一文不名not have a penny to one's name
一锅端completely wipe out; bring everything out
不即不离maintain a discreet distance
不足为训not an example to be followed
以儆效尤punish somebody as a warning to others
以邻为壑shift one's troubles onto others
党同伐异stick together with one's own faction members and attack those who belong to other factions
劳燕分飞the shrike and the swallow fly in different directions
劳苦功高have worked hard and performed a valuable service
博闻强记extensive experience and a good memory
吃回头草go back to graze the grass left behind
吃闭门羹on the wrong side of the door
后台老板boss of a theatrical troupe; backstage boss
学富五车have a wealth of knowledge
尸位素餐neglect one's duties while in office
平铺直叙tell in a simple, straightforward way
得陇望蜀covet the land of Shu after capturing the region of Long
微言大义subtle words with profound meaning
才高八斗be endowed with great/unusual talents
打牙祭have a square meal occasionally
打算盘work/operate/use an abacus; calculate
投桃报李give a plum in return for a peach—exchange gifts/favours
投笔从戎cast aside the pen and join the army—forsake the pen for the sword
拾人牙慧steal/appropriate other people's ideas as one's own
数典忘祖give all the historical facts except those about one's own ancestors
文过饰非conceal faults and gloss over wrongs
无所不至penetrate everywhere; spare no pains
日薄西山be in the evening of one's life
明日黄花chrysanthemums after the Double Ninth Festival
李代桃僵palm off a substitute for the real thing; sacrifice oneself for another person
洛阳纸贵the overwhelming popularity of a new work causes a shortage of paper
激浊扬清drive out evil and usher in good
火中取栗use another person to accomplish one's own aim
狗尾续貂join a dog's tail to a marten
百折不回advance bravely and never withdraw
筚路蓝缕drive a cart in rags to blaze a new trail—endure great hardships in starting up a project
蓬荜生辉Friends grace somebody's house with their presence.
虚与委蛇feign politeness and compliance
蝇营狗苟ingratiate oneself with someone to gain one's ends
邯郸学步imitate others slavishly only to lose one's own individuality and attributes
钟灵毓秀a fine natural environment nurtures great talents
锱铢必较fight over the smallest trifles
不胜其烦be pestered/bored beyond endurance
命途多舛suffer many setbacks during one's life
气息奄奄be at one's last gasp; on the verge of extinction
著作等身an author with many works to his credit
遗世独立cut oneself off from the rest of the world
龙虎斗metaphor for a fierce fight between well-matched rivals
余音袅袅The music lingered in the air long after the performance ended.
物华天宝Good products from the earth are nature's treasures.
皓首穷经study the classics even though one is very old
身无长物have nothing but the necessities of living
混混沌沌used as a reduplicated word of 混沌
一棵树上吊死insist on hanging oneself on one tree
乱点鸳鸯谱randomly match two mandarin ducks
人心都是肉长的the heart is made of flesh and blood
低头不见抬头见no matter if they bow or raise their heads, they can meet each other
医者父母心doctors is to patients what parents is to children
自古英雄出少年heroes come from young and promising people
一物降一物everything has its weakness; one thing conquers another
枪打出头鸟the bird which takes the lead gets shot first; the outstanding usually bear the brunt of attack
英雄无用武之地have no scope for the exercise of his or her abilities
一报还一报retribution paid out in kind
人怕出名猪怕壮a man dreads fame as a pig dreads being fat
兵败如山倒an army in flight is like a landslide; a rout is like a landslide