yī
one
1
single
a (article)
as soon as
entire
whole
all
throughout
"one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1)
also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit
yī bān
same
ordinary
so-so
common
general
generally
in general
yī dìng
surely
certainly
necessarily
fixed
a certain (extent etc)
given
particular
must
yī xià
(used after a verb) give it a go
to do (sth for a bit to give it a try)
one time
once
in a while
all of a sudden
all at once
yī cì
first
first time
once
(math.) linear (of degree one)
yī zhí
straight (in a straight line)
continuously
always
from the beginning of ... up to ...
all along
yī yàng
same
like
equal to
the same as
just like
yī qǐ
in the same place
together
with
altogether (in total)
yī dù
for a time
at one time
one time
once
jìn yī bù
one step further
to move forward a step
further onwards
zhī yī
one of (sth)
one out of a multitude
one (third, quarter, percent etc)
shí · yī
first of October
PRC National day
same as 國慶|国庆[gúo qìng]
dì yī cì
the first time
first
number one
yī diǎn
a bit
a little
one dot
one point
yī jiā
the whole family
the same family
the family ... (when preceded by a family name)
group
yī yuè
January
first month (of the lunar year)
bù yī yàng
different
distinctive
unlike
yī gè rén
by oneself (without assistance)
alone (without company)
yī lún
first round or stage (of a match, election, talks, planned policy etc)
yī zhì
unanimous
identical (views or opinions)
yī shēng
all one's life
throughout one's life
yī yī
one by one
one after another
yī yán
one sentence
brief remark
yī huì
a moment
a while
in a moment
also pr. [yi1 hui3]
lìng yī fāng miàn
on the other hand
another aspect
yī hào
first day of the month
toilet
(slang) giver (in a homosexual relationship)
tǒng yī
to unify
to unite
to integrate
yī tào
suit
a set
a collection
of the same kind
the same old stuff
set pattern of behavior
yī dàn
in case (sth happens)
if
once (sth happens, then...)
when
in a short time
in one day
shí yī yuè
November
eleventh month (of the lunar year)
yī tǐ
an integral whole
all concerned
everybody
yī zhōu
one week
all the way around
a whole cycle
yī jù
a line of verse
a sentence
yī fāng
a party (in a contract or legal case)
one side
area
region
yī lǜ
same
uniformly
all
without exception
yī shùn
one instant
very short time
the twinkle of an eye
yī liú
top quality
front ranking
yī miàn
one side
one aspect
simultaneously... (and...)
one's whole face
yī lù
the whole journey
all the way
going the same way
going in the same direction
of the same kind
yī kuài
one block
one piece
one (unit of money)
together
in the same place
in company
yī sī bù gǒu
not one thread loose (idiom); strictly according to the rules
meticulous
not one hair out of place
yī xí zhī dì
(acknowledged) place
a role to play
niche
dú shù yī zhì
lit. to fly one's banner on a solitary tree (idiom); fig. to act as a loner
to stand out
to develop one's own school
to have attitude of one's own
yī dāo qiē
lit. to cut all at one stroke (idiom); to impose uniformity
one solution fits a diversity of problems
one size fits all
shǒu qū yī zhǐ
to count as number one (idiom); second to none
outstanding
wàn yī
just in case
if by any chance
contingency
yī bān
lit. one spot (on the leopard)
fig. one small item in a big scheme
yī mù liǎo rán
obvious at a glance (idiom)
yī mù liǎo rán
obvious at a glance (idiom)
bié jù yī gé
having a unique or distinctive style
yī chéng bù biàn
nothing much changes (idiom); always the same
stuck in a rut
yī gài
all
without any exceptions
categorically
wéi yī
only
sole
variant of 唯一[wei2 yi1]
qiān piān yī lǜ
thousand articles, same rule (idiom); stereotyped and repetitive
once you've seen one, you've seen them all
yī bǎ shǒu
working hand
member of a work team
participant
yī shì tóng rén
to treat everyone equally favorably (idiom); not to discriminate between people
jǔ yī fǎn sān
to raise one and infer three
to deduce many things from one case (idiom)
yī zhēn jiàn xiě
lit. to draw blood on the first prick (idiom)
fig. to hit the nail on the head
rú chū yī zhé
to be precisely the same
to be no different
yī jǔ liǎng dé
one move, two gains (idiom); two birds with one stone
yī lǎn zi
all-inclusive
undiscriminating
wàn wú yī shī
surefire; absolutely safe (idiom)
yī mài xiāng chéng
traceable to the same stock (idiom); of a common origin (of trends, ideas etc)
yī guàn
consistent
constant
from start to finish
all along
persistent
yī xīn
wholeheartedly
heart and soul
yǒu zhāo yī rì
one day
sometime in the future
tán huā yī xiàn
lit. the night blooming cactus shows once
flash in the pan (idiom)
short-lived
huàn rán yī xīn
to look completely new (idiom); brand new
changed beyond recognition
yī cù ér jiù
to get there in one step (idiom); easily done
success at a stroke
to get results overnight
yī rú jì wǎng
just as in the past (idiom); as before
continuing as always
yī jǔ
a move
an action
in one move
at a stroke
in one go
yī shí
a period of time
a while
for a short while
temporary
momentary
at the same time
qīng yī sè
monotone
only one ingredient
(mahjong) all in the same suit
yī lián chuàn
a succession of
a series of
shǔ yī shǔ èr
reckoned to be first or second best (idiom)
one of the very best
to list one by one
yī míng jīng rén
to amaze the world with a single brilliant feat (idiom); an overnight celebrity
yī bō sān zhé
calligraphic flourish with many twists
fig. many twists and turns
yī lián
in a row
in succession
running
yī sī bù guà
not wearing one thread (idiom); absolutely naked
without a stitch of clothing
in one's birthday suit
yī shēn
whole body
from head to toe
single person
a suit of clothes
yī xiàng
always (previously)
a period of time in the recent past
yī wàng wú jì
as far as the eye can see (idiom)
yī wǎng dǎ jìn
to catch everything in one net (idiom); to eliminate at one stroke
to solve the problem at one fell swoop
yī zú
social group
subculture
family
clan
see also 族[zu2]
yī fān fēng shùn
propitious wind throughout the journey (idiom)
plain sailing
to go smoothly
have a nice trip!
yáo shēn yī biàn
to change shape in a single shake
fig. to take on a new lease of life
yī qí
at the same time
simultaneously
yī shēng
first tone in Mandarin (high level tone)
yī yǎn
a glance
a quick look
a glimpse
yī tā hú tu
muddled and completely collapsing (idiom); in an awful condition
complete shambles
a total mess
dú yī wú èr
unique and unmatched (idiom); unrivalled
nothing compares with it
yī mú yī yàng
exactly the same (idiom)
carbon copy
also pr. [yi1 mo2 yi1 yang4]
yī cì xìng
one-off (offer)
one-time
single-use
disposable (goods)
yī wú suǒ yǒu
not having anything at all (idiom); utterly lacking
without two sticks to rub together
yī biàn
one time (all the way through)
once through
yī huǎng
(of passing time) in an instant
(of a sight) in a flash
yī xīn yī yì
concentrating one's thoughts and efforts
single-minded
bent on
intently
yī shǒu
a skill
mastery of a trade
by oneself
without outside help
yī bǎ zhuā
to attempt all tasks at once
to manage every detail regardless of its importance
yī chù jí fā
could happen at any moment
on the verge
yī zhī bàn jiě
lit. to know one and understand half (idiom); a smattering of knowledge
dilettante
amateur
yī biān
one side
either side
on the one hand
on the other hand
doing while
dà chī yī jīng
to have a surprise (idiom); shocked or startled
gobsmacked
yī jiàn zhōng qíng
love at first sight (idiom)
yī xiāng qíng yuàn
one's own wishful thinking
yī běn zhèng jīng
in deadly earnest
deadpan
yī shì
generation
period of 30 years
one's whole lifetime
lifelong
age
era
times
the whole world
the First (of numbered European kings)
yī jì zhī cháng
proficiency in a particular field (idiom)
skill in a specialized area (idiom)
yī tóu
one head
a head full of sth
one end (of a stick)
one side
headlong
directly
rapidly
simultaneously
chū yī
first day of lunar month
New Year's Day
first year in junior middle school
yī zhèn
a burst
a fit
a peal
a spell (period of time)
yī yuán
single variable (math.)
univariate
yī yì
focus
with complete devotion
stubbornly
yī huì r
a moment
a while
in a moment
now...now...
also pr. [yi1 hui3 r5]
yī kǒu
readily
flatly (deny, admit and so on)
a mouthful
a bite
yī wú shì chù
not one good point
everything about it is wrong
yī kǒu qì
one breath
in one breath
at a stretch
yī xià zi
in a short while
all at once
all of a sudden
yī zhèn zi
a while
a spell
a short time
a burst
yī yì gū xíng
obstinately clinging to one's course (idiom)
willful
one's own way
dogmatic
yī xí huà
the content of a conversation
words
remarks
yī guó liǎng zhì
one country, two systems (PRC proposal regarding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan)
hùn wéi yī tán
to confuse one thing with another (idiom); to muddle
yī gài ér lùn
to lump different matters together (idiom)
yī jué bù zhèn
one stumble, unable to rise (idiom); a setback leading to total collapse
ruined at a stroke
unable to recover after a minor hitch
qiān jūn yī fā
a thousand pounds hangs by a thread (idiom); imminent peril
a matter of life or death
dǎ chéng yī piàn
to merge
to integrate
to become as one
to unify together
dì yī lún
first round (of match, or election)
lǎo yī bèi
previous generation
older generation
bù gù yī qiè
reckless
regardless of everything
yī lèi
same type
category 1 (i.e. class A)
yī tiáo lóng
lit. one dragon
integrated chain
coordinated process
èr shí yī tiáo
the Japanese Twenty-one demands of 1925
dì yī rén chēng
first person (in writing)
róng wéi yī tǐ
to fuse together (idiom)
hypostatic union (religion)
shǐ zhōng rú yī
unswerving from start to finish (idiom)
huān jù yī táng
to gather happily under one roof
zhè yàng yī lái
thus
if this happens then
xià yī tiào
startled
to frighten
scared out of one's skin
yī qīng èr chǔ
to be very clear about sth (idiom)
yī tóu wù shuǐ
to be confused
to be baffled
yī diǎn r
erhua variant of 一點|一点[yi1 dian3]
bù xiè yī gù
to disdain as beneath contempt (idiom)
gào yī duàn luò
to come to the end of a phase (idiom)
yī wú suǒ zhī
not knowing anything at all (idiom); completely ignorant
without an inkling
yī gè jìn
continuously
persistently
incessantly
liù yī Ér tóng Jié
Children's Day (June 1st), PRC national holiday for children under 14
yī bìng
variant of 一併|一并, to lump together
to treat along with all the others
yī bìng
to lump together
to treat along with all the others
tǒng yī sī xiǎng
with the same idea in mind
with a common purpose
yī kuài r
erhua variant of 一塊|一块[yi1 kuai4]
yī pāi jí hé
lit. to be together from the first beat (idiom)
to hit it off
to click together
to chime in easily
yī diǎn yī diǎn
little by little
bit by bit
gradually
bù kān yī jī
to be unable to withstand a single blow
to collapse at the first blow
yī yán yī xíng
every word and action (idiom)
zhuān yī
single-minded
concentrated
yī xiǎo bù fèn
a small part
a small section
yī yī duì yìng
one-to-one correspondence
gāng yī
to be just about to
to have just started to
yī bān shuō lái
generally speaking
in general
Yī qiān líng yī yè
The Book of One Thousand and One Nights
yī tǐ huà
integration
incorporation
unification
yòu yī cì
yet again
once again
once more
lìng yī bàn
other half
fig. spouse
one's better half
dì yī jì dù
first quarter (of financial year)
yī tiān dào wǎn
all day long
the whole day
tiān rén hé yī
oneness of heaven and humanity
the theory that man is an integral part of nature
yī dà zǎo
at dawn
at first light
first thing in the morning
yī bēi gēng
lit. a cup of soup
fig. to get part of the profits
one's share of the action
dì yī fū rén
First Lady (wife of US president)
yī ge jiē yī ge
one by one
one after another
bù zhǐ yī cì
many times
on more than one occasion
dì yī shēng
first tone in Mandarin
high level tone
yī fēn qián yī fēn huò
nothing for nothing
you get what you pay for
yī zhí yǐ lái
in the past always
for a long time now
until now
yī qiào bù tōng
lit. doesn't (even) enter a single aperture (of one's head)
I don't understand a word (idiom)
it's all Greek to me
yī bān xìng
general
in general terms
generalized
yī yán bù fā
to not say a word (idiom)
qí yī
one of the given (options etc)
the first
firstly
líng jī yī dòng
a bright idea suddenly occurs (idiom); to hit upon an inspiration
to be struck by a brainwave
yī ge yàng
same as 一樣|一样[yi1 yang4]
the same
dì yī tǒng jīn
the first pot of gold
the initial profits from an economic endeavour
yī fēn wéi èr
one divides into two
to be two-sided
there are two sides to everything
to see both sb's good points and shortcomings (idiom)
yī cì yòu yī cì
repeatedly
over and over again
yī shēng yī shì
a whole lifetime (idiom); all my life
bù kě yī shì
to consider oneself unexcelled in the world
to be insufferably arrogant
děng yī xià
to wait a moment
later
in awhile
yī nián qī
one year period (in a contract or budget)
Yī kǎ tōng
Yikatong (Beijing public transport smart card)
qián yī tiān
the day before (an event)
dà yī
first-year university student
bǐ yi bǐ
to make a comparison
to engage in a contest
yī gēng
first of the five night watch periods 19:00-21:00 (old)
yī bù yī gè jiǎo yìn
one step, one footprint (idiom); steady progress
reliable
shì jiè dì yī
ranked number one in the world
the world's first
nián fù yī nián
over the years
year after year
xià yī zhàn
the next stop (of a bus etc)
tiān xià dì yī
first under heaven
number one in the country
yī chóu mò zhǎn
to be unable to find a solution
to be at wits' end
wàn zhòng yī xīn
millions of people all of one mind (idiom); the people united
yī jiā rén
household
the whole family
bù yī ér zú
by no means an isolated case
numerous
hōng dòng yī shí
to cause a sensation (idiom)
yī chǎng kōng
all one's hopes and efforts come to nothing
futile
yī tǔ wéi kuài
to get sth off one's chest
dì yī chǎn yè
primary sector of industry
fēng mǐ yī shí
fashionable for a while (idiom); all the rage
yǐ fáng wàn yī
to guard against the unexpected (idiom); just in case
prepared for any eventualities
zhěng qí huà yī
to be adjusted to uniformity (usually of weights and measures) (idiom)
yī fáng yī tīng
one bedroom and one living room
yī gān èr jìng
thoroughly (idiom)
completely
one and all
very clean
yī qiè jiù xù
everything in its place and ready (idiom)
yī pǐn hóng
poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
rèn yī ge
any one of (a list of possibilities)
yī lù shùn fēng
to have a pleasant journey (idiom)
kōng wú yī rén
not a soul in sight (idiom)
děng yī huì
Wait a moment!
after a while
yī tuán zāo
chaos
bungle
complete mess
shambles
yī zhì qiān jīn
lit. stake a thousand pieces of gold on one throw (idiom); to throw away money recklessly
extravagant
yī chén bù rǎn
untainted by even a speck of dust (idiom); selfless and incorruptible
spotless
gōng kuī yī kuì
lit. to ruin the enterprise for the sake of one basketful
to fail through lack of a final effort
to spoil the ship for a ha'penny worth of tar (idiom)
yī shí bàn huì
a short time
a little while
jiǔ sǐ yī shēng
nine deaths and still alive (idiom); a narrow escape
new lease of life
yī wén bù zhí
worthless (idiom)
no use whatsoever
yī wō fēng
like a swarm of bees
everyone swarms around pushing and shouting
a hornet's nest
gè zhí yī cí
each sticks to his own version (idiom); a dialogue of the deaf
Wén Yī duō
Wen Yiduo (1899-1946), poet and patriotic fighter, executed by Guomindang in Kunming
yī bài tú dì
failed and wiped over the floor (idiom); to fail utterly
a crushing defeat
beaten and in a hopeless position
xiǎo cài yī dié
a small appetizer
a piece of cake; very easy (idiom)
bèi shuǐ yī zhàn
lit. fight with one's back to the river (idiom); fig. to fight to win or die
yī jiàn shuāng diāo
lit. one arrow, two golden eagles (idiom)
to kill two birds with one stone
dì yī lì
first case
first instance
first time (sth is done)
bǎi lǐ tiāo yī
one in a hundred
cream of the crop
yī wǔ yī shí
lit. count by fives and tens (idiom); to narrate systematically and in full detail
yī zhǐ kōng wén
a worthless piece of paper (idiom)
tóu yī huí
the first time
for the first time
yī nuò qiān jīn
a promise worth one thousand in gold (idiom); a promise that must be kept
dà yī tǒng
unification (of the nation)
large scale unification
gū zhù yī zhì
to stake all on one throw
yī sī yī háo
one thread, one hair (idiom); a tiny bit
an iota
dú dāng yī miàn
to assume personal responsibility (idiom); to take charge of a section
duō cǐ yī jǔ
to do more than is required (idiom); superfluous
gilding the lily
yī bān mào yì
general trade (i.e. importing and export without processing)
lüè zhī yī èr
slight knowledge of sth
to know very little about a subject
a smattering
wǎng kāi yī miàn
open the net on one side (idiom); let the caged bird fly
to give one's opponent a way out
lenient treatment
jiǔ yī bā shì biàn
the Mukden or Manchurian railway incident of 18th September 1931 used by the Japanese as a pretext to annex Manchuria
also known as Liutiaogou incident 柳條溝事變|柳条沟事变
zhēng yuè chū yī
New Year's Day in the lunar calendar
yī jiào gāo xià
to compete against
to measure oneself against
to go head to head (see who is best)
mò zhōng yī shì
unable to reach a decision (idiom); cannot agree on the right choice
no unanimous decision
still a matter of discussion
yī kǒu yǎo dìng
to arbitrarily assert
to allege
to stick to one's statement
to cling to one's view
yī běn wàn lì
small capital, huge profit (idiom); to put in a little and get a lot out
yī fū yī qī
lit. one husband one wife
monogamy
yī fǎn cháng tài
complete change from the normal state (idiom); quite uncharacteristic
entirely outside the norm
out of character
yī mén xīn si
to set one's heart on sth (idiom)
yī gè jìn r
erhua variant of 一個勁|一个劲[yi1 ge4 jin4]
yī jiǔ sì jiǔ
1949
year of the communist victory in China, the foundation of the PRC and of ROC in Taiwan
yán xíng yī zhì
word and actions coincide (idiom); to live up to one's word
to match words with deeds
Practice what you preach.
yī yán yǐ bì zhī
one word says it all (idiom, from Analects); to cut a long story short
in a nutshell
yī bù dēng tiān
reaching heaven in a single bound (idiom); (esp. with negative: don't expect) instant success
yī cuò zài cuò
to repeat errors
to continue blundering
to make continuous mistakes
yī yōng ér shàng
to swarm around
flocking (to see)
yī rì qiān lǐ
lit. one day, a thousand miles (idiom); rapid progress
yī jiàn rú gù
familiarity at first sight
yī zǒu liǎo zhī
to avoid a problem by walking away from it
to quit
hé ér wéi yī
to merge together (idiom); to unify disparate elements into one whole
děng yī huì r
erhua variant of 等一會|等一会[deng3 yi1 hui4]
biǎo lǐ rú yī
external appearance and inner thoughts coincide (idiom); to say what one means
to think and act as one
yī liù yān
like a wisp of smoke
(to disappear etc) in an instant
yī yán nán jìn
hard to explain in a few words (idiom); complicated and not easy to express succinctly
yī lù píng ān
to have a pleasant journey
Bon voyage!
ǒu yī
accidentally
once in a while
very occasionally
yī wèn sān bù zhī
lit. to reply "don't know" whatever the question (idiom)
fig. absolutely no idea of what's going on
complete ignorance
shuǐ tiān yī sè
water and sky merge in one color (idiom)
kē xué jì shù shì dì yī shēng chǎn lì
Science and technology is the number one productive force (from 1978 speech by Deng Xiaoping 鄧小平|邓小平 introducing the Four Modernizations 四個現代化|四个现代化).
lüè shèng yī chóu
slightly better
a cut above
yī gēn jīn
stubborn
inflexible
one-track minded
yī miàn dǎo
to be entirely on one side
one-sided
lopsided
partisan
overwhelmingly on one side
yī pán sǎn shā
lit. like a sheet of loose sand
fig. unable to cooperate (idiom)
tǒng yī zhāo shēng
national unified entrance exam
kōng jūn yī hào
Air Force One, US presidential jet
lòu yī shǒu
to show off one's abilities
to exhibit one's skills
yī niàn zhī chā
momentary slip
false step
ill-considered action
yī mǎ píng chuān
flat land one could gallop straight across (idiom); wide expanse of flat country
yī sǎo ér kōng
to sweep clean
to clean out
yī yǎn wàng qù
as far as the eye can see
yī tiáo xīn
to be of one mind
to think or act alike
dì yī guó jì
First international, organized by Karl Marx in Geneva in 1866
qiān yī fà ér dòng quán shēn
lit. pull one hair and the whole body moves
fig. a slight change will affect everything else
the butterfly effect
bù guǎn sān qī èr shí yī
regardless of the consequences
recklessly relying on a hopelessly optimistic forecast
cóng yī ér zhōng
faithful unto death (i.e. Confucian ban on widow remarrying)
pǔ tōng gāo děng xué xiào zhāo shēng quán guó tǒng yī kǎo shì
China's national college entrance examination
usually abbreviated to 高考[gāo kǎo]
liú yī shǒu
to hold back a trick
not to divulge all one's trade secrets
yī yán jiǔ dǐng
one word worth nine sacred tripods (idiom); words of enormous weight
shèng jí yī shí
all the rage for a time
grand fashion for a limited time
míng zào yī shí
to achieve fame among one's contemporaries (idiom); temporary or local celebrity
Bó Yī bō
Bo Yibo (1908-2007), ranking PRC politician, served on State Council from 1950s to 1980s as colleague of Deng Xiaoping
bǎi fēn zhī yī bǎi
one hundred percent
totally (effective)
fù zhī yī jù
to put to the torch (idiom)
to commit to the flames
to burn sth down deliberately
yī bān jiàn shi
to lower oneself to sb's level
to argue with sb less well-informed
yī lù lái
all the way
all along
since the start
jǐ jǐ yī táng
to congregate in one hall (idiom); to gather under one roof
biǎo lǐ bù yī
outside appearance and inner reality differ (idiom); not what it seems
saying one thing but meaning sth different
Guó jiā yī jí bǎo hù
Grade One State protected (species)
bīng dòng sān chǐ , fēi yī rì zhī hán
three feet of ice does not form in a single day (idiom); Rome wasn't built in a day
yī lái èr qù
gradually
little by little
in the course of time
jiǔ niú yī máo
lit. one hair from nine oxen (idiom)
fig. a drop in the ocean
yī xiào liǎo zhī
to laugh away (instead of taking seriously)
yī jiǔ sì jiǔ nián
1949
year of the communist victory in China, the foundation of the PRC and of ROC in Taiwan
mù kōng yī qiè
the eye can see nothing worthwhile all around (idiom); arrogant
condescending
supercilious
yī chuán shí , shí chuán bǎi
news pass quickly from mouth to mouth (idiom)
an infectious disease spreads quickly (old meaning)
yī yuè ér qǐ
to jump up suddenly
to bound up
to rise up in one bound
yī shén jiào
monotheism (belief in a single God)
bǎo cān yī dùn
to eat one's fill
to be full
yī bǎn yī yǎn
lit. one strong beat and one weak beats in a measure of music (two beats in the bar) (idiom); fig. follow a prescribed pattern to the letter
scrupulous attention to detail
chī yī qiàn , cháng yī zhì
Fall into the moat and you'll be wiser next time (idiom). One only learns from one's mistakes.
bǎi wén bù rú yī jiàn
seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times (idiom); seeing for oneself is better than hearing from many others
seeing is believing
sōng yī kǒu qì
to heave a sigh of relief
shí jiàn shì jiǎn yàn zhēn lǐ de wéi yī biāo zhǔn
Actual practice is the sole criterion for judging truth (item from Deng Xiaoping theory, from 1978)
tóng yī gè shì jiè , tóng yī gè mèng xiǎng
One world - one dream, motto of 2008 Beijing Olympic games
yī mìng wū hū
to die (idiom)
to breathe one's last
to give up the ghost
yī dāo liǎng duàn
lit. two segments with a single cut (idiom)
fig. to make a clean break (idiom)
bái pǎo yī tàng
to go on an errand for nothing
to go on a wild-goose chase
Xīn pǔ sēn yī jiā
The Simpsons (US TV series)
jié rán yī shēn
to be all alone in the world
yī bù zuò ,5 èr bù xiū
don't do it, or don't rest (idiom); either give up, or go through to the end
Since we started, we must carry it through whatever happens.
in for a penny, in for a pound
yī shí bàn huì r
a short time
a little while
shuō yī bù èr
to say one and mean just that (idiom); to keep one's word
yī shī zú chéng qiān gǔ hèn
a single slip may cause everlasting sorrow (idiom)
xīn yǒu líng xī yī diǎn tōng
hearts linked as one, just as the proverbial rhinoceros communicates emotion telepathically through his single horn (idiom); fig. two hearts beat as one
yī tán sǐ shuǐ
a pool of stagnant water
stagnant or listless condition
jìng yī jìng
to put sth to rest
calm down a bit!
dào gāo yī chǐ , mó gāo yī zhàng
virtue is one foot tall, the devil ten foot (idiom); It takes constant vigilance to stave off evil.
yī jué cí xióng
to have a show-down
to fight for mastery
to compete for a championship
yī wàng wú yín
to stretch as far as the eye can see (idiom)
lāo yī bǎ
to profiteer
to gain some underhand advantage
fēng xíng yī shí
to be popular for a while
to be all the rage for a time
shā yī jǐng bǎi
lit. kill one to warn a hundred (idiom); to punish an individual as an example to others
pour encourager les autres
yī yǎn kàn chuān
to see through something at first glance (idiom)
yī yǔ shuāng guān
to make a pun
to have a double meaning
double entendre
zhèng jiào hé yī
union of religious and political rule
theocracy
Caesaropapism
suō chéng yī tuán
to huddle together
to curl up
yī bǐ gōu xiāo
to write off at one stroke
Nán kē yī mèng
lit. a dream of Nanke
fig. dreams of grandeur
yī chàng yī hè
to echo one another (idiom)
sì yī èr
12th April
refers to Chiang Kai-shek's coup of 12th April 1927 against the communists in Shanghai
zhòng kǒu yī cí
all of one voice
unanimous
yī shǒu jiāo qián , yī shǒu jiāo huò
lit. one hand exchanges the cash, the other the goods (common saying); to pay for what you want in cash
fig. simple and direct transaction
sān ge nǚ rén yī tái xì
three women are enough for a drama (idiom)
tǒng yī kǒu jìng
lit. one-track path; fig. to adopt a unified approach to discussing an issue
to sing from the same hymn-sheet
yī jìng
directly
straightaway
straight
yī pāi liǎng sàn
(of marriage or business partners) to break up (idiom)
to separate
dì yī xiàng xiàn
first quadrant (of the coordinate plane, where both x and y are positive)
hùn yī
to amalgamate
to mix together as one
yī jǔ chéng gōng
success at one go
to succeed at the first attempt
yī zì qiān jīn
one word worth a thousand in gold (idiom)
(in praise of a piece of writing or calligraphy) each character is perfect
each word is highly valued
Xiǎo quán · Chún yī láng
KOIZUMI Jun'ichirō (1942-), Japanese LDP politician, prime minister 2001-2006
zhú lán dǎ shuǐ , yī chǎng kōng
using a wicker basket to draw water (idiom); wasted effort
yī yán wéi dìng
one word and it's settled (idiom); It's a deal!
That's settled then.
měng yī kàn
at first glance
first impression
yī dài ér guò
to skate around
to skip over
to skimp
yī hōng ér sàn
to disperse in confusion (idiom)
yī fū dāng guān , wàn fū mò kāi
If one man holds the pass, ten thousand cannot pass (idiom); One man can hold the pass against ten thousand enemies
yī hòng ér sàn
see 一哄而散[yi1 hong1 er2 san4]
bù dàng yī huí shì
not regard as a matter (of any importance)
yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn
lit. An interval of time is worth an ounce of gold. (idiom)
fig. free time is to be treasured
yī bō wèi píng , yī bō yòu qǐ
before the first wave subsides, a new wave rises (idiom); a new problem arises before the old is solved
many twists and turns to a story
one thing after another
yī yǔ bù fā
to not say a word (idiom)
zhèn bì yī hū
to issue a call for action
to raise one's hand and issue a rousing call (idiom)
yī qiū zhī hé
jackals of the same tribe (idiom); fig. They are all just as bad as each other.
yī qián bù zhí
not worth a penny
utterly worthless
yī xiāng qíng yuàn
one's own wishful thinking
hàng xiè yī qì
to act in collusion (idiom); in cahoots with
villains will look after one another
fǎn yǎo yī kǒu
to make a false countercharge
bì qí gōng yú yī yì
accomplish the whole task at one stroke
dào dǎ yī pá
lit. to strike with a muck-rake (idiom), 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)
yī gè luó bo yī gè kēng
lit. every turnip to its hole (idiom)
fig. each person has his own position
each to his own
horses for courses
every kettle has its lid
yī shí bàn kè
a short time
a little while
yī yuán lùn
monism, belief that the universe is made of a single substance
méi mao hú zi yī bǎ zhuā
careless
any-old-how, regardless of the specific task
dú bà yī fāng
to exercise sole hegemony (idiom); to dominate a whole area (market, resources etc)
to hold as one's personal fiefdom
huā lā yī shēng
with a crash
with a thunderous noise
yī rén dé dào , jī quǎn shēng tiān
lit. when a man achieves the Dao, his poultry and dogs rise to Heaven (idiom)
fig. to ride on sb else's success
Once one man gets a government position, all his cronies get in too
Once sb has cracked the problem, every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it
bié shù yī zhì
lit. to fly one's banner on a solitary tree (idiom); fig. to act as a loner
to stand out
to develop one's own school
to have attitude of one's own
xīn kǒu bù yī
heart and mouth at variance (idiom); keeping one's real intentions to oneself
saying one thing but meaning sth different
yǒu yī jù méi yī jù
to speak one minute and be quiet the next
chà yī diǎn r
erhua variant of 差一點|差一点[cha4 yi1 dian3]
bā yī wǔ
15th August
refers to Japanese surrender in WWII on 15th August 1945
tiān shēng de yī duì
couple who were made for each other
fù zhī yī xiào
to dismiss sth with a laugh (idiom)
to laugh it off
miàn mù yī xīn
complete change (idiom); facelift
We're in a wholly new situation.
yī tiān yī ge yàng
to change from day to day
yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo , shí nián pà jǐng shéng
once bitten by a snake, ten years in fear of a well rope
once bitten, twice shy (idiom)
tǒng yī zhàn xiàn gōng zuò bù
United front work department of CPC central committee, UFWD
lüè jiàn yī bān
to glimpse one spot (idiom); to judge at a single glance
anecdotal evidence
yī qīng èr bái
perfectly clean
blameless
unimpeachable (idiom)
yī huí shēng , èr huí shú
lit. at first raw, later ripe (idiom); unfamiliar at first but you get used to it
strangers at first meeting, but soon friends
awkward at first but becoming skillful later
an acquired taste
Cháo yǒng · Zhèn yī láng
TOMONAGA Shin'ichirō (1906-1979), Japanese physicist, 1965 Nobel prize laureate with Richard Feynman and Julian Schwinger
zhì zhě qiān lǜ , bì yǒu yī shī
lit. a wise person reflecting a thousand times can still make a mistake (idiom); fig. nobody is infallible
miǎo shì yī qiè
to look down upon everything
yī èr bā shì biàn
Shanghai incident of 28th January 1932, Chinese uprising against Japanese quarters of Shanghai
chūn fēng yī dù
to have sexual intercourse (once)
zhǐ zhī qí yī , bù zhī qí èr
to know the first, but not know the second (idiom); only partial information
yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn , cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn
An interval of time is worth an ounce of gold, money can't buy you time (common saying); Time is precious and must be treasured.
zuò yī tiān hé shang , zhuàng yī tiān zhōng
as a monk for today, toll today's bell (idiom); to do one's job mechanically
to hold a position passively
tǒng yī zī yuán dìng wèi
universal resource locator (URL), i.e. webaddress
yī shǎn niàn
sudden idea
flash of insight
yī bǎ yào shi kāi yī bǎ suǒ
One key opens one lock.
There is a different solution for each problem. (idiom)
yī xià r
erhua variant of 一下[yi1 xia4]
yī zhōng yī tái
"one China, one Taiwan" (policy)
qī hēi yī tuán
pitch-black
(fig.) to be completely in the dark
bù jīng yī shì
You can't gain knowledge without practical experience (idiom); wisdom only comes with experience
qū zhǐ yī suàn
to count on one's fingers
yī rì wéi shī , zhōng shēn wéi fù
lit. teacher for one day, father for ever (idiom)
yī yán jì chū , sì mǎ nán zhuī
lit. once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it (idiom); a promise must be kept
bù gǎn yuè léi chí yī bù
dare not go one step beyond the prescribed limit
yǎng bīng qiān rì , yòng bīng yī shí
lit. Train an army for a thousand days to use it for an hour. (idiom); fig. extensive preparation eventually pays off
yī pù shí hán
one day's sun, ten days' frost (idiom, from Mencius); fig. to work for a bit then skimp
sporadic effort
lack of sticking power
short attention span
zhù yīn yī shì
Mandarin Phonetic Symbols 1
Bopomofo
abbr. for 國語注音符號第一式|国语注音符号第一式[Guo2 yu3 zhu4 yin1 fu2 hao4 di4 yi1 shi4]
bù jīng yī shì , bù zhǎng yī zhì
You can't gain knowledge without practical experience (common saying); wisdom only comes with experience
dòng chá yī qiè
to see everything clearly
dào chōu yī kǒu qì
to gasp (in surprise, dismay, fright etc)
yī yǎng huà èr dàn
nitrous oxide N2O
laughing gas
yī zhōng yuán zé
One-China principle, the official doctrine that Taiwan is a province of China
yī chù jí kuì
to collapse on the first encounter
to give way at once
yī shén lùn
monotheism
unitarianism (denying the Trinity)
yī lín bàn zhuǎ
lit. one scale and half a claw (idiom); only odd bits and pieces
líng xī yī diǎn tōng
mental rapport
likeness of mind
spiritual link
bù míng yī wén
without a penny to one's name
penniless
stony-broke
sì yī èr fǎn gé mìng zhèng biàn
counterrevolutionary coup of 12th April 1927, Chiang Kai-shek's coup against the communists in Shanghai
qiān jūn yì dé , yī jiàng nán qiú
Easy to raise an army of one thousand, but hard to find a good general. (idiom)
bù zhí yī wén
worthless (idiom)
no use whatsoever
yī wú suǒ cháng
not having any special skill
without any qualifications
yī cù kě jǐ
to succeed at the first try (idiom)
easy as pie
one can do it at once
sè zì tóu shàng yī bǎ dāo
lit. there is a knife above the character for lust
fig. lascivious activities can lead to bitter consequences
Zhōu Yī yuè
York Chow or Chow Yat-ngok (1947-), Hong Kong doctor and politician, Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food since 2004
xīn kǒu rú yī
lit. heart and mouth as one (idiom); to say what you think
honest and straightforward
bā zì hái méi yī piě
lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八
things have not even begun to take shape
no sign of success yet
yī pù shí hán
one day's sun, ten days' frost (idiom, from Mencius); fig. to work for a bit then skimp
sporadic effort
short attention span
zǔ guó hé píng tǒng yī wěi yuán huì
Committee for peaceful reunification of the fatherland (North Korean)
yī yōng ér rù
to swarm in (of people etc) (idiom)
tǒng yī zī yuán dìng wèi fú
universal resource locator (URL), i.e. webaddress
yī shǐ zhòng dì
to hit the target with a single shot
to say something spot on (idiom)
yī zhāo bù shèn , mǎn pán jiē shū
One careless move and the whole game is lost. (idiom)
yī zì bù tí
to not mention a single word (about sth) (idiom)
yī yī yìng shè
bijective map (i.e. map between sets in math. that is one-to-one and onto)
one-to-one correspondence
bā zì méi yī piě
lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
fig. things have not even begun to take shape
no sign of success yet
pèng yī bí zi huī
lit. to have one's nose rubbed in the dirt
fig. to meet with a sharp rebuff
dào chōu le yī kǒu qì
to gasp (in surprise, dismay, fright etc)
huǒ wèi yī
Phobos (first satellite of Mars)
yī chóu mò zhǎn
nothing one can do about it
wén yī zhī shí
lit. to hear one and know ten (idiom); fig. explain one thing and (he) understands everything
a word to the wise
qiān jīn yī nuò
a promise worth one thousand in gold (idiom); a promise that must be kept
yī hū bǎi nuò
one command brings a hundred responses (idiom); having hundreds of attendants at one's beck and call
diǎn jī yī gè liàn jiē
to click on a link (on webpage)
yī bǐ mǒ shā
to blot out at one stroke
to reject out of hand
to deny without a hearing
Xiāo chú duì Fù nǚ Yī qiè Xíng shì Qí shì Gōng yuē
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
èr yī tiān zuò wǔ
lit. one half equals zero point five (division rule in abacus reckoning)
to share fairly between two parties
to go fifty-fifty
Qiáo zhì Yī shì
George I of Great Brittain
dōng yī láng tóu xī yī bàng zi
banging away clumsily in all directions with no overall vision
kuī bào yī bān
lit. see one spot on a leopard (idiom); fig. a restricted view
Fēi zhōu Tǒng yī Zǔ zhī
Organization of African Unity
qiān lǜ yī dé
a thousand tries leads to one success (idiom, humble expr.); Even without any notable ability on my part, I may still get it right sometimes by good luck.
fǎn zhèng yī yàng
whether it's right or wrong doesn't make a lot of difference
six of one and half a dozen of the other
as broad as it is long
yī zì zhī shī
one who can correct a misread or misspelt character and thus be your master
yī kǒu qì r
erhua variant of 一口氣|一口气[yi1 kou3 qi4]
Zhōng Rì Hán tǒng yī biǎo yì wén zì
China Japan Korea (CJK) unified ideographs
Unihan
qiān jīn yī zhì
lit. stake a thousand pieces of gold on one throw (idiom); to throw away money recklessly
extravagant
hōng dòng yī shí
variant of 轟動一時|轰动一时[hong1 dong4 yi1 shi2]
bǎi wú yī shī
no danger of anything going wrong
no risk at all
qiān lǜ yī shī
reflect a thousand times and you can still make a mistake (idiom); to err is human
wén wǔ hé yī
civilians and the military (working) hand in hand (idiom)
bèi chéng jiè yī
to make a last-ditch stand before the city wall (idiom); to fight to the last ditch
to put up a desperate struggle
bǐ yī shí cǐ yī shí
that was one thing, and this is another
times have changed
yī bí kǒng chū qì
lit. to breathe through the same nostril (idiom); fig. two people say exactly the same thing (usually derog.)
to sing from the same hymn sheet
Xiāo Yī shān
Xiao Yishan (1902-1978), Modern historian of the Qing dynasty
chéng yī jǐng bǎi
lit. punish one, warn one hundred (idiom)
fig. to make an example of sb
Gōng zé xǐ yī
Kiichi Miyazawa (former Japanese prime minister)
kōng pǎo yī tàng
to make a journey for nothing
sì yī èr shì biàn
the coup of 12th Mar 1927, an attempt by Chiang Kai-shek to suppress the communists
called 反革命政变|反革命政變 or 慘案|惨案 in PRC literature
yī bǎn sān yǎn
lit. one strong beat and three weak beats in a measure of music (four beats in the bar) (idiom); fig. scrupulous attention to detail
bù miǎn yī sǐ
cannot avoid being killed
cannot escape death
to be mortal
yī jū tóng qíng zhī lèi
to shed tears of sympathy (idiom)
tóng shēng yī kū
to share one's feeling of grief with others (idiom)
liǎng hǔ xiāng zhēng , bì yǒu yī shāng
if two tigers fight, one must get injured (idiom); if you start a war, someone is bound to get hurt
tǒng yī Xīn luó
unified Silla (658-935), Korean kingdom
yī bǐ mǒ shā
variant of 一筆抹殺|一笔抹杀[yi1 bi3 mo3 sha1]
yī duì yī dòu niú
one-on-one basketball game
yī tán zhǐ qǐng
a snap of the fingers (idiom); in a flash
in the twinkling of an eye
hé zhòng wéi yī
united as one
e pluribus unum
liǎng hǔ xiāng dòu , bì yǒu yī shāng
When two tigers fight, one will get injured (idiom). If it comes to a fight, someone will get hurt.
sān gè nǚ rén yī gè xū
three women makes a crowd
rén shēng yī shì , cǎo mù yī chūn
Man has but one life, grass but one spring (idiom). fig. the brevity of human existence
yī dà zǎo r
erhua variant of 一大早[yi1 da4 zao3]
Bīn tián · Jìng yī
HAMADA Yasukazu (1955-), Japanese defense minister from 2008
Dé guó tǒng yī shè huì dǎng
Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands (Socialist unity party of Germany 1949-), the ruling communist party of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
yī shí bàn shǎng
a short time
a little while
yī yè lù shui
one-night stand
ephemeral
Huáng dì bā shí yī nán jīng
Yellow Emperor's canon of 81 difficult questions, medical text, c. first century AD
sān gè chòu pí jiang , hé chéng yī gè Zhū gě Liàng
lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom
yǎng bīng qiān rì , yòng zài yī cháo
lit. Train an army for a thousand days to use it for one morning. (idiom); fig. extensive preparation eventually pays off
yī yán wéi zhòng
each word carries weight
a promise must be kept (idiom)
yī nián bèi shé yǎo shí nián pà jǐng shéng
bitten by a snake in one year, fears the well rope for ten years (idiom); once bitten twice shy
yī tuì liù èr wǔ
lit. 1 divided by 16 is 0.0625 (abacus rule)
fig. to deny responsibility
to pass the buck
also written 一推六二五[yi1 tui4 liu4 er4 wu3]
xiá ěr yī tǐ
both near and distant treated alike (idiom)
bù zàn yī cí
to keep silent
to make no comment
ruò diàn tǒng yī
electro-weak interaction in fermion particle physics
dān yī mǎ
Unicode
also written 統一碼|统一码
yī zhī wèi shèn
see 一之為甚|一之为甚[yi1 zhi1 wei2 shen4]
bù shí yī dīng
total illiterate
unable to read the simplest characters
yī duō duì yìng
one-to-many correspondence
sān gè chòu pí jiang , sài guò yī gè Zhū gě Liàng
lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom
wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual
yī yán qiān jīn
one word worth a thousand in gold (idiom); valuable advice
words of enormous weight
yī kuí yǐ zú
one talented person is enough for the job (idiom)
dì yī jī běn xíng shì
(math.) first fundamental form
yī fēn qián liǎng fēn huò
high quality at bargain price
zhōu sān jìng yī
circumference of a circle is proverbially three times its radius
ài qíng zhēng fú yī qiè
love conquers all
omnia vincit amor
yī gǎi gù zhé
complete change from the old rut (idiom); dramatic change of direction
a volte-face
to change old practices
tóu fa hú zi yī bǎ zhuā
lit. hair and beard all in one stroke
fig. to handle different things by the same method
one method to solve all problems
one size fits all
chéng yī jǐng bǎi
lit. punish one, warn one hundred (idiom)
fig. to make an example of sb
also written 懲一儆百|惩一儆百[cheng2 yi1 jing3 bai3]
yī cì shēng , liǎng cì shú
unfamiliar at first but you get used to it
strangers are first meeting, but soon friends
an acquired taste
yī shí bàn shà
a short time
a little while
yī jiàn gāo dī
lit. to fight it out with sb to see who is best (idiom)
fig. to cross swords with
to lock horns
dà yī tǒng zhì
Dayuan Dayi Tongzhi, Yuan dynasty geographical encyclopedia, compiled 1285-1294 under Jamal al-Din 紮馬剌丁|扎马剌丁 and Yu Yinglong 虞應龍|虞应龙, 755 scrolls
fù zhī yī tàn
to dismiss with a sigh (idiom); a hopeless case
fù zhī yī tàn
to dismiss with a sigh (idiom); a hopeless case
wèi dá yī jiàn
differing only slightly
not much between them
yī cí mò zàn
left speechless by sth perfect (idiom)
yī cù jí zhì
to get there in one step (idiom); easily done
success at a stroke
to get results overnight
Luó Yī xiù
Luo Yixiu (1889-1910), Mao Zedong's first wife
mǒ yī bí zi huī
lit. to rub one's nose with dust
to suffer a snub
to meet with a rebuff
Dà Yuán dà yī tǒng zhì
Dayuan Dayi Tongzhi, Yuan dynasty geographical encyclopedia, compiled 1285-1294 under Jamal al-Din 紮馬剌丁|扎马剌丁 and Yu Yinglong 虞應龍|虞应龙, 755 scrolls
yī bǐng qián chéng
earnestly and sincerely (idiom); devoutly
jú cù yī yú
to be cramped in a corner (idiom)
yī cù ér dé
to get there in one step (idiom); easily done
success at a stroke
to get results overnight
yán xíng ruò yī
word and actions coincide (idiom); to live up to one's word
to match words with deeds
Practice what you preach.
bié shù yī qí
lit. to fly one's banner on a solitary tree (idiom); fig. to act as a loner
to stand out
to develop one's own school
to have attitude of one's own
yī zhé liǎng duàn
to split sth into two (idiom)
mó gāo yī zhàng , dào gāo yī chǐ
the devil is ten foot tall, virtue one foot (idiom); It takes constant vigilance to stave off evil.
wēi fèng yī yǔ
lit. one phoenix feather; fig. a glimpse that reveals the whole
Guó yǔ zhù yīn fú hào dì yī shì
Mandarin Phonetic Symbols 1 (official name of the phonetic system of writing Chinese used in Taiwan)
Bopomofo
abbr. to 注音一式[zhu4 yin1 yi1 shi4]
yǐ yī yù wàn
to control a key point is to be master of the situation (idiom)
bā zì hái méi yī piě r
lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八
things have not even begun to take shape
no sign of success yet
sì yī èr cǎn àn
the massacre of 12th Mar 1927
the Shanghai coup of 12th Mar 1927 by Chiang Kai-shek against the communists
bì lěi yī xīn
to have one's defenses in good order (idiom)
bù yī zhì zì
inconsistent phonogram(s)
děng yī xià r
erhua variant of 等一下[deng3 yi1 xia4]
yī yán chāo bǎi zǒng
to cut a long story short
wǔ qī yī dài
generation of 1957
refers to Mao's anti-rightist purge of 1957
yī zhì zī yuán dìng zhǐ qì
uniform resource locator (URL), i.e. web address
yī diǎn lín yù
(math.) neighborhood of a point
wú yī shì ér bù xué , wú yī shí ér bù xué , wú yī chǔ ér bù dé
Study everything, at all times, everywhere (Zhu Xi 朱熹)
yī xiǎo zhèn r
very brief period of time
shuō shì yī huí shì , zuò yòu shì lìng wài yī huí shì
Saying is one thing, doing quite another (idiom)
chén yī zhǔ èr
One has the right to choose the ruler one serves. (ancient proverb)
Yī gè yōu líng zài Ōu zhōu yóu dàng
Ein Gespenst geht um in Europa.
the opening sentence of Marx and Engels' "Communist Manifesto"
dú chū yī shí
incomparable
head and shoulders above the competition
yī diǎn shuǐ yī gè pào
honest and trustworthy (idiom)
bǎi chǐ gān tóu , gèng jìn yī bù
lit. hundred foot pole, progress still further (idiom); fig. much accomplished, still some work to do
to continue to further successes
not to rest on one's laurels
měi yī gè rén dōu yǒu měi zhōng bù zú de dì fang
However excellent, everyone has his defects.
There is always a fly in the ointment.
cf idiom 美中不足[měi zhōng bù zú], everything is fine except for one small defect
fán shì zǒng yǒu yī gè kāi tóu
Everything starts somewhere.
chéng gōng de nán rén hòu mian bì yǒu yī gè fèng xiàn de nǚ rén
Every successful man has a dedicated woman behind him (European proverb).
yī gū jie r de líng chī
to snack in dribs and drabs
shuō shì yī huí shì , ér zuò yòu shì lìng wài yī huí shì
see 說是一回事,做又是另外一回事|说是一回事,做又是另外一回事[shūo shì yī húi shì , zùo yòu shì lìng wài yī húi shì]
bù jīng yī fān fēng shuāng kǔ , nán dé là méi tǔ qīng xiāng
Without once passing through the winter's cold and wind, where would the sweet spring fragrance come from?
kè dāng yī miàn
to possess one-sided abilities (idiom)
qí jù yī táng
to get together all at once
yī Zhōng yī Tái
one China and one Taiwan (policy)
yī liǎo bǎi liǎo
once the main problem is solved, all troubles are solved
death ends all one's troubles
yī shì wú chéng
to have achieved nothing
to be a total failure
to get nowhere
Yī Èr bā Shì biàn
Shanghai Incident of 28th January 1932, Chinese uprising against Japanese quarters of Shanghai
yī rén dé dào , jī quǎn shēng tiān
lit. when a man achieves the Dao, his poultry and dogs rise to Heaven (idiom)
fig. to ride on sb else's success
Once one man gets a government position, all his cronies get in too
Once sb has cracked the problem, every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it
yī jiè bù qǔ
to not even take a penny (as a bribe)
yī dài bù rú yī dài
to be getting worse with each generation
yī ge tiān nán , yī ge dì běi
to live miles apart (idiom)
yī ge bā zhǎng pāi bù xiǎng
lit. one palm alone cannot clap (proverb)
fig. it takes two persons to start a dispute
it takes two to tango
it's difficult to achieve anything without support
yī ge tóu liǎng ge dà
(coll.) to feel as though one's head could explode (Tw)
yī chàng sān tàn
(of literature, music) deeply moving (idiom)
yī chuán shí , shí chuán bǎi
news pass quickly from mouth to mouth (idiom)
an infectious disease spreads quickly (old meaning)
yī yuán fù shǐ
a new year begins (idiom)
yī zhǔn
certainly
also written 一準|一准[yi1 zhun3]
yī fēn yī háo
a tiny bit (idiom)
an iota
yī fēn gēng yún , yī fēn shōu huò
you get what you put in
you reap what you sow
yī qiè xiàng qián kàn
to put money above everything else
yī kè qiān jīn
time is gold
every minute counts
yī zé yǐ xǐ , yī zé yǐ yōu
happy on the one hand, but worried on the other (idiom)
yī láo yǒng yì
to get sth done once and for all
Yī qiān Líng Yī Yè
The Book of One Thousand and One Nights
yī kǒu chī bù chéng pàng zi
lit. you cannot get fat with only one mouthful (proverb)
fig. learn to walk before you run
yī kǒu chī ge pàng zi
lit. to want to get fat with only one mouthful (proverb)
fig. to try to achieve one's goal in the shortest time possible
to be impatient for success
yī gǔ nǎo r
variant of 一股腦兒|一股脑儿[yi1 gu3 nao3 r5]
yī hū bǎi yìng
a hundred answers to a single call (idiom)
to respond en masse
yī mìng guī tiān
see 一命嗚呼|一命呜呼[yi1 ming4 wu1 hu1]
yī mìng guī xī
see 一命嗚呼|一命呜呼[yi1 ming4 wu1 hu1]
yī mìng guī yīn
see 一命嗚呼|一命呜呼[yi1 ming4 wu1 hu1]
yī pǐn
superb
first-rate
(of officials in imperial times) the highest rank
yī hōng ér qǐ
(of a group of people) to rush into action
yī kū èr nào sān shàng diào
to make a terrible scene (idiom)
to throw a tantrum
yī chàng sān tàn
see 一倡三歎|一倡三叹[yi1 chang4 san1 tan4]
yī huí shēng èr huí shú
unfamiliar at first, but well accustomed soon enough (idiom)
yī tuán hé qì
to keep on the right side of everyone (idiom)
warm and affable
yī tuán qī hēi
pitch-black
(fig.) to be completely in the dark
yī cháng kōng
all one's hopes and efforts come to nothing
futile
yī bì
one side
at the same time
yī xī shù jīng
one scare after another (idiom)
in a constant state of tension
yī yè bào hóng
to become popular overnight
yī fū dāng guān , wàn fū mò kāi
one man can hold the pass against ten thousand enemies (idiom)
yī kǒng zhī jiàn
partial view
limited outlook
yī zì yī lèi
each word is a teardrop (idiom)
yī zì bù là
see 一字不漏[yi1 zi4 bu4 lou4]
yī zì jīn
headband
strip of cloth worn around the head
yī zì bāo biǎn
dispensing praise or blame with a single word (idiom)
concise and powerful style
yī jiā zhī zhǔ
master of the house
family head
yī zhǎn shēn shǒu
to showcase one's (unique) talents
to display one's (individual) prowess
yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn
the whole year must be planned for in the spring (idiom)
early planning is the key to success
yī wǎng wú qián
to advance courageously (idiom)
to press forward
yī wǎng zhí qián
see 一往無前|一往无前[yi1 wang3 wu2 qian2]
yī lǜ
same
uniformly
all
without exception
yī xīn yī dé
of one heart and one mind (idiom)
yī xīn èr yòng
to do two things at once (idiom)
to multitask
to divide one's attention
yī yīng jù quán
with everything needed available
yī shǒu jiāo qián , yī shǒu jiāo huò
lit. one hand exchanges the cash, the other the goods (idiom)
fig. to pay for what you want in cash
simple and direct transaction
yī shǒu bāo bàn
to take care of a matter all by oneself
to run the whole show
yī shǒu zhē tiān
lit. to hide the sky with one hand
to hide the truth from the masses
yī bǎ shǐ yī bǎ niào
to have endured all sorts of hardships (to raise one's children) (idiom)
yī bǎ yǎn lèi yī bǎ bí tì
with one's face covered in tears (idiom)
yī zhuā yī dà bǎ
a dime a dozen
a great deal of
yī sǎo ér guāng
to clear off
to make a clean sweep of
yī tàn jiū jìng
to check out
to investigate
yī huī ér jiù
to finish (a letter, a painting) at a stroke
yī rì sān qiū
a single day apart seems like three seasons (idiom)
yī rì sān cān
to have three meals a day
yī rì bù jiàn , rú gé sān qiū
one day apart seems like three years (idiom)
yī rì zhī jì zài yú chén
make your day's plan early in the morning (idiom)
early morning is the golden time of the day
yī rì zhī yǎ
lit. friends for a day (idiom)
fig. casual acquaintance
yī rì wéi shī , zhōng shēn wéi fù
lit. teacher for one day, father for ever (idiom)
yī zǎo
early in the morning
at dawn
yī xīng bàn diǎn
just the tiniest bit
a hint of
yī shì yī , èr shì èr
lit. one is one, two is two (idiom)
fig. things are (or ought to be) perfectly clear-cut
unequivocal
yī shí Yú Liàng
two remarkable persons living at the same period (as 周瑜[Zhou1 Yu2] and 諸葛亮|诸葛亮[Zhu1 ge3 Liang4])
Yī yuè
January
first month (of the lunar year)
yī wàng ér zhī
to be evident at a glance (idiom)
yī zhāo yī xī
lit. one morning and one evening (idiom)
fig. in a short period of time
overnight
yī mù nán zhī
lit. a single post cannot prop up a falling house (idiom)
fig. one is helpless alone
yī zhī dú xiù
lit. only one branch of the tree is thriving (idiom)
fig. to be in a league of one's own
outstanding
yī zhù qíng tiān
lit. to support the sky as a single pillar (idiom)
fig. to take a crucial responsibility upon one's shoulders
yī gēn shéng shàng de mà zha
see 一條繩上的螞蚱|一条绳上的蚂蚱[yi1 tiao2 sheng2 shang4 de5 ma4 zha5]
yī tiáo shéng shàng de mà zha
lit. like locusts tied to one rope (idiom)
fig. in the same boat
in it together for better or worse
to sink or swim together
yī tiáo dào zǒu dào hēi
to stick to one's ways
to cling to one's course
yī chuí dìng yīn
variant of 一錘定音|一锤定音[yi1 chui2 ding4 yin1]
yī cì shēng , liǎng cì shú
unfamiliar at first but you get used to it
strangers are first meeting, but soon friends
an acquired taste
yī bù yī qū
see 亦步亦趨|亦步亦趋[yi4 bu4 yi4 qu1]
yī bù dào wèi
to settle a matter in one go
yī qì
at one go
at a stretch
for a period of time
forming a gang
yī qì zhī xià
in a fit of pique
in a fury
yī qì hē chéng
to do something at one go
to flow smoothly
yī shuǐ r
(coll.) of the same type
identical
yī bō wèi píng , yī bō yòu qǐ
before the first wave subsides, a new wave rises (idiom); a new problem arises before the old is solved
many twists and turns to a story
one thing after another
yī qīng rú shuǐ
lit. as clear as water (idiom)
fig. (of officials etc) honest and incorruptible
yī pào dǎ xiǎng
to win instant success (idiom)
to start off successfully
yī pào ér hóng
to win instant success (idiom)
to become an instant hit
yī wú suǒ dòng
totally unaffected
unimpressed
yī wú suǒ huò
to gain nothing
to end up empty-handed
yī wù xiáng yī wù
lit. one object bests another object
every item has a weakness (idiom)
there is a rock to every scissor, a scissor to every paper, and a paper to every rock
yī fàn zài fàn
to keep doing (the wrong thing)
yī qín yī hè
carrying very little luggage (idiom)
honest and incorruptible (government officials)
yī jiǎ
1st rank or top three candidates who passed the imperial examination (i.e. 狀元|状元[zhuang4 yuan2], 榜眼[bang3 yan3], and 探花[tan4 hua1], respectively)
yī bìng bù qǐ
to fall gravely ill, never to recover (idiom)
yī fā bù kě shōu shi
things that have happened can hardly be controlled
to get out of hand
yī mù shí háng
ten lines at a glance (idiom)
to read very rapidly
yī dǔ
to look
to have a glimpse at
to observe (sth's splendor)
yī shí èr niǎo
to kill two birds with one stone (idiom)
yī kōng
leaving none left
(sold etc) out
yī qióng èr bái
impoverished
backward both economically and culturally
yī kuī duān ní
to infer easily
to guess at a glance
to get a clue
yī xiào zhì zhī
to dismiss with a laugh
to make light of
yī bǐ bù gǒu
lit. not even one stroke is negligent (idiom)
fig. to write characters (calligraphy) in which every stroke is placed perfectly
yī jiàn zhī chóu
a wrong suffered (idiom)
old grievance
previous defeat
yī luó kuāng
bucketloads of
in large quantities
extremely
yī lì lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō zhōu
lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of congee (idiom)
fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
yī jí bàng
first-rate
excellent (loanword from Japanese 一番, ichiban)
yī xiàn zhī jiān
a hair's breadth apart
a fine line
a fine distinction
yī xiàn zhī gé
a fine line
a fine distinction
yī shēng bù xiǎng
to keep totally silent
noiselessly
yī dù zi
bellyful (of sth)
full of (sth)
yī dù pí
bellyful (of sth)
full of (sth)
yī gǔ zi
a whiff of
a taint of
a thread of
yī gǔ nǎo
all of it
lock, stock and barrel
yī gǔ nǎo r
erhua variant of 一股腦|一股脑[yi1 gu3 nao3]
yī tāi huà
practice of allowing only one child per family
yī qiāng
full of (zeal, anger etc)
yī jǔ yī dòng
every movement
each and every move
yī jǔ shǒu yī tóu zú
every little move
every single movement
yī luò qiān zhàng
lit. to drop a thousand zhang in one fall (idiom)
fig. (of business, popularity etc) to suffer a sudden, devastating decline
to take a dive
yī yè zhī qiū
lit. the falling of one leaf heralds the coming of autumn (idiom)
fig. a small sign can indicate a great trend
a straw in the wind
yī yè zhàng mù
lit. eyes obscured by a single leaf (idiom)
fig. not seing the wider picture
can't see the wood for the trees
yī zhāo bù shèn , mǎn pán jiē shū
One careless move and the whole game is lost. (idiom)
yī yī dài shuǐ
(separated only by) a narrow strip of water
yī qīn fāng zé
to get close to
to get on intimate terms with
yī lǎn wú yú
to cover all at one glance (idiom)
a panoramic view
yī yán yī dòng
(one's) every word and deed (idiom)
yī yán jì chū , sì mǎ nán zhuī
lit. once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it (idiom); a promise must be kept
yī yǔ zhòng dì
to hit the mark with a comment (idiom)
to say sth spot on
yī yǔ pò dì
see 一語中的|一语中的[yi1 yu3 zhong4 di4]
yī yǔ dào pò
one word says it all (idiom)
to hit the nail on the head
to be pithy and correct
yī shuō
(way of) saying (sth)
statement
argument
theory
according to one theory, interpretation etc
yī lù fēng chén
to live an exhausting journey
yī shēn liǎng yì
one person taking on two tasks simultaneously
yī shēn shì dǎn
devoid of fear (idiom)
intrepid
yī tōng bǎi tōng
grasp this fundamental point and all the rest will follow (idiom)
yī chěng shòu yù
to give way to one's beastly lust
yī dì yī shēng
(of singers etc) one answering the other
yī biān dǎo
to have the advantage overwhelmingly on one side
to support unconditionally
yī zuì fāng xiū
to get thoroughly drunk (idiom)
to get plastered
yī chuí zi mǎi mài
lit. fly-by-night one-off business deal
fig. to act recklessly, throwing all caution to the wind
yī chuí dìng yīn
lit. to fix the tone with a single hammer blow
fig. to make the final decision
yī guō duān
see 連鍋端|连锅端 [lian2 guo1 duan1]
yī guō zhōu
(lit.) a pot of porridge
(fig.) a complete mess