careful when living by the wolf's nest
出了龙潭，又入虎穴just escaping from the lake where the dragon lives, one falls into the tiger's den
刀搁在脖子上the knife is on one's neck
到什么山唱什么歌in a certain mountain, one should sing the local song
到什么山，打什么柴in a certain mountain, one should cut the local wood for fire
半瓶子醋好晃荡half a bottle of vinegar can easily be shaken
又想吃又怕烫want to eat but be afraid of being burnt
吃饱的猫不捉鼠with enough food, a cat doesn't catch mice
同行有冤家one can always find opponents in the same trade
外宁必有内忧when there is no foreign invasions, internal conflicts will stand out
好梦难长good dreams don't last long
好汉不夸当年勇a good man does not speak of his past bravery
好酒不怕陈good wine can stand the test of time
安下香饵钓鱼set bait for fishing; set up a trap to lure his opponent
当着真人不说假话never tell lies in front of people who know the truth
扶得东来西又倒pick one up but another one falls; not capable of being independent
把新鞋往泥塘里踩step in the mud while wearing new shoes; ask for trouble
拉着黄牛当马骑ride an ox as if it was a horse; just to make up the number
拔开云雾见青天dispel the clouds and see the blue sky; see the light again
有恩不报非君子a man who has received help from other people without repaying them is not agentle man
画虎不成反类狗set out to draw a tiger and end up with the likeness of a dog; make a poor imitation
百密未免一疏even if one takes action carefully, it is hard not to make any mistakes
百病从脚起all diseases begin with feet; many diseases are caused by the cold feet
穷人无灾即是福no disaster will be a blessing for the poor
纺车头上出黄金gold comes from the spinning wheel; working hard can accumulate wealth
耳朵磨出茧子have calluses on one's ears; talk one's ear off
肚皮贴着脊梁骨the belly is close to the spine; be very hungry
讨饭遇着荒年the beggar begs for food in the famine years; be extremely unlucky
豆腐里挑骨头pick out bones from tofu; look for a flaw which doesn't exist
闲时学成忙时用learn a skill in spare time, and it will be of help someday
一不做，二不休carry it through, whatever the consequences; stick to a thing once begun
抹一鼻子灰suffer a snub; have one's nose rubbed in the dust
一环扣一环one ring linked with another; connect with one another closely
人在人情在one dies with the feelings of his relatives and friends towards him
军中无戏言joking is not allowed in the army
君子不念旧恶a gentleman doesn't bear grudges
好了疮疤忘了痛once on shore, we pray no more
人往高处走，水往低处流man struggles upwards, and water flows downwards
有理不在声高making a lot of noise doesn't constitute a sound argument
远水不救近火distant water will not quench a fire near-Bible