Delve into Chinese idioms about knowledge, education, and intellectual growth. These sayings honor the pursuit of wisdom and lifelong learning.
140 idioms in this category
dé xīn yìng shǒu
“Heart obtains, hand responds”
Work with great ease; have complete mastery
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jià qīng jiù shú
“Drive light vehicle, approach familiarity”
Be very familiar with; handle with expertise
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qīng chē shú lù
“Light carriage, familiar road”
Be experienced; find something easy due to familiarity
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yóu rèn yǒu yú
“Moving blade with room to spare”
Handle with ease; have skill to spare
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chéng zhú zài xiōng
“Complete bamboo in chest”
Have a well-thought-out plan; be confident
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qià rú qí fèn
“Exactly as its portion”
Perfectly appropriate; fitting exactly
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qià dào hǎo chù
“Exactly at the good place”
Just right; perfectly appropriate
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shì kě ér zhǐ
“When appropriate, then stop”
Stop at the right point; practice moderation
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jiàn hǎo jiù shōu
“See good then collect”
Quit while ahead; take profits
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jí liú yǒng tuì
“Brave retreat from rapid current”
Retire at the peak; know when to quit
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gōng chéng shēn tuì
“Merit achieved, person withdraws”
Retire after achieving success
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àn bù jiù bān
“Follow departments, go to classes”
Follow established procedures; be methodical
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yù sù bù dá
“Desire speed, not reach”
Haste makes waste; more haste less speed
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jí yú qiú chéng
“Anxious to achieve success”
Be impatient for success; rush things
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táo lǐ mǎn mén
“Peaches and plums fill the gate”
Have many successful students
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yán chuán shēn jiào
“Teach by words and personal example”
Teach by word and deed
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yǒu jiào wú lèi
“Provide education without discrimination”
Education for all without discrimination
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yīn cái shī jiào
“Teach according to ability”
Adapt teaching to student abilities
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huì rén bù juàn
“Teach others without weariness”
Teach with tireless patience
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xún xún shàn yòu
“Patiently and skillfully guide”
Guide patiently and methodically
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cóng shàn rú liú
“Follow good like flowing water”
Readily accept good advice
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wén guò zé xǐ
“Hear faults, then rejoice”
Welcome criticism; embrace feedback
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bù qiú shèn jiě
“Not seeking thorough understanding”
Content with superficial understanding
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yī mù liǎo rán
“One look completely clear”
Clear at a glance; obvious
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dà cái xiǎo yòng
“Big talent small use”
Waste talent on menial tasks
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shēn lín qí jìng
“Body arrives at that situation”
Feel as if personally present
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huò rán kāi lǎng
“Suddenly opens up bright”
Suddenly see the light; become clear
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gè yǒu suǒ cháng
“Each has their strengths”
Everyone has their own strengths
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wú suǒ bù zhī
“Nothing that is not known”
Know everything; omniscient
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shí shì qiú shì
“Seek truth from facts”
Be practical and realistic; seek truth from facts
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qià dào hǎo chù
“Just arriving at the good place”
Just right; perfectly appropriate
This idiom describes arriving (到) exactly (恰) at the good (好) point (处). It embodies the Confucian and Daoist ideal of moderation and hitting the perf...
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bié chū xīn cái
“Produce different from the heart's cutting”
Showing originality; unconventional
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yī zhēn jiàn xiě
“One needle sees blood”
Hit the nail on the head; incisive
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shēn rù qiǎn chū
“Enter deep come out shallow”
Explain profound ideas in simple terms
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xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng
“Mutually assist mutually complete”
Complement each other; mutually beneficial
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nòng qiǎo chéng zhuō
“Playing clever becomes clumsy”
Outsmart oneself; cleverness backfiring
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bǎi sī bù jiě
“Think a hundred times still not understand”
Unable to understand despite much thought
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lái lóng qù mài
“Coming dragon and going veins”
The whole story; causes and effects
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xǔ xǔ rú shēng
“Vividly as if alive”
Lifelike; vividly realistic
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bàn xìn bàn yí
“Half believing half doubting”
Skeptical; uncertain
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yuán yuǎn liú cháng
“Source distant, flow long”
Having deep roots and long history
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miào bǐ shēng huā
“Wonderful brush produces flowers”
Exceptional literary or artistic talent
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qià rú qí fèn
“Just as its portion requires”
Just right; perfectly appropriate
This idiom emphasizes doing something exactly (恰) as (如) its proper portion (其分) requires - neither more nor less. The concept of 'fen' (分) relates to...
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huà dì wéi láo
“Drawing ground as prison”
Self-imposed restrictions; limiting oneself
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nán yuán běi zhé
“Driving south while heading north”
Actions contrary to one's goals
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ěr mù yī xīn
“Ears and eyes completely renewed”
A refreshing new experience
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xún xù jiàn jìn
“Follow order and advance gradually”
Progress step by step
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huǎng rán dà wù
“Suddenly great awakening”
Sudden complete understanding after confusion
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hán dān xué bù
“Handan learn walking”
Lose abilities through misguided imitation
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guī gēn dào dǐ
“Return root reach bottom”
Fundamentally or in the final analysis
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guā tián lǐ xià
“Melon field plum under”
Avoid situations that invite suspicion
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dé bù cháng shī
“Gain not compensate loss”
Gains not worth the cost or sacrifice
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dào tīng tú shuō
“Road hear path say”
Unreliable information from casual hearsay
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chǔ cái jìn yòng
“Chu talent Jin use”
Recruit talent from rival organization
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chéng mén lì xuě
“Cheng door stand snow”
Show profound respect and patience seeking wisdom
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chén yú luò yàn
“Sink fish fall geese”
Beauty so stunning it affects natural world
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bù xiāng shàng xià
“Not mutually up down”
Evenly matched with neither superior
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bù kě sī yì
“Cannot be thought discussed”
Beyond comprehension or explanation
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bù kě jiù yào
“Cannot be saved by medicine”
Beyond hope of redemption or reform
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bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng
“Catch wind grasp shadow”
Make accusations without solid evidence
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háo wú yí wèn
“Not slightest doubt”
Absolutely certain without any doubt
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shí yǒu bā jiǔ
“Ten has eight nine”
Very high probability at about 80-90 percent
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bàn jīn bā liǎng
“Half catty eight taels”
Essentially the same despite appearances
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mǎ mǎ hǔ hǔ
“Horse horse tiger tiger”
Just so-so or passable quality
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qǔ gāo hè guǎ
“Tune high harmony few”
Sophisticated work appreciated by few
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máng rén mō xiàng
“Blind person touches elephant”
Mistaking partial knowledge for complete wisdom
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páo dīng jiě niú
“Chef Ding butchers ox”
Effortless skill through perfect practice
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chéng qián qǐ hòu
“Receive past, initiate future”
Linking tradition with innovation
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ěr rú mù rǎn
“Ears soaked, eyes dyed”
Learning unconsciously through constant exposure
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dōng shī xiào pín
“Dongshi imitates Xishi's frown”
Failed imitation lacking understanding
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bān mén nòng fǔ
“Show carpentry to Lu Ban”
Showing amateur skills to masters
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jiǎo tù sān kū
“Clever rabbit has three burrows”
Always have backup plans
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jǐng dǐ zhī wā
“Frog at well bottom”
Narrow-minded from limited experience
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yǎn ěr dào líng
“Cover ears while stealing bell”
Self-deception through ignoring reality
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bì mén zào chē
“Build cart behind closed doors”
Creating without practical feedback
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yà miáo zhù zhǎng
“Pull seedlings to help growth”
Harmful interference ruins growth
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guò yóu bù jí
“Excess equals deficiency”
Moderation in all things
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mǎi dú huán zhū
“Buy case, return pearl”
Valuing packaging over content
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kè zhōu qiú jiàn
“Mark boat to find sword”
Using outdated methods foolishly
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yǎn gāo shǒu dī
“Eyes high hands low”
Standards exceed abilities
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gé xuē sāo yǎng
“Scratch itch through boot”
Ineffective indirect solution
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guā mù xiāng kàn
“Scrape eyes look anew”
Reassess someone who has improved
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rù mù sān fēn
“Enter wood three tenths”
Profoundly penetrating insight
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běn mò dào zhì
“Root branch reversed position”
Prioritize minor over fundamental matters
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duì niú tán qín
“Play zither to cow”
Present to wrong audience
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zuò jǐng guān tiān
“Sit in well view sky”
Judge with limited perspective
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hú lún tūn zǎo
“Swallow dates whole”
Accept without proper understanding
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bá miáo zhù zhǎng
“Pull seedlings help growth”
Ruin through impatient intervention
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guǎn kuī lí cè
“Tube view gourd measure”
Limited perspective on vast subject
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yì qǔ tóng gōng
“Different tune same effect”
Different methods, equally good results
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jiān shōu bìng xù
“Gather all store together”
Embrace diverse ideas inclusively
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biān pì rù lǐ
“Whip strikes into core”
Penetrating deeply to the essence
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dòng ruò guān huǒ
“Clear as watching fire”
Understand with absolute clarity
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fáng wēi dù jiàn
“Prevent small stop gradual”
Stop problems before they grow
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qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn
“Take strengths fix weaknesses”
Combine strengths to overcome weaknesses
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zì xiāng máo dùn
“Spear shield contradict self”
Contradict oneself
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rú shǔ jiā zhēn
“Count like family treasures”
Know something thoroughly
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wáng yáng bǔ láo
“Fix pen after lost sheep”
Never too late to fix
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jiàn xián sī qí
“See worthy wish equal”
Learn from the worthy
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diào yǐ qīng xīn
“Drop heart light”
Lower one's guard
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lǎo mǎ shí tú
“Old horse knows way”
Experience brings wisdom
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sān rén chéng hǔ
“Three people make tiger real”
Repeated lie becomes truth
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yí zūn jiù jiào
“Move wine jar seek teaching”
Humbly seek guidance
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zhǐ shàng tán bīng
“Discuss war on paper”
All theory no practice
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kāi mén jiàn shān
“Open door see mountain”
Get straight to point
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xuán yá lè mǎ
“Pull horse at cliff edge”
Stop before too late
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sān xǐng wú shēn
“Examine self three times”
Self-reflect daily
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shēn móu yuǎn lǜ
“Deep plan far thought”
Plan far ahead
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míng jìng zhǐ shuǐ
“Clear mirror still water”
Clear and calm mind
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hàn niú chōng dòng
“Sweat ox fill house”
Vast amount of knowledge
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yī yè zhī qiū
“One leaf know autumn”
Small signs show big picture
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tiān wài yǒu tiān
“Skies beyond skies”
Always someone better
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sì mǎ nán zhuī
“Four horses can't catch”
Cannot undo what's done
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xū huái ruò gǔ
“Empty heart like valley”
Stay humble and open
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míng chá qiū háo
“See autumn down clear”
Perceive tiny details
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tuī chén chū xīn
“Push old produce new”
Create new from old
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huà shé tiān zú
“Draw snake add feet”
Ruin by adding extras
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chá yán guān sè
“Watch words observe face”
Read between lines
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shùn téng mō guā
“Follow vine find melon”
Follow clues to solution
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yī yè zhàng mù
“Leaf blocks eye”
Miss big picture
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bào xīn jiù huǒ
“Carry wood save fire”
Make situation worse
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pī shā jiǎn jīn
“Sift sand pick gold”
Find value among worthless
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náng yíng yìng xuě
“Firefly in bag snow reflection”
Study despite hardship
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míng qiāng yì duǒ
“Bright spear easy dodge”
Open threats easier than hidden
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jīn shí liáng yán
“Gold and stone good words”
Valuable, lasting advice
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zhuī běn sù yuán
“Chase root trace source”
Trace back to source
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jí sī guǎng yì
“Gather thoughts wide benefit”
Gather wisdom from many
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jiàn wēi zhī zhù
“See small know large”
Foresee big from small signs
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mò míng qí miào
“Cannot name its wonder”
Makes no sense
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sān sī ér xíng
“Think three times then act”
Think thrice before acting
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yī shí èr niǎo
“One stone two birds”
Two goals with one action
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rù xiāng suí sú
“Enter village follow customs”
Follow local customs
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pāo zhuān yǐn yù
“Throw brick attract jade”
Offer modest view to inspire better
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dú wàn juǎn shū
“Read ten thousand scrolls”
Read extensively for knowledge
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huà lóng diǎn jīng
“Dot dragon's eyes”
Add crucial finishing touch
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wēn gù zhī xīn
“Review old know new”
Learn new through studying old
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jǔ yī fǎn sān
“Raise one reflect three”
Learn many from one example
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zhī xíng hé yī
“Knowledge and action unite as one”
Practice what you know
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xué hǎi wú yá
“Ocean of learning has no shores”
Learning is limitless
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róng huì guàn tōng
“Merge and flow through completely”
Master something completely
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