Learn Chinese idioms about interpersonal relationships, social bonds, moral character, and behavioral patterns. These sayings illuminate human nature and the dynamics of human connections.
143 idioms in this category
bù yuǎn qiān lǐ
“Not consider a thousand miles far”
Willingly travel far; make great efforts
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zhāo sī mù xiǎng
“Think in morning, yearn at night”
Think about constantly; yearn for
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hún qiān mèng yíng
“Soul pulled, dreams haunted”
Yearn day and night
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liàn liàn bù shě
“Attached and unwilling to part”
Be deeply reluctant to leave
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yī yī bù shě
“Lingering reluctantly, unwilling to leave”
Be reluctant to part
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nán fēn nán shě
“Hard to part, hard to leave”
Be inseparable; hate to part
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hǎi kū shí làn
“Seas dry, stones rot”
Until the end of time; eternal love
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yī jiàn zhōng qíng
“One glance, feelings concentrate”
Love at first sight
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xīn xīn xiāng yìn
“Hearts imprint on each other”
Be perfectly attuned to each other
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bái tóu xié lǎo
“White heads together in old age”
Grow old together; lifelong partnership
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jǔ àn qí méi
“Raise tray level with eyebrows”
Married couple with great mutual respect
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xiāng jìng rú bīn
“Respect each other like guests”
Treat each other with respect
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xiāng rú yǐ mò
“Moisten each other with foam”
Help each other in adversity
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wěn jǐng zhī jiāo
“Friendship of severed necks”
Be sworn friends; absolute loyalty
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mò nì zhī jiāo
“Friendship without opposition”
Be bosom friends
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qíng tóu yì hé
“Feelings cast, ideas match”
Be perfectly compatible; hit it off
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zhì tóng dào hé
“Same aspirations, aligned paths”
Share the same goals and values
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tuī xīn zhì fù
“Push heart, place in belly”
Speak from the heart; confide completely
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gān dǎn xiāng zhào
“Livers and galls illuminate each other”
Share complete trust and loyalty
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kāi chéng bù gōng
“Open sincerity, spread fairness”
Be candid and fair
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yī yán jì chū
“Once a word is spoken”
A promise once made must be kept
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yán xíng yī zhì
“Words and actions consistent”
Practice what you preach
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biǎo lǐ rú yī
“Outside and inside as one”
Be consistent inside and out
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tǎn tǎn dàng dàng
“Open and broad-minded”
Live openly with clear conscience
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guāng míng lěi luò
“Bright, clear, and upright”
Be open and aboveboard
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qiū háo wú fàn
“Not violating even autumn down”
Show strict discipline; not take anything
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chóu méi kǔ liǎn
“Worried brows, bitter face”
Look worried and unhappy
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méi kāi yǎn xiào
“Brows open, eyes smile”
Be all smiles; radiate happiness
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méi fēi sè wǔ
“Eyebrows fly, expression dances”
Be animated with excitement
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xǐ xiào yán kāi
“Happy smile, face opens up”
Be beaming with joy
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nù bù kě è
“Anger that cannot be suppressed”
Be furious beyond control
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xǐ nù wú cháng
“Joy and anger without constancy”
Be moody; have unpredictable emotions
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wàng zì zūn dà
“Unreasonably consider oneself great”
Be conceited; have an inflated ego
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wàng zì fěi bó
“Unreasonably belittle oneself”
Undervalue oneself; excessive self-deprecation
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zhǐ gāo qì yáng
“Toes high, spirits lifted”
Strut arrogantly; be conceited
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yí zhǐ qì shǐ
“Command with chin gestures and breath”
Be domineering and arrogant
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gū míng diào yù
“Fish for fame and angle for reputation”
Seek fame through calculated actions
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cè yǐn zhī xīn
“Heart of compassionate concealment”
Compassion; empathy for others
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fù tāng dǎo huǒ
“Go into boiling water step on fire”
Go through fire and water; brave any danger
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wàng zì fěi bó
“Wrongly self-deprecate”
Underestimate oneself; excessive self-deprecation
This idiom describes wrongly (妄) depreciating (菲薄) oneself (自). It warns against excessive self-deprecation that undervalues one's abilities. The phra...
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yán xíng yī zhì
“Words and actions consistent”
Practice what one preaches
This idiom describes words (言) and actions (行) being consistent (一致). It embodies the Confucian ideal of integrity where speech matches behavior. The ...
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tóng bìng xiāng lián
“Same illness mutually sympathize”
Sympathize with those sharing similar troubles
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xiāng jiàn hèn wǎn
“Meeting each other regret it was late”
Regret not meeting sooner; instant rapport
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xīn xīn xiāng yìn
“Heart and heart mutually seal”
Perfect mutual understanding; hearts in harmony
This idiom describes hearts (心心) mutually (相) sealing or imprinting upon (印) each other. It comes from Chan (Zen) Buddhism describing the wordless tra...
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mù zhōng wú rén
“No person in one's eyes”
Extremely arrogant; look down on everyone
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píng yì jìn rén
“Level and easy to approach”
Approachable; easy to get along with
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yǔ zhòng bù tóng
“Different from the crowd”
Unique; distinctive
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tòng gǎi qián fēi
“Painfully change previous wrongs”
Sincerely repent and reform
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wú wēi bù zhì
“No detail not attended to”
Meticulous; attentive to every detail
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xìn kǒu kāi hé
“Trust mouth open river”
Talk irresponsibly; make things up
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dà jīng xiǎo guài
“Big surprise small strange”
Make a fuss about nothing
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yī yī bù shě
“Clinging and unwilling to part”
Reluctant to part; lingering attachment
This idiom uses the reduplicated 'yiyi' (依依), meaning clinging or attached, combined with unwilling (不舍) to part. It describes the emotional difficult...
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yī rú jì wǎng
“Same as it has always been”
As always; unchanged
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xīn zhào bù xuān
“Hearts illuminate without declaring”
Tacit understanding; unspoken agreement
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jū gōng jìn cuì
“Bow and exhaust oneself completely”
Devote oneself completely; work until exhausted
This idiom describes bowing (鞠躬) while exhausting oneself completely (尽瘁). It comes from Zhuge Liang's famous memorial 'Chu Shi Biao,' where he pledge...
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biàn běn jiā lì
“Change origin add severity”
Get worse; intensify negatively
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ruò wú qí shì
“As if nothing happened”
Act as if nothing happened
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shì ér bù jiàn
“Look but not see”
Turn a blind eye; deliberately ignore
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yán guò qí shí
“Words exceed the reality”
Exaggerate; overstate
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xīn gān qíng yuàn
“Heart sweet feeling willing”
Willingly; without reluctance
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zhēng lùn bù xiū
“Arguing without rest”
Argue endlessly without resolution
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yī shì tóng rén
“One view same benevolence”
Treat everyone equally without discrimination
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mò mò wú wén
“Silently without fame”
Unknown; working in obscurity
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wú dòng yú zhōng
“No movement in the heart”
Unmoved; indifferent
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tāo tāo bù jué
“Surging waves never ceasing”
Talk endlessly; speak at great length
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míng zhī gù fàn
“Clearly know yet deliberately violate”
Knowingly commit a violation
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zì gào fèn yǒng
“Self-recommend with vigor and courage”
Volunteer bravely; step forward willingly
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xíng yǐng bù lí
“Body and shadow never separate”
Inseparable; always together
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guāng míng lěi luò
“Bright and open-hearted”
Upright and open; above board
This idiom combines 'bright and luminous' (光明) with 'open and upright' (磊落) to describe someone of impeccable moral character. The character 磊 depicts...
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qī zuǐ bā shé
“Seven mouths eight tongues”
Everyone talking at once; lively discussion
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xīn píng qì hé
“Heart calm and breath harmonious”
Calm and composed; even-tempered
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zì yǐ wéi shì
“Considering oneself to be right”
Self-righteous; opinionated
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cū xīn dà yì
“Rough heart and careless mind”
Careless; negligent
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míng fù qí shí
“Name matches reality”
Living up to one's name or reputation
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yán ér yǒu xìn
“Words with trustworthiness”
To be true to one's word
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tiān cháng dì jiǔ
“Heaven is long, earth is lasting”
Everlasting; eternal
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wàng chuān qiū shuǐ
“Gazing through autumn waters”
To eagerly await someone or something
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jí gōng jìn lì
“Rush achievement near profit”
Seek quick success and immediate benefit
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huì mò rú shēn
“Avoid discussing as deep”
Maintain absolute silence about sensitive matter
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hú shuō bā dào
“Reckless speak eight ways”
Talk complete nonsense without any foundation
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hǔ jù lóng pán
“Tiger crouch dragon coil”
Commanding imposing strategic position
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hǎo hǎo xiān sheng
“Good good mister”
Person who agrees with everyone to avoid conflict
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hài qún zhī mǎ
“Harm herd's horse”
Individual whose behavior harms entire group
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guǎi wān mò jiǎo
“Turn corners wipe angles”
Speak or act in deliberately indirect manner
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gè shū jǐ jiàn
“Each express own view”
Everyone freely express their own opinions
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fù jīng qǐng zuì
“Carry thorns request punishment”
Sincerely admit fault and accept consequences
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fēi é pū huǒ
“Flying moth rushes fire”
Be irresistibly drawn toward self-destruction
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è guàn mǎn yíng
“Evil accumulated fully filled”
Accumulated evil deeds ripe for punishment
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dōng zhāng xī wàng
“East stretch west gaze”
Look around nervously or suspiciously
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diū sān là sì
“Lose three drop four”
Habitually forgetful and disorganized
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dé cùn jìn chǐ
“Gain inch advance foot”
Take advantage by demanding increasingly more
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dà gōng wú sī
“Great public no private”
Completely impartial without self-interest
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chéng rén zhī wēi
“Ride person's danger”
Exploit others during their vulnerability
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cháng huà duǎn shuō
“Long story briefly tell”
Make a long story short
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cè mù ér shì
“Side eye and look”
Look askance with suspicion or disdain
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bú zé shǒu duàn
“Not choose methods”
Use any means regardless of ethics
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bù yán ér yù
“Not speak yet understood”
Self-evident requiring no explanation
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bù xiè yī gù
“Not deign one glance”
Disdainfully dismiss as beneath consideration
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mén dāng hù duì
“Door match household align”
Match between families of similar social status
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lè yú zhù rén
“Happy to help people”
Find genuine pleasure in helping others
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dài rén rè qíng
“Treat people warmly”
Treat others with genuine warmth and enthusiasm
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xīn dì shàn liáng
“Heart ground kind good”
Fundamentally kind and virtuous character
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bàn miàn zhī jiāo
“Half-face acquaintance”
Superficial acquaintance without depth
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ài máo fǎn qiú
“Love fur turn inside-out fur coat”
Honor one's teachers or humble origins
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zì zuò cōng míng
“Self make cleverness”
Too clever for one's own good
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zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī
“Everyone completely knows”
As everyone knows or is widely recognized
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zhāo qín mù chǔ
“Morning Qin evening Chu”
Constantly shifting loyalty for personal gain
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zhǎn dīng jié tiě
“Chop nail cut iron”
Decisively and firmly without hesitation
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zǒng ér yán zhī
“Altogether and speaking it”
To sum up everything discussed
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bīng qīng yù jié
“Ice clear jade pure”
Impeccable moral character and integrity
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yè gōng hào lóng
“Lord Ye loves dragons”
Professed love hiding actual fear
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zhǐ sāng mà huái
“Point mulberry, curse locust tree”
Indirect criticism of real target
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hú li wěi ba
“Fox's tail”
True nature eventually revealed
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qīng méi zhú mǎ
“Green plums and bamboo horses”
Childhood sweethearts or friends
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xū zhāng shēng shì
“Empty show of strength”
Bluffing with fake display
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guò hé chāi qiáo
“Cross river, dismantle bridge”
Abandoning those who helped you
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dǐng lǐ mó bài
“Highest reverence and worship”
Extreme adoration or worship
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nán xiōng nán dì
“Difficult elder and younger brothers”
Companions united through shared hardship
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bù bēi bù kàng
“Neither humble nor proud”
Maintain perfect dignified composure
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gāo shān liú shuǐ
“High mountain flowing water”
Perfect artistic understanding between friends
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zuò huái bù luàn
“Sit in lap not disorderly”
Maintain perfect integrity despite temptation
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jìng yè lè qún
“Respect work enjoy community”
Balance excellence with social harmony
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kǒu shì xīn fēi
“Mouth yes heart no”
Words differ from thoughts
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yán bù yóu zhōng
“Words not from heart”
Speak without meaning it
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yī nuò qiān jīn
“One promise thousand gold”
Keep promises faithfully
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yǐn shuǐ sī yuán
“Drink water think source”
Remember your roots
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wán bì guī zhào
“Return jade to Zhao complete”
Return something perfect
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qīng gài rú gù
“Tilt hat like old friends”
Instant friendship
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xuě zhōng sòng tàn
“Send coal in snow”
Help in time of need
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shǒu zhèng bù ē
“Keep right no flattery”
Keep integrity without compromise
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zhòng zhì chéng chéng
“Many wills make wall”
Unity creates strength
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shǒu kǒu rú píng
“Guard mouth like bottle”
Keep secrets well
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yī yán jiǔ dǐng
“Words heavy as nine cauldrons”
Words carry great weight
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ài wū jí wū
“Love house and its crow”
Love extends to all connections
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shǒu wàng xiāng zhù
“Watch and help each other”
Help and support each other
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hú jiǎ hǔ wēi
“Fox uses tiger's power”
Borrow authority to intimidate
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chūn fēng huà yǔ
“Spring wind becomes rain”
Gentle, nurturing influence
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fēng yǔ tóng zhōu
“Share boat in wind and rain”
Share hardships together
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tóng zhōu gòng jì
“Cross river in same boat”
Face challenges together
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yǐ hé wéi guì
“Value harmony as precious”
Value harmony above all
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hǎi nà bǎi chuān
“Sea accepts hundred rivers”
Accept all with open mind
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yǐ xīn huàn xīn
“Exchange heart for heart”
Treat others as yourself
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yī mú yī yàng
“One mold one appearance”
Exactly identical
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