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不
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Definitions
- 1. no; not so
- 2. (bound form) not; un-
Example Sentences
1 shownDorothy 不 在辦工室。
Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org.
Words Containing 不
needless to say
when hungry, you can't pick what you eat (idiom); beggars can't be choosers
lit. persons who walk different paths cannot make plans together
Napoli, capital of Campania region of Italy
it's better to hurry at the start than to rush later (idiom)
to keep one's calm in the face of the unexpected
entirely different
equanimity in the face of death
probably
cannot get through (on phone)
not overstepping the prescribed limits
indefinite
not be accustomed to eating sth
a tiger, though cruel, will not devour its cubs (idiom)
lit. a wealthy person does not sit under the eaves (idiom); fig. a rich man does not expose himself to danger
illiterate
to be all talk and no action
unsuitable
without rules, nothing can be done (idiom); one must follow some rules
different
to give no cause for anxiety; nothing to worry about
don't mention it; not at all
to keep on buying (a product) regardless (of price increases, adverse publicity etc)
supply does not meet demand
irrelevant
to keep silent
intransitive verb
unable to escape
constantly in turmoil
lit. one's youth will never return
see 目不忍視|目不忍视[mù bù rěn shì]
to feel embarrassed
a youth without facial hair cannot be relied upon (proverb)
unaware
there is no-one who doesn't know that
unable to get along together
to come and go in an incessant stream
lit. Shu Han 蜀漢|蜀汉[shǔ hàn] and Cao Wei 曹魏[cáo wèi] cannot coexist (idiom)
really does not care
inequality (math.)
(idiom) no secret can be kept forever
disgraceful (of behavior that is unfilial, rebellious or otherwise in grave breach of the norms of society)
non-aggression
absurd statement
unreconciled to
if not, then
(idiom) continuously; in an endless stream
to say one thing and do another (idiom)
fixed point theorem (math.)
see 恨不得[hèn bu de]
Better broken jade than intact tile.
not to be inferior in any aspects (idiom)
unbearable
not to know
lit. so horrible that one cannot bear to look (idiom)
act of God
to pay no attention to outside matters
to consider oneself unexcelled in the world
to disdain as beneath contempt (idiom)
lit. a rabbit never eats the grass beside its own burrow (idiom)
cannot; should not; must not
not to become attached to material things, not to pity oneself
omnipotent
no less than from heaven to the abyss (idiom); differing widely
nothing is impossible
see 行不更名，坐不改姓[xíng bù gēng míng , zuò bù gǎi xìng]
British Columbia, Pacific province of Canada
to have no need to fend for oneself (idiom)
one who doesn't avenge an injustice is not a gentleman, one who doesn't redress a wrong is not a man (idiom)
must not
(of one's skills, appearance etc) not to have deteriorated a bit
don't meddle in affairs that are not part of your position (Confucius)
inexpressible (idiom)
it goes without saying; it is self-evident
(idiom) unwilling to let go
it is no disgrace to be poor (idiom)
lit. not even peek at the garden
can't wait
to brook no delay
fig. (of people from higher class etc) to be oblivious to other people's plight
not acquainted with the situation
unexpected
incorrect
to speak rudely
completely unreasonable
unable to make sense of what one is hearing
(coll.) all right?
cannot compare to
to be disappointing
can't recognize tall or short (idiom); doesn't know what's what
uncoordinated
without
unable to refuse because of affection
not well coordinated (idiom)
can't advance or retreat (idiom); no room for maneuver
not to submit to force (idiom); to defy threats and violence
to keep sth secret
not to comply
angry at unfairness
unyielding integrity (idiom); unwavering
not in detail
to praise without cease (idiom); praise sb to high heaven
staunch and unyielding (idiom); steadfast
unrelenting
goes without saying; obvious; self-evident
to hate to do sth
not to glance sideways (idiom)
disreputable
roly-poly toy
to stand out from the masses (idiom)
to cause a lot of trouble
(idiom) inharmonious
Dombra or Tambura, Kazakh plucked lute
to overestimate one's capabilities (idiom)
can't touch
lit. to not show the mountain and to not reveal the water (idiom); fig. to hide the key facts
unaspirated
unjust enrichment
deserted (of a place)
the rich man cannot be benevolent (idiom, from Mencius). It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:24).
not up to much
unknown
couldn't be better
One who does not know is not guilty
(to escape danger etc) by a hair's breadth (idiom)
three days without a beating, and a child will scale the roof to rip the tiles (idiom)
lit. the soul of a deceased has not yet dispersed (idiom)
words do not convey the meaning
not in harmony
lit. a door hinge never becomes worm-eaten
abstracted
standing above the common crowd (idiom); outstanding
lit. not dare to pull oneself up high (humble term)
Abdulahat Abdurixit (1942-), PRC engineer and politician, chairman of Xinjiang autonomous region 1994-2003, in 2003 vice-chair of 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
absent-minded
not able to see clearly
imperfect
unrealistic
not completely
unable to understand
lit. it is not an official to be feared, but a person in direct control over sb (proverb)
not to stint
Cao Buxing or Ts'ao Pu-hsing (active c. 210-250), famous semilegendary painter, one of the Four Great Painters of the Six Dynasties 六朝四大家
absurd
cannot
see 山不轉水轉|山不转水转[shān bù zhuàn shuǐ zhuàn]
keep silent
gazing fixedly (idiom)
opaque
see 人不可貌相，海水不可斗量[rén bù kě mào xiàng , hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng]
to have more work than one can deal with
to allow no explanation
inevitably
fearing nothing in Heaven or Earth (idiom)
not to allow
in doubt; unsure of sth; unable to decide; indecisive
inability to adjust
can't help (doing sth)
unexpectedly
to try to draw a tiger but end up with a likeness of a dog (idiom)
to chatter or jabber on and on
to be at a loss (idiom)
(of a title, degree etc) illegitimately conferred
(idiom) to compare favorably with men in terms of ability, bravery etc
incurable disease
if this can be tolerated, what cannot? (idiom)
wanton and unrestrained (idiom); dissolute
to make a full confession
female infertility
to be forced to suffer in silence (idiom)
to love sth too much to part with it (idiom)
can't manage to count
continuous
to not go home until drunk (idiom)
without doubt
to keep on fighting in spite of all setbacks (idiom)
misfortune does not come singly (idiom)
One careless move and the whole game is lost. (idiom)
to stink to high heaven
wine doesn't make men drunk: men get themselves intoxicated. Lust does not overpower men: men surrender themselves to lust
there's no place like home (idiom)
imperfect neutrality
at the drop of a hat
Facebook (Internet slang, pun reading \you must die\)
not to pay attention to
to vow not to break one's promise
as easy as blowing off dust
lit. always with a book in hand (idiom)
to be tired of living
amenorrhoea
unyielding
lit. to have eyes but fail to recognize Mt Tai (idiom)
can't stand it
seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times (idiom); seeing for oneself is better than hearing from many others
shallow
to keep one's emotions inside oneself
to apologize
What you don't want done to you, don't do to others. (idiom, from the Confucian analects)
to show no understanding of the times (idiom); cannot adapt to current circumstances
lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom); not to be mentioned in the same breath
(idiom) to waver when decisiveness is needed
worried too much
indiscriminate
if it were not for
lit. fragrant herbs and foul herbs do not go into the same vessel (idiom)
scalene triangle (math.)
see 可不是[kě bu shì]
to show no understanding of the times (idiom); cannot adapt to current circumstances
crude and ill-educated (idiom)
impossible
a learned person need not leave his home to know what's going on in the world (idiom)
(coll.) unable to withstand
unimportant
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle (1927)
to mention sth without elaborating (idiom); not giving details
make light of traveling a thousand li
air ball (basketball)
to be infertile
not simple; rather complicated
without paying attention
to have no sense of shame
making decisions without implementing them
to be ready to go to war
It's all exaggeration, you don't need to take it seriously
not daring to act for oneself (idiom)
not only (... but also ...)
to be upset
a lone tree does not make a forest (idiom)
lit. family members speak frankly with one another, not courteously, as if they were from two different families (idiom)
to have a cash flow problem
(of a person) objectionable
regardless of what's before or after (idiom); rushing blindly into sth
to disagree
not acclimatized
cannot allow (to be present)
to face opprobrium (idiom)
awkward
unfamiliar
to be quick to take offense; to have a short fuse
unavoidable
(literary) to never have a deficiency; to never be lacking
unreasonable
a good thing doesn't last forever (idiom)
not to be outdone
not to deviate one hair's breadth (idiom)
abnormal
instructing with tireless zeal (idiom, from Analects)
meet by chance
that's just the way it is
How do you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair? (idiom); Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
poor but with great ambitions (idiom)
not to be taken as an example
sour grapes (set expr. based on Aesop)
inviolable
not very
thoughtless
to pretend to understand when you don't
to be not worth mentioning
unswerving in one's loyalty (idiom); faithful and constant
not to listen
(coll.) on the point of death
lit. to eat but finely ground grain and finely chopped meat (idiom, from Analects)
irregular quadrilateral
to pay scant regard to (sth)
not differentiable (function in calculus)
not to deserve to be mentioned
not just; not limited to
to give for free
inflexible
inseparable
lit. not putting a foot outside
not an exaggeration
noncooperation
to be caught off guard
not at all
see 嘴上沒毛，辦事不牢|嘴上没毛，办事不牢[zuǐ shàng méi máo , bàn shì bù láo]
to look down upon
to disagree
to disobey
not care about one's appearance (idiom)
opportunity knocks but once (idiom)
one who is not prepared to risk his child will never catch the wolf (proverb)
indulge in pleasure and forget home and duty (idiom)
it does not make sense
(idiom) needless to say
lit. the emperor is not worried, but his eunuchs are (idiom)
unbearable to look at
out of step with current thinking
at worst; if worst comes to worst
unstable equilibrium
to ignore
lit. to occupy a latrine but not shit (proverb)
(idiom) (the Analects) haste makes waste; things can't be rushed
by no means an isolated case
not only
not shaken by poverty
lit. you may go undetected during the new moon, but at full moon you'll be found out (idiom)
inadequate
having unspeakable bitter suffering
see 前不著村，後不著店|前不着村，后不着店[qián bù zháo cūn , hòu bù zháo diàn]
to not calculate
to enjoy sth and never tire of it (idiom)
ill at ease
not impressed by
not reconciled to
fragrant wine fears no dark alley (idiom)
dissatisfied
need not
lit. don't worry about not knowing goods, but about comparing them (proverb)
indeterminate element (math.), often denoted by x
yellowish
no matter what may happen (idiom)
not suitable for children
(dialect) full of oneself; too big for one's boots
absolutely necessary
can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[zhuāng zǐ]); mysterious and subtle
don't fight, won't make friends (idiom); an exchange of blows may lead to friendship
uneven
how couldn't...?
constant
not improving
irresistible
hesitant and not daring to move forward (idiom)
must not
impossible
of no value
a thing should not be attempted more than three times (idiom)
the only (choice, way etc)
to mark time and make no advances (idiom)
to not mind (at all, a bit)
untiring
remarkable
(idiom) not to yield an inch
to not say a word (idiom)
to feel ill at ease
(coll.) disposable diaper
without rules, nothing can be done (idiom, from Mencius); one must follow some rules
to punish severely (idiom)
out of step with current thinking
not corrupted by wealth and honors
gaudy
accurate to perfection (idiom)
unluckily
(idiom) (of people in a small town etc) to cross paths regularly
not to shrink from any crime (idiom); to commit any imaginable misdeed
(of close friends etc) to tell each other everything
see 不列顛戰役|不列颠战役[bù liè diān zhàn yì]
can't help (doing sth)
home run (loanword)
road to ruin; course of action from which there is no turning back
to avoid (doing sth)
lit. Even if we don't see each other, don't give up and leave (idiom)
no trace of politeness
(coll.) to wash one's hands of a matter
insoluble
to dash on bravely with no thought of personal safety (idiom); undaunted by dangers
cannot be used
unaccounted
lit. not to change, despite repeated admonition
to not fully understand
unstable
to pull the bow without shooting (idiom from Mencius); ready and waiting for action
one's contributions cannot go unnoticed (idiom)
thieving
sterility
without eloquence
refrain from hurting others, yet guard against those trying to hurt you (proverb)
unrighted wrong
not to tire of
to keep silent
not to allow
not to engage in honest work
lit. shallow waters cannot harbor big fish (idiom)
the benefits of medicine are not as great as those of good nutrition
absolutely still
impossible to separate
cannot stand by idly and watch
one may know a person for a long time without understanding his true nature (idiom)
to block one's ears and not listen (idiom); to turn a deaf ear
lit. mysteries of heaven must not be revealed (idiom); must not be revealed
to harbor evil designs
to have bad intentions
to turn up without being invited
not following the crowd
lit. not even the chickens and dogs are left undisturbed (idiom)
sacred
to boast shamelessly
one strand does not make a thread, one tree does not make a forest (idiom)
lit. not requiring a detailed understanding (idiom); only looking for an overview
wanton and unrestrained (idiom); dissolute
not expecting any reward
not according with decorum (idiom); scandalous
lit. like tofu strung on horsetail, you can't lift it
see 皇帝不急太監急|皇帝不急太监急[huáng dì bù jí tài jiàn jí]
scatter-brained
hasn't yet
cannot bear
not more than so-so (idiom); mediocre
to be unable to move a single step
unreasonable
Time and tide wait for no man (idiom)
lit. a good sword always remains sharp (idiom)
ice-free port (refers to Vladivostok)
too far is as bad as not enough (idiom, from the Analects)
lit. yellow does not reach green (idiom); the yellow autumn crop does not last until the green spring crop
unwilling
to spare no effort
better kept under the table (idiom)
potholed and bumpy road (idiom); fig. full of disappointment and dashed hopes
this road is blocked
lit. distant water does not cure present thirst; fig. urgent need
exchange of unequal values
not to be up to the task (idiom)
hard to come by
to be forever filial (idiom)
regardless of life or death (idiom)
see 一塵不染|一尘不染[yī chén bù rǎn]
see 桀驁不馴|桀骜不驯[jié ào bù xùn]
only met with once every hundred years (drought, flood etc)
wishing one could do sth; to hate to be unable; itching to do sth
see 打抱不平[dǎ bào bù píng]
non-scheduled
see 貨比三家不吃虧|货比三家不吃亏[huò bǐ sān jiā bù chī kuī]
akathisia (condition of restlessness, a side-effect of neuroleptic antipsychotic drug)
angry, but not daring to speak out (idiom); obliged to remain silent about one's resentment
to stick to sth without change (idiom); to persevere
unplugged (of rock musicians performing on acoustic instruments)
(math.) indeterminate equation
aplastic anemia
improper
to be unable to continue living (in a certain manner)
extensive but not refined (idiom); to know something about everything
in every possible way (idiom); meticulous
unclear
the two cannot exist together (idiom); irreconcilable differences
worse than a dog or pig
considerable (cost etc)
see 不知好歹[bù zhī hǎo dǎi]
steadfast
to keep going resolutely despite knowing the task is impossible (idiom)
(of prices, rates etc) to remain high
see 百思不解[bǎi sī bù jiě]
not be able to hear
one stumble, unable to rise (idiom); a setback leading to total collapse
to have no alternative (idiom); compelled by circumstances
lit. not even a blade of grass grows (idiom)
as incompatible or irreconcilable as ice and hot coals
not stopping at anything
indeterminate form
does not count for anything
to forget and not bear recriminations (idiom); to let bygones be bygones
unreliable
as expected
no match for
not in such a way as to; not likely to
unhappy
have sth ready just in case
unavoidable
to not know what sb is driving at
unidentified origin
don't let rhetoric spoil the message (idiom); don't get carried away with flowery speech to the detriment of what you want to say
real estate
to persevere unremittingly (idiom); to keep going until the end
there can never be too much deception in war
immoral
to remain unconscious
underripe
out of sorts
to be too petty or insignificant to mention
reluctant to part (idiom); broken-hearted at having to leave
you should not covet your friend's wife (idiom)
policy of non-recognition
refractory period (physiology)
wanton and unrestrained (idiom); dissolute
cannot stop worrying
unconscious
a son won't abandon his mother for being ugly, just as a dog won't abandon its owner for being poor (proverb)
not necessarily
just as
to stand by (sb) (idiom)
to seize the opportune moment
unable to take one's eyes off (idiom); to gaze steadily
unfavorable
the benevolent man cannot be rich and vice versa (idiom, from Mencius). It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:24).
(literary) unlike one's parents
to not even take a penny (as a bribe)
Buzhou Mountain, a mountain from Chinese legend
a possible period of want or need
wastage makes one destitute (idiom)
can't see
incoherent (writing or speech)
can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[zhuāng zǐ]); mysterious and subtle
national danger, but no support (idiom, from Analects); the future of the nation is at stake but no-one comes to the rescue
frugality prevents destitution (idiom)
totally unaware
undistributed
disproportionate punishment
lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other
untalented
exhausted
unavoidably
to be unsure about a matter
inconvenience
refusing to listen to advice or remonstrance
(idiom) to say one thing and do another
cannot figure out
lit. flowing water does not rot, nor a door-hinge rust (idiom)
arrhythmia
all businessmen are evil (idiom)
lit. one palm alone cannot clap (proverb)
in sight but unattainable (idiom)
to love sth too much to part with it (idiom); to fondle admiringly
too high to reach (idiom); eminent and unapproachable
not to accept sth
ill-gotten wealth or gains
to leave without saying good-bye
unfavorable
no less than
shop around first and you won't get ripped off (idiom)
can't find
to fail to see the larger issue (idiom)
to be unable to make any sense of the matter
endlessly
to have a tacit understanding
to feel very apologetic
unable to say
gone forever
noninterference
can't compare with
fishy
lit. heaven won't let the sparrows go hungry (idiom)
a blade will get rusty if it is not sharpened; a man will fall behind if he doesn't study (idiom)
rather destroy ten temples than a single marriage (idiom)
little imagined
lit. to dispatch a general is not as effective as to excite a general
barren land
to be full of praise (idiom)
see 灰不溜丟|灰不溜丢[huī bu liū diū]
to know nothing about the beginning, the middle or the end
fearless
can't help; involuntarily (idiom)
to exclaim in astonishment
see 食之無味，棄之可惜|食之无味，弃之可惜[shí zhī wú wèi , qì zhī kě xī]
indefinite integral (math.)
(idiom) lacking in social grace and unfit to be a representative
not only; not just
avid
dull (lamplight)
to be total strangers (idiom)
everything is unfamiliar
out of breath (idiom)
unwell
men and women should not touch hands when they give or receive things (citation, from Mencius)
(idiom) to have a disagreement
to be even
lit. the eye cannot recognize the letter T (idiom); totally illiterate
overcrowded
turbulent
unexpectedly
lit. unable to distinguish eldest brother from second brother (idiom); they are all equally excellent
not to accept as correct (idiom); to object
not enough time (to do sth)
feet not touching the ground (idiom)
give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime (idiom)
needless to say; it goes without saying
unmoved
to despise
the few are no match for the many
not according with decorum
the three imperishables, three ways to distinguish oneself that aren't forgotten by history: through one's virtue 立德[lì dé], one's service 立功[lì gōng] and one's writings 立言[lì yán] (from the Zuo Zhuan 左傳|左传[zuǒ zhuàn])
dark and swarthy
in no shape to be seen
intolerance (for lactose, gluten or other foods)
to feel perplexed
not very
see 爛泥扶不上牆|烂泥扶不上墙[làn ní fú bù shàng qiáng]
to be unable to find
to have disappeared
to keep in mind constantly (idiom)
not only
can't bear to (do sth emotionally painful)
it's nothing personal (idiom)
a boneheaded teammate can do you more harm than the most formidable opponent (idiom)
barren
unrestricted
to leave no trace
without destruction there can be no construction
dishonest
to avoid mentioning (idiom)
to agree by chance (idiom); taking the same action without prior consultation
totally illiterate
(verb complement) unable to firmly or securely (grasp, recall etc)
unyielding
While the green hills last, there'll be wood to burn (idiom). Where there's life there's hope.
not leaning to one side
to travel far and wide looking for sth, only to find it easily
to feel ill at ease
marvelous
airtight
can't remember
out of fashion
to be unable to bear
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
it is better to avoid unnecessary trouble (idiom)
deeply felt but not mawkish (idiom)
No time to lose! (idiom)
not worth
congenital deficiency
rude
many superficial changes but no departure from the original stand (idiom); plus ça change, plus ça reste la mème chose
incompatible
lacking in vitality
not in the least concerned (idiom)
lit. do not begrudge gems of wisdom (idiom, humble expr.); fig. Please give me your frank opinion.
Study everything, at all times, everywhere. (Zhu Xi 朱熹[zhū xī])
to be totally oblivious (to sth)
be unpopular
to have nothing in common with each other (idiom)
not only
illegal
large tail obstructs action (idiom); bottom heavy
not recognizing one's family (idiom); self-centered and not making any allowances for the needs of one's relatives
see 出其不意，攻其不備|出其不意，攻其不备[chū qí bù yì , gōng qí bù bèi]
to continue despite repeated prohibition (idiom)
dare not go one step beyond the prescribed limit
endless
lit. the trees long for peace but the wind will never cease (idiom)
hasty men don't get to eat hot tofu (idiom)
can't help
calamity will befall those whose moral standards are not in keeping with their social status
from time to time
(idiom) ignore your elders at your peril
cannot achieve
not paying attention
have to
ashamed of being inferior (idiom)
(lit.) so exhausted (by difficulties in a relationship) that one feels one could never fall in love again (Internet slang)
standoffish
from time to time
lit. isn't that a joy? (quote from Confucius)
Great Britain
one's moral standards are not in keeping with one's social status
too wonderful for words
(idiom) to take one's time; unhurried; leisurely
disapproval
conservative and unable to adapt (idiom)
without the freedom to act independently (idiom); involuntary
so deep one cannot see to the bottom
unafraid
to arrive unexpectably
not at all the same
to not need
unable to restrain emotions
to draw an impossible comparison
unable to make sense of (sth)
as many as; no less than
unable to restrain one's anger (idiom); in a towering rage
fixed point (of a map) (math.)
not confined
in sight but unattainable (idiom)
to ignore completely
like rowing a boat upstream, if you stop moving forward you fall back (idiom)
to be neither too familiar nor too distant
(idiom) not want to be outdone
you're welcome
even-handed
can't afford to offend
lit. if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home (idiom)
not to enjoy popular support
a summer insect cannot discuss ice (idiom)
unlikely to go so far as to; not as bad as
a steady flow (idiom); an unending stream
to remain unmoved
to suffer unspeakable misery
soon
unwilling to accept
calm
lit. the child sells the father's farm without regret (idiom)
to be nothing difficult
can't recognize Mt Taishan (idiom); fig. not to recognize a famous person
the notion in society that it's better to get ahead in the world by abandoning one's scruples than to suffer poverty
case insensitive
not to reciprocate is against etiquette (classical)
(slang) it's just the pits!
the palest ink is better than the best memory (idiom)
unexpectedly
immortality
you can't judge a person by appearance, just as you can't measure the sea with a pint pot (idiom)
common name for 麋鹿[mí lù], Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus), which is said to resemble an amalgam of animals such as a cow, deer, donkey and horse
nobody will find fault with extra courtesy (idiom)
not to worry about the gossip (idiom); to do the right thing regardless of what others say
inseparable (as form and shadow)
improbable
not at all surprising (idiom)
unable to change sth
a dog biting Lü Dongbin (idiom)
forgetting the fate of Ding and Dong (idiom)
cannot attend to or manage
agnosticism, the philosophical doctrine that some questions about the universe are in principle unanswerable
lit. clothes not covering the body (idiom)
unsymmetrical
lit. for a nobleman to take revenge, ten years is not too long (idiom)
to have poor eyesight
unexpected
to sit still and do nothing
countless; innumerable
nothing else but
see 皇帝不急太監急|皇帝不急太监急[huáng dì bù jí tài jiàn jí]
(nasty, stupid etc) as can be
self-evident; needing no explanation (idiom)
just as expected
If one is industrious, one will not be in want. (idiom)
without the slightest hesitation
to talk incessantly
lit. short-lived cicada does not know the seasons; fig. to see only a small piece of the big picture
needless to say; it goes without saying
to have no sense of shame; shameless
at a stalemate
(idiom) variable
to be preoccupied (idiom)
in unbroken succession (idiom)
to fail to grasp the main points
to show unhappiness or displeasure (idiom)
please excuse me for not complying
motionless
to not get along well
constant capital
neither too fast nor too slow (idiom)
to disregard
not at all surprising (idiom)
to be unable to do without one's cell phone
irreversible
to triumph in every battle and win every fight (idiom); all-conquering
unexpected
not to seek (sth)
to pick up money and not hide it (idiom); to return property to its owner
unable to understand
unjust
not long ago
lit. not even one stroke is negligent (idiom)
the great majority
well-tried
unworldly
to consider oneself as being not as good as the others
incorrect
not found in the classics (idiom); unknown
to keep totally silent
almost
impassable
to be unable to repress sth
soured by the loss of one's hopes
not inferior in any respect
lit. you cannot get fat with only one mouthful (proverb)
cannot bear to see
to be unable to bear or support
see 不像話|不像话[bù xiàng huà]
not to know one's place
unworthy
see 好記性不如爛筆頭|好记性不如烂笔头[hǎo jì xìng bù rú làn bǐ tóu]
not living up to expectations (idiom)
to totally stop doing something
no man is not...
not so good
see 偷雞不成蝕把米|偷鸡不成蚀把米[tōu jī bù chéng shí bǎ mǐ]
Shen Buhai (385-337 BC), legalist political thinker
unable to accomplish anything but liable to spoil everything (idiom)
agraphia
(of sales, TV show ratings etc) lukewarm
absurd
missing
untiring
to venture to
more likely than not
tone deaf
knowing the enemy and yourself will get you unscathed through a hundred battles (idiom, from Sunzi's \The Art of War\)
to be awfully (busy etc)
not amenable to reason; unreasonable
to refuse would be impolite
can't avoid
no longer a child (idiom)
(idiom) great plans can be ruined by just a touch of impatience
no more
study tirelessly, teach with endless enthusiasm (idiom, from Analects)
to triumph in every battle and win every fight (idiom); all-conquering
see 驢唇不對馬嘴|驴唇不对马嘴[lu:2 chún bù duì mǎ zuǐ]
not distinguishing black or white (idiom); not to distinguish between right and wrong
many fleas, but unconcerned (idiom); no point in worrying about one debt when one has so many others
unpredictable; elusive; hard to pin down
unwritten (rule)
regardless of the consequences
to turn a blind eye to
to act recklessly (idiom)
just as bad; not much better
lit. without wind there cannot be waves (idiom); there must be a reason
lit. not aiming to achieve the best possible result, but rather trying to avoid making mistakes (idiom)
see 初生之犢不畏虎|初生之犊不畏虎[chū shēng zhī dú bù wèi hǔ]
to fail
hopelessly muddled
all thunder but no rain (idiom)
to be delirious
elixir of life
no use to tell others
pretty close
don't act until the time is ripe (idiom)
the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom)
(politically) dissenting
lit. family shames must not be spread abroad (idiom); fig. don't wash your dirty linen in public
to be out of form
absolutely still
not censure sb for his past misdeeds
negligible; insignificant
(term coined c. 1920s) unequal treaty – a treaty between China and one or more aggressor nations (including Russia, Japan and various Western powers) which imposed humiliating conditions on China (in the 19th and early 20th centuries)
correct
The people have no way to make a living (idiom, from Record of the Grand Historian 史記|史记[shǐ jì])
too horrible to contemplate
study is like rowing upstream – if you don't keep pushing forward, you fall behind
not trying to avoid the battle-ax (idiom)
to chip away at a task and not abandon it (idiom); to chisel away at sth
unfailing
known to everyone
peremptory
(coll.) to be eager for
(idiom) don't say you haven't been forewarned (threat used by the PRC in international diplomacy)
ominous
the isoperimetric inequality
uninvited (guest)
discouraging
lit. to draw the bow without shooting the arrow (idiom)
to regard decapitation as no more important than the wind blowing off your hat (idiom)
out of the ordinary
unceasing
the right of immunity from arrest afforded by the Taiwan ROC Constitution, for the duration of meetings, unless caught actually committing a crime, to members of the National Assembly, the Legislative Yuan, or a supervisory committee
stainless iron
not to mind taking all the trouble (idiom)
to be unable to keep a straight face (idiom)
You're welcome
unlike
unclear
intolerably vulgar
Opportunity knocks but once. (idiom)
lit. food not filling the stomach (idiom)
to be unable to stand
impossible to put into words
A relative afar is less use than a close neighbor (idiom). Take whatever help is on hand, even from strangers.
no trace to be seen
lit. no ivory comes from the mouth of a dog (idiom)
lit. either the fish dies or the net gets torn (idiom)
lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73)
of little value
a horse cannot get fat without an extra ration, a man cannot get rich without an extra income (idiom)
to not use all of
undecorated
unwell
unquiet state of mind
unpredictable eventuality
Amoghasiddhi Buddha
inviolability
(maxim) a mere \thank you\ is an insufficient response to a huge favor
well-matched
no thanks (used to politely but informally decline)
crushed
to be so in pain as to not want to live
lit. the eye cannot bear to see it (idiom)
wanton and unrestrained (idiom); dissolute
unable to tolerate
unromantic
He who comes is surely ill-intentioned, no-one well-meaning will come (idiom).
money isn't everything, but without money you can do nothing (idiom)
to differ to some extent (idiom)
harmful trend
outrageous and unconventional (idiom); flying in the face of (authority, convention, public opinion etc)
not one thread loose (idiom); strictly according to the rules
shameful
see 閉口不言|闭口不言[bì kǒu bù yán]
see 冒大不韙|冒大不韪[mào dà bù wěi]
agnosia
to believe firmly without any doubt (idiom)
unable to wait
(idiom) nothing more than this; that's all; no big deal; not very impressive
to succeed or die trying (idiom)
fault
know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated (idiom, from Sunzi's \The Art of War\ 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[sūn zǐ bīng fǎ])
worth hearing a hundred times
to be unable to breathe
somehow
a person of great moral stature does not remember the offenses committed by one of low moral stature
better to go home and weave a net than to stand by the pond longing for fish (idiom)
motion of no confidence (against the government, in parliamentary debates)
cannot help
lit. one doesn't visit a temple without a cause (idiom)
to shut the door and remain inside
lit. not fit for elegant hall (of artwork)
to be successful in every endeavor
all black, no daylight (idiom); a world without justice
lit. to blame the toilet because one is having difficulty completing a bowel movement (idiom)
inequality
lit. the emperor's daughter does not worry about whether she will be able to marry (idiom)
cannot see
limitless supply (of)
not standard
to be unable to intervene
unpleasant
lactose intolerance
not known to anyone
want to stop but can't (idiom)
to regret one's past deeds (idiom)
the two cannot exist together (idiom); irreconcilable differences
indescribable
there is no lack of
lit. not to shed a tear until one sees the coffin (idiom)
lit. not a common chord (idiom); outstanding
He who never wrongs others does not fear the knock in the night.
not equal to
nothing one can't do
the unvarnished truth is better than a cunning ruse (idiom)
lit. not to know the true face of Lushan Mountain (idiom)
to be confused and disoriented
lit. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiom); fig. subordinates imitate their superiors' vices
not one drop of water leaks (idiom); fig. thoughtful and completely rigorous
in a state of depression (idiom)
to grow and multiply without end
to agree without prior consultation
to last forever; eternal; enduring
although I don't understand it, it seems pretty awesome (Internet slang)
can't say for sure
don't bother to see me out
money can't buy happiness
(of troops) to be utterly routed and dispersed
not a single one is dispensable
known to everybody
without stopping to sleep or have a rest (idiom)
to arrive without invitation
lit. to clasp the Buddha's feet when danger arises (idiom); fig. to profess devotion only when in trouble
unable to put up with (sth) any longer
to be penniless
divine retribution is unfailing (idiom)
unable to see the wood for the trees
no pain, no gain (idiom)
whereabouts unknown
to murder without blinking an eye (idiom)
inference by incomplete induction
Bremen (city in Germany)
deep-fried fish cake popular in Taiwan (loanword from Japanese \tempura\)
unaspirated
bad
to shrink back in fear (idiom); too cowardly to advance
to know that it is so but not why it is so (idiom)
if it isn't bright in the east, it'll be bright in the west (idiom)
not necessarily
none lacking
to have poor eyesight
on and on
suddenly
otherwise
have no choice or option but to
lit. diligent and never slacking (idiom); continuous concentrated effort
without the slightest doubt
not to repent even facing death (idiom)
(idiom) nothing special to look at
unfit for anything
cannot be deemed
fig. to tremble with fear
unhealthy tendency
(idiom) always at loggerheads; never able to agree with sb; unable to get on with sb
no good
involuntary muscle
water in a distant place is of little use in putting out a fire right here
not worth it
lit. the eye cannot take it all in (idiom)
can't reach the high or accept the low (idiom); not good enough for a high post, but too proud to take a low one
unreasonable
to be unable to lift (sth); to find (sth) too heavy
don't!
to be getting worse with each generation
to fight to one's last gasp
fortitude
policy of nonresistance
there is no-one who is not extravagant
lit. doors not locked at night (idiom); fig. stable society
regular and thorough (idiom); methodically arranged
it's lonely at the top (idiom)
unwritten law
to keep doing evil without a sense of repentance (idiom)
lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
stingy (idiom)
(conventional letter ending) words cannot fully express what is in my heart (idiom)
the benevolent man cannot be rich (idiom, from Mencius). It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:24).
to completely ignore (idiom)
unaware of the inner workings
disgraceful
not a slave to the bottle
Bremen (city)
not to report sth
lit. bread previously chewed by someone has no flavor (idiom)
see 眼裡容不得沙子|眼里容不得沙子[yǎn lǐ róng bu dé shā zi]
won't do
impossibly stupid
restless
to make life difficult for
arduous and thankless task (idiom); strenuous and unrewarding
by no means
to be in complete order (idiom)
to disdain to do sth
not to tell others of one's illness
to take defeat with bad grace
to remain puzzled after pondering over sth a hundred times (idiom)
to know the first, but not know the second (idiom); only partial information
surd (math.)
unwelcome
to keep silent
see 犯不著|犯不着[fàn bu zháo]
pitch-dark (idiom)
unnatural
not understanding things (idiom); devoid of sense
to refuse to meet sb
cannot maintain (sth)
to be unable to say or tell
having no common measure
discontented (idiom)
reluctant to part
to sell anything
bad
tireless
it's getting late; time's getting on
cannot blame
numb
not to be crushed (idiom)
omniscient
Battle of Britain (Jul-Oct 1940)
deep and unmeasurable (idiom); unfathomable depths
spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
see 天下沒有不散的筵席|天下没有不散的筵席[tiān xià méi yǒu bù sàn de yán xí]
indecisive (idiom)
cannot help
a common occurrence (idiom)
to stand aside and do nothing (idiom)
hardly
nonstop flight
a kind act that costs nothing
stainless steel
(of a stranger) not accustomed to the climate of a new place
see 大人不記小人過|大人不记小人过[dà rén bù jì xiǎo rén guò]
see 兒不嫌母醜，狗不嫌家貧|儿不嫌母丑，狗不嫌家贫[ér bù xián mǔ chǒu , gǒu bù xián jiā pín]
(political) dissident
too numerous to mention individually or one by one
serves you right for doing sth so stupid (Internet slang)
wealth never survives three generations (idiom)
lit. casual aquaintances should not come between relatives
to have one's ambitions elsewhere (idiom)
can't hear
cannot be avoided
ill-founded
cannot bear to
invulnerable, indestructible, impregnable
unfilial
not lax
neither giving way to the other
nonsense
shapeless
New Britain, island of northeast Papua New Guinea
lit. family shames must not be spread abroad (idiom)
not to worry
inseparable
to have financial difficulties
irreversible
see 躲得過初一，躲不過十五|躲得过初一，躲不过十五[duǒ de guò chū yī , duǒ bù guò shí wǔ]
to talk nonsense (idiom)
to be sorry; to feel apologetic
(of enemies) cannot live under the same sky; absolutely irreconcilable
unable to defeat
to ask for trouble
to spare no effort
to have no sense of shame
abnormal state
not in vain
inexpressible (idiom)
to complain without stopping (idiom); to bitch endlessly
to be everywhere
lawbreaker; outlaw
see 桀驁不馴|桀骜不驯[jié ào bù xùn]
see 無記名|无记名[wú jì míng]
unsaturated fatty acid
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
to not fully understand (idiom)
to hesitate to move forward
not beyond the scope of
can be discovered but not sought (idiom)
indiscriminate
no need
an honest person does not act surreptitiously (idiom)
to give no consideration to the bigger picture (usually implying selfishness)
to deny a crime
motionless
inconceivable (idiom); unimaginable
unending
hardly any better
Don't get a reward if it's not deserved. (idiom)
unwilling to remain lonely or idle
unexpected
not to discard anything, whether small or big (idiom)
(idiom) to be all talk and no action; to preach what one does not practice
not worth mentioning
lit. disappointed that iron does not turn into steel (idiom)
lit. (a place where) birds don't lay eggs and dogs don't defecate (idiom)
to feel puzzled
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
inconsistent
give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime
shrink or flinch from no difficulty or danger
there is no such thing as a free lunch (idiom)
not stick to
to be unaccustomed to certain food
lit. cannot tell beans from wheat (idiom); fig. ignorant of practical matters
if you beat the snake without killing it, endless evils will ensue (idiom)
to let sb down
untiring
incessant playing of instruments and reciting of poems (idiom)
(dialect) first of all
help the starving but not the poor (idiom)
unstoppable
to take advantage of sb in an unguarded moment (idiom)
errant
no poison, no great man (idiom); A great man has to be ruthless.
unchanging since times immemorial (idiom)
to beg to differ (idiom)
neither for nor against sth
(dialect) not that great
vote of no-confidence
Mesopotamia
fault
none doesn't
return what you borrowed on time, you may borrow again next time (idiom)
to say one and mean just that (idiom); to keep one's word
impossible
worthless (idiom)
non-stick pan
(idiom) you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink
(idiom) to have an aura of authority; to have a commanding presence
(on which) the sun never sets
undisguised
to muddle things together (idiom)
to pay no heed to (idiom)
a gentleman uses his mouth and not his fist
really not easy (idiom)
not to be trifled with
see 寧做雞頭，不做鳳尾|宁做鸡头，不做凤尾[nìng zuò jī tóu , bù zuò fèng wěi]
to be not less than (a certain quantity, amount etc)
not to be trifled with
lit. a new-born calf has no fear of the tiger (idiom)
to double up with laughter (idiom)
to falter
not proper
The army is completely routed. (idiom)
boasts a lot, but nothing comes of it (idiom)
we will not elaborate on that (used as pluralis auctoris)
to die without regrets (idiom); to sacrifice oneself without hesitation
need not
real men do not easily cry (idiom)
to not lack
flower but no fruit (idiom); handsome exterior but hollow inside
to remain calm in the face of events (idiom)
lit. to try to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it (idiom)
lawless
widely known
to remain neutral in a quarrel (idiom)
unpleasant to the eye
can't keep up with
to strive unremittingly
omnipresent
(Internet slang) can't contain oneself
lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom)
What can you have against it? (idiom)
unswerving
(dialect) extremely
anyhow
to stubbornly insist on one's own ideas (idiom)
Time that has passed will never come back. (idiom)
once it gets started there's no stopping it
the will is there, but not the strength (idiom)
to feel indignant
to speak incoherently
whatever
to learn is to know one's ignorance (the Book of Rites 禮記|礼记[lǐ jì])
rabbits don't have long tails (idiom)
(idiom) the weak cannot overcome the strong
to overestimate one's capabilities
worthless
cannot afford
to be unwilling to pass on one's responsibilities to others
lit. their number cannot be counted (idiom); fig. countless
Don't spread abroad the shame of the family, don't believe rumors lightly. (idiom)
avaricious and insatiable (idiom); greedy and never satisfied
can't persuade
see 百折不撓|百折不挠[bǎi zhé bù náo]
if an official does not put the people first, he might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes
The net of justice is wide, but no-one escapes.
see 皇帝不急太監急|皇帝不急太监急[huáng dì bù jí tài jiàn jí]
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); a stitch in time saves nine
Look out for yourself, or heaven and earth will combine to destroy you.
inhuman
lit. would rather be a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail (idiom)
outside appearance and inner reality differ (idiom); not what it seems
to be impossible to stop once started
some people have to be pushed for them to take action
to fall gravely ill, never to recover (idiom)
infertile
lit. like a three-meter high monk, you can't rub his head (idiom)
solid; unbreakable
to be irrelevant
to be so thirsty as to no longer be able to tolerate it
people who don't belong together, don't get to live together (idiom)
uncomfortable
not satisfactory
cannot do without
Heaven is not cooperating (idiom)
worthless (idiom)
to swallow ancient learning without digesting it (idiom)
to have no right or ability to interfere in sth
not to one's liking
slack
a matter of no concern to oneself (idiom)
not much different
uneven
intolerable; unacceptable
to be worthy of
not presentable
irregular
whereabouts unknown
equally matched
To learn without thinking is confusing, to think without learning is dangerous (Confucius)
unpleasant
malnutrition
not wearing one thread (idiom); absolutely naked
truth to tell
lit. not knowing what's important (idiom); no appreciation of the gravity of things
to cry out against injustice
it does not make sense
completely incompatible
to be getting worse by the day
ungrateful
fate is unfavorable (idiom); the omens are not good
to come to the aid of sb suffering an injustice
disappointed and unhappy
not the least bit concerned
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); A stitch in time saves nine.
not to pose a problem for sb
the meal is remembered long after the wait is forgotten
lit. covered with lice, one doesn't feel the itching anymore; up to one's ears in debt, one ceases to worry about it (idiom)
not at all ...
illiterate
not at all
lit. the barefooted people are not afraid of those who wear shoes (idiom)
the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom)
a real man, if he takes a hit, will seek to even the score (idiom)
lit. the eye cannot see the eyelashes (idiom); fig. unable to see one's own faults
ominous
to have no room to put sth
even if you build a thousand-league awning for it, every banquet must come to an end (idiom)
to have a silver tongue
with fixed attention (idiom)
to quarrel endlessly
dull gray
to hesitate to move forward
lit. to have no time for civilities (idiom)
uncanny
unexpectedly
eternal glory
committing all manner of crimes
not worthwhile
all good things must come to an end (idiom)
not to deviate an iota (idiom)
to eat without working (idiom)
to talk shop all the time (idiom)
(fig.) to fight a one-sided battle
to run in parallel without hindrance
out of tune
unreliable
hurriedly
nonfeasance
not work
sticking unmoving to the original (idiom); not an iota changed
speechless
lit. strong dragon cannot repress a snake (idiom); fig. a local gangster who is above the law
nuclear nonproliferation
to go astray and to not know how to get back on the right path (idiom)
is or isn't
cannot cope
not worth mentioning
not to know the immensity of heaven and earth
within the next few days
to lose consciousness
equally true for (all the rest)
better a bad life than a good death (idiom)
only
to bite off more than one can chew (idiom)
not long (after)
it's always good to have more skills (idiom)
(idiom) to say one thing and do another
to catch an enemy off guard with a surprise attack (idiom, from Sunzi's \The Art of War\ 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[sūn zǐ bīng fǎ])
to treat the symptoms but not the root cause
obscure
ten thousand deaths will not prevent me (idiom); ready to risk life and limb to help out
deference is no substitute for obedience (idiom)
impatient (idiom); in a hurry
unequal
no wonder!
the name does not reflect the reality (idiom); more in name than in fact
incautious
to be worth reading a hundred times (idiom)
to settle a matter by leaving it unsettled
lit. don't sit under the eaves (where tiles may fall from the roof) (idiom); fig. keep out of danger
see 遠水救不了近火|远水救不了近火[yuǎn shuǐ jiù bu liǎo jìn huǒ]
no longer
unwilling to concede
wine-lover's heart is not in the cup (idiom); a drinker not really interested in alcohol
a man who is never content is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant (idiom)
erectile dysfunction
unremarkable
not take a proper measure of oneself
not to forgive easily
it's all very well to talk, but getting things done is another matter (idiom)
won't get far; unlikely to be successful
nonrenewable resource
Poverty is a stranger to industry. (idiom)
things are not as good as they used to be
(idiom) (of a married woman) to be unfaithful; to have extramarital affairs
may not
arrogant and obstinate (idiom)
right or wrong?
unconsciously
stuck and not moving forward (idiom); stagnant
numbed
insufficient
sealed off
irreversible
depressed
there's no hurry
firm and indomitable (idiom); tenacious and unyielding
to fall out with sb and become hostile
to be penniless
lit. either don't do it, or don't rest (idiom)
to have to pour out what's on one's mind (idiom)
overjoyed (idiom); as pleased as punch
indivisible (math)
less capable than desirable (idiom); not as strong as one would wish
to do sth when least expected (idiom); to catch sb off guard
arriving early can't beat coming at the right time
unquestionable
can't reach the high or accept the low (idiom); not good enough for a high post, but too proud to take a low one
New Brunswick province, Canada
without milk
not easy to do sth
to refuse nobody (idiom)
(idiom) to be free of jealousy or greed
lit. carefully setting an auspicious date does not beat seizing an opportunity (idiom)
to leave no trace
(of an argument) not even worthy of a rebuttal
nothing he can't do
lit. not one drop can trickle through (idiom); fig. impenetrable (crowd, traffic)
uneven (surface)
it isn't worth it
to vary
to be unable to extricate oneself gracefully
to tease
curious coincidence
fixed price
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
no less than
you can't always do as you like
to not move a single jot (idiom)
not to overlook, nor spare (idiom); unwilling to forgive
not bad
to be obstructed
no thought for tea or rice (idiom); melancholic and suffering
see 兩不相欠|两不相欠[liǎng bù xiāng qiàn]
fixed
no shame, no subterfuge (idiom); just and honorable
restless
not divided
“surrender and your life will be spared”
seeing sth for oneself is better than hearing about it from others
lit. river water does not interfere with well water (idiom); Do not interfere with one another.
to be strictly just and impartial
not to do one's best
while there is life, the fight continues (idiom); to fight to the last
absolute necessity
lit. the dog that bites doesn't show its teeth (idiom)
Lü Buwei (?291-235 BC), merchant and politician of the State of Qin 秦國|秦国[qín guó], subsequent Qin Dynasty 秦代[qín dài] Chancellor, allegedly the father of Ying Zheng 嬴政[yíng zhèng], who subsequently became the first emperor Qin Shihuang 秦始皇[qín shǐ huáng]
incomplete leaf
lit. don't tie your shoelaces in a melon patch, and don't adjust your hat under a plum tree (idiom)
disequilibrium
not to have
lit. a dead pig doesn't fear scalding water (idiom)
to not understand
he who never wrongs others does not fear the knock in the night; you can rest with a clear conscience
If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it (idiom). fig. If you do something bad, people will inevitably hear about it.
women love bad guys
fuzzy about the details
insoluble (i.e. impossible to solve)
not count as
uncompromising
high merit that one can never repay (idiom); invaluable achievements
untainted by even a speck of dust (idiom); selfless and incorruptible
not to refuse to (idiom)
continually
there are no rivers to one who has crossed the ocean, and no clouds to one who has passed Mount Wu (idiom)
to triumph in every battle and win every fight (idiom); all-conquering
decline to comment
British Isles
to know no shame
nothing is too bizarre
abstract number
rather die than submit (idiom)
graceless
the charm lies in what is left unsaid (idiom)
to neglect neither one
sterility
indisputable statement
Heaven will not disappoint the person who tries (idiom). If you try hard, you're bound to succeed eventually.
displeased
unimportant
won't do
I have much more to say than can be written in this letter (conventional letter ending) (idiom)
to be prepared for accidents
to hesitate
unprepared
(idiom) dreadful to hear
to not mention a single word (about sth) (idiom)
forbidden
cannot be justified
to have a loose tongue
indignant
to follow sb closely (idiom)
to not bother about trifles (idiom)
to be better off ...
unable to conceal one's happiness, amazement, shock etc
in no way
wordless and silent (idiom); without speaking
surface of discontinuity
to not say a word (idiom)
one price for all
improper relationship; illicit relationship
lit. doesn't hurt the spleen or the stomach
not to do anything productive
a real man doesn't boast about his past achievements (idiom)
of unknown origin
lit. you plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree
in any case
everything is fine except for one small defect (idiom); the fly in the ointment
British Columbia, Pacific province of Canada
see 此言非虛|此言非虚[cǐ yán fēi xū]
lit. a good horse doesn't turn around and graze the same patch again (idiom)
inextricably linked (idiom)
to be unable to get into (a house, an organization, a field of study, a particular type of career etc)
to smile but say nothing
when views are irreconcilable, it's a waste of breath to continue discussion (idiom)
lit. not close one's eyes after dying (idiom)
uncountable
faithful and unchanging (idiom); steadfast
(of a rumor etc) to collapse (in the light of facts etc)
Is it possible that ... ?
irrevocable letter of credit
indispensable
to keep one's emotions inside oneself
the name does not correspond to reality (idiom); it doesn't live up to its reputation
uninvited or unexpected guest
impossible to make a living
lit. newborn calves do not fear tigers (idiom)
not troublesome
lit. to eat without tasting the food
unable to make sense of what one is looking at
not knowing when to come or leave (idiom); with no sense of propriety
The story is so good it's worth hearing a hundred times.
hardly
to cover up (a matter that should be reported to the authorities)
refrain from going to extremes in meting out punishment
to laugh irrepressibly
lit. doesn't hurt, doesn't tickle (idiom); sth is wrong, but not quite sure what
never to touch a drop of alcohol
too late for regrets
to stay out all night (idiom)
gone forever
to feel embarrassed
lit. good deeds do not go beyond the door, evil deeds spread a thousand miles
not long ago
to be unable to sleep at night
lit. don't fight, won't make friends (idiom); an exchange of blows may lead to friendship
uncountable set (math.)
to harbor evil intentions (idiom)
Ono Fuyumi (1960-), Japanese novelist
(of sound) to never stop
open hostilities without declaring war
a hundred percent
to pursue relentlessly
established and irrefutable (idiom)
not be without some advantage
The will is there, but not the strength (idiom, from Confucian Analects).
better to be safe than sorry (proverb)
neither haughty nor humble
standing out from the common crowd (idiom); outstanding
not shaken by thunder (idiom); the arrangements are unalterable
(of a turn of events) not too encouraging
incompatibility of temperament
effortless
wishing one could do sth
injustice
ungainly
to recover spontaneously (from an illness)
one is bound for good fortune after surviving a great disaster (proverb)
to be unable to reach
lit. just because Zhang the butcher dies, doesn't mean we'll have to eat pork mixed with bristles (idiom)
a book is not judged by its cover (idiom)
to be law-abiding (idiom)
lit. a straight foot has no fear of a crooked shoe
fortune as unpredictable as the weather, every day may bring fortune or calamity (idiom); sth unexpected may happen at any moment
needless; unnecessary
time and tide wait for no man (idiom)
to be outraged by an injustice
lame (unimpressive)
no time to deal with it (idiom); caught unprepared
not exposed
see 一字不漏[yī zì bù lòu]
heart and mouth at variance (idiom); keeping one's real intentions to oneself
lit. no village ahead and no inn behind (idiom)
lit. unbeatable by even 10,000 men (idiom)
to pay no attention to
lit. I dare not (accept the honor); fig. I don't deserve your praise
unable to brake (stop)
indigestion
misfortune
to fail
many times
the trip has not been made in vain
to wish for the whole world to be in chaos (idiom)
to conform to no conventional pattern
the year's horoscope augurs ill (idiom); an unlucky year
unique
untrue
tiny
unavoidable
not only
to turn out just as one predicted or feared
to say sth without meaning it (idiom); to speak tongue in cheek
unacceptable as uncorroborated evidence (in law or in textual criticism)
flowing water does not rot
lit. paper can't wrap fire; fig. the truth will out
useless
to not dare to disobey an order (idiom)
to pay no heed to
at death's door
an unending stream of pilgrims
lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73)
(idiom) to act without taking time to think; to react instantly; to fire from the hip
indispensable; essential
to vow to fight to the death
waterproof
to be a stranger in a strange land (idiom)
see 數不上|数不上[shǔ bù shàng]
instability
destiny will make enemies meet (idiom)
can't afford to play
it's a small world
Britain
different
no first use (policy for nuclear weapons)
there's not enough time (to do sth)
a student shall not be enlightened until he has tried hard by himself (idiom)
impossible to get even an outline (idiom)
unbelievable; incredible
everyone minds their own business
lit. to try to make an ox drink by forcing its head down to the water (idiom)
hanging by a thread
neither war nor peace
to oscillate without pause (idiom)
to lose one's cool
may be done once and once only; just this once
not without
more than one can attend to (idiom)
gloomy and dull (idiom)
to die before one's allotted lifespan has run its course (idiom)
to have a highly retentive memory
unbearable
spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
not well
continuous
to talk about everything
you can't gain knowledge without practical experience (idiom)
total illiterate
unable to determine victory or defeat (idiom); evenly matched
lit. mysteries of heaven must not be revealed (idiom); must not be revealed
unexpectedly
never to be forgotten
no
lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
A small hole not plugged will sink a great ship.
it's a small world (idiom)
nothing more beautiful can be imagined (idiom)
without concealing anything
(idiom) to have one's hands full managing one's own affairs
cannot conceal (a matter) from (sb)
one day apart seems like three years (idiom)
to put on a fake smile (idiom)
without proof one can't believe it (idiom)
lit. eats soft food, but refuses hard food (idiom)
much worse than having something stolen is when a thief has you in his sights (idiom)
indecisive
dispirited and listless (idiom); downcast
(derog.) to be a good-for-nothing
not to get along well
never move your four limbs, can't distinguish the five crops (idiom); living as a parasite
to distrust
neither servile nor overbearing (idiom)
to speak bluntly (idiom)
indiscriminate
not worth a penny; utterly worthless
irrelevant
what remains unseen is deemed to be clean
unfailing
to act against one's will
(idiom) not want to be outdone
immortality
endlessly
trouble is never far away (idiom)
to part on bad terms
to be unable to tolerate or endure
indefinite
lit. if you have to use force to break a melon off the vine, it won't taste sweet (because it's only when the melon is ripe that it can be removed with just a slight twist) (idiom)
(idiom) immutable; impervious to change; set in stone
discontinuous; discrete
many
necessary
knowing sb by their reputation can't compare to meeting them in person (idiom)
to be on tenterhooks (idiom)
unfair competition
to be pestered beyond endurance
nonstandard
cowherb (Vaccaria segetalis)
disrespect
The well-fed cannot know how the starving suffer (idiom).
should not
not so
unconsciously
lit. impervious to sword or spear (idiom)
unobtrusive
terrific
\keep the change\ (restaurant expression)
it's better to make slow progress than no progress at all (proverb)
not to mind
loose or defective contact (elec.)
not to understand the situation
you don't release the hawk until you've seen the hare (idiom)
(coll.) As a matter of fact, ... (used to introduce evidence for what one has just asserted)
not diluted by one drop
to fail to return a borrowed item
not to be repeated
word for word
lit. to grow out of the mud unsullied (idiom)
incessant
of no consequence (idiom)
isn't that so?
not miss the farming season
cannot afford
only the official is allowed to light the fire
unsatisfied
Bhutan
to refuse to say anything about (idiom)
unswerving
unwilling
unable to contain one's joy (idiom)
There are three ways to be unfilial; having no sons is the worst. (citation from Mencius 孟子[mèng zǐ])
unsaturated
extremely
arrhythmia
a common occurrence (idiom)
(idiom) to say not a single word about it
unable to control oneself
lit. will not be forgotten even after one's teeth fall out
to write a flawless essay in one go (idiom)
not feel ashamed to ask and learn from one's subordinates
can't thank sb enough (idiom)
good and bad people intermingled
to trifle without respect (idiom); to despise worldly conventions
unstable
a learned person need not leave his home to know what's going on in the world (idiom)
not at all
when a girl is of age, she must be married off (idiom)
to have talent but no opportunity (idiom)
perfectly sound proposition
almost everything has a start, but not many things have an end (idiom); don't start sth you can't handle
not excluding anything
to do sth and not report the fact (idiom)
calm and unhurried (idiom); composed
impressive
(orthography) inconsistent words (e.g. \through\, \bough\ and \rough\, where \-ough\ is not pronounced the same in each case)
stale
to live up to
I am who I am and not ashamed of it; to be proud of one's name and stand by one's actions
too numerous to list (idiom); innumerable
why not?
without a penny to one's name
see 欲速則不達|欲速则不达[yù sù zé bù dá]
amazing
unwilling to give up
not to be concerned
to obstinately persist in going about things the wrong way (idiom)
fruitless
frequently
leaving much to be desired
half dead
lack of sleep
desperado
not hiding anything he knows, not stopping before he has said it through (idiom)
cannot bear or stand
to be dead
to die of illness or injury despite receiving medical help
to lisp
unruly
unable to control one's grief (idiom); overwrought
unable to get along (idiom)
not show one's feeling or intentions
resentful
anonymous author
unclean
careless
premature (birth, child)
man proposes, God disposes (idiom)
unlucky
to not say a word
to fall short of
to ignore an issue (idiom)
Cheng Bushi, Han dynasty general
one can't tell how many
being late is not acceptable (idiom)
(Pauli) exclusion principle (physics)
beset by a series of mishaps (idiom)
not to be shirked without dishonor (idiom)
countless
lit. to intervene when one sees an injustice (idiom)
irrespective of
lit. (a place where) birds don't defecate and hens don't lay eggs (idiom)
best not to mention it
a real man doesn't fight with womenfolk (idiom)
lit. no one picks up lost articles in the street (idiom)
hard to say; can't be sure
see 丈二和尚，摸不著頭腦|丈二和尚，摸不着头脑[zhàng èr hé shang , mō bu zháo tóu nǎo]
inconvenient
to show no quarter
day and night
disagreeable
not much difference
never
to be out of the question
unattainable
not benevolent
to be a little bit careless; to have a moment of inattentiveness
wicked beyond redemption (idiom)
to make nothing of hardships
(idiom) impervious to reason; unreasonable
disorderly and uneven (idiom); irregular and disorderly
nonalignment
to be completely unrelated to one another (idiom)
unremitting in one's efforts
born at the wrong time (idiom); unlucky (esp. to complain about one's fate)
not knowing what to do (idiom); at one's wits' end
lit. mention the pot that doesn't boil (idiom); to touch a sore spot
not to reject a word because of the speaker (idiom, from Analects); to judge on the merits of the case rather than preference between advisers
to be put on the spot
osteogenesis imperfecta (OI); brittle bone disease
arduous and thankless task (idiom); strenuous and unrewarding
don't let rhetoric spoil the message (idiom); don't get carried away with flowery speech to the detriment of what you want to say
to be sleepless all night
can still be considered (to be...)
not to the point
conjugate surd (math.)
a little dirt never killed anybody (proverb)
to pass by without showing interest (idiom)
cannot stand by idly and watch
too many to count (idiom); innumerable
incessant
(of a relationship) improper (adulterous, incestuous, teacher-student etc)
infinitive (grammar)
cannot get
pretty close
indistinct
lit. even a prairie fire cannot destroy the grass - it grows again when the breeze blows (proverb)
without the slightest hesitation
If you don't plug the small hole, the big hole will be hard to repair (idiom); A stitch in time saves nine.
a \screw that never rusts\ — sb who selflessly and wholeheartedly serves the Communist Party, like Lei Feng 雷鋒|雷锋[léi fēng], to whom the metaphor is attributed
dead but showing no signs of rigor mortis
won't work
(Tang dynasty) official responsible for tracking down and arresting lawbreakers
to have no time to (do sth)
impractical
not enough
to think too much of oneself
in spite of; regardless of
uncountable noun (in grammar of European languages)
lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
busy and unable to get away
happen unexpectedly
lit. not for the monk's sake but for the Buddha's sake (idiom)
ice-free port
the sage presents as an ordinary person (idiom)
see 不像話|不像话[bù xiàng huà]
to refuse to acknowledge
too weak to stand up to the wind (idiom); extremely delicate
the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom)
unable to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)
lit. don't worry about not knowing goods, but about comparing them (proverb)
to hear but not react (idiom); to turn a deaf ear
in absolute secrecy
to live in plenty without appreciating it (idiom); not to know when one is well off
if you want sth done well, do it yourself (idiom)
irremediable
so angry it's unbearable
to meet with disaster
consigned to eternal damnation
Moho (aka Mohorovičić discontinuity, the lower boundary of the earth's lithosphere)
lit. don't let one's own fertile water flow into others' field
(posing a question: whether sb, something) can or cannot?
It is better to squash enmity rather than keeping it alive (proverb)
a change in form but not in substance
anxious
great error
disrespectful
inconsiderable
widely different
indefinite article (e.g. English a, an)
one's days are numbered
cannot help laughing
a fortune in misfortune
unknown cause of death
no arrogance in victory, no despair in defeat
No comment!
customs change with time (idiom); other times, other manners
restless insomnia
inalienable
to be unable to breathe easily
ruthless
not to claim personal credit for achievement (idiom)
mishap
The well-fed cannot know how the starving suffer (idiom).
otherwise
there is no harm in
when radishes are selling fast, one doesn't take the time to wash the soil off them (idiom)
lit. not to stop until one reaches the Yellow River (idiom)
too much talk is a nuisance (idiom)
to make no comment
equally matched
(dialect) shrike
lit. I'm ashamed and dare not (accept the honor); fig. I do not deserve your praise.
without giving due consideration
lit. to reply \don't know\ whatever the question (idiom)
weak and inept person
countless
lit. not eating the food of common mortals
to be unworthy to associate with (sb of higher social status)
to fail the civil service examination (in imperial China)
only
not always; not entirely
untalented
to be born with a weak constitution and suffer from ill health during one's life
backscratcher (made from bamboo etc)
no-confidence motion
need not
not ashamed to learn from subordinates (idiom)
to come unscathed through a hundred battles (idiom, from Sunzi's \The Art of War\ 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[sūn zǐ bīng fǎ]); to win every fight
not important
don't forget past events, they can guide you in future (idiom); benefit from past experience
to report only the good news, not the bad news
upright and plainspoken
not very
hesitancy
to start on virtue but give up (idiom); to fail to carry things through
to be underwhelmed
not distinguishing red-green or black-white (idiom)
see 真金不怕火煉|真金不怕火炼[zhēn jīn bù pà huǒ liàn]
to continue despite repeated prohibition (idiom)
not need
unpeaceful
do not worry about scarcity, but rather about uneven distribution (idiom, from Analects)
sour
Portulaca Sundial (a type of plant)
unidentified flying object (UFO)
unable to bear the pain (idiom)
can't tell black from white (idiom); unable to distinguish wrong from right
you can't judge a person by appearance (idiom)
lit. sharpening the axe won't make the wood-splitting take longer (idiom)
see 十指不沾陽春水|十指不沾阳春水[shí zhǐ bù zhān yáng chūn shuǐ]
Bremerhaven, German port
scalene triangle
what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over (idiom)
to disappear without trace
when two kingdoms are at war, they don't execute envoys (idiom)
a matter of no great urgency
coercion will never convince (idiom)
(coll.) maybe
(literary) not to speak
hidden
to disregard all negative considerations; to cast aside all concerns
not a word or movement (idiom); remaining calm and collected
lit. doesn't (even) enter a single aperture (of one's head)
(coll.) not bad
careless
unable to differentiate good from bad (idiom)
slightly bitter
income does not cover expenditure
to be eager for
you can't guard against it (idiom)
to not know the reason
more and more emerge
lit. slow no aid to urgent (idiom); slow measures will not address a critical situation
lit. not one drop of water can leak out
does not bear examination
not to care
unable to contain one's joy (idiom)
stupid
with great difficulty
to be unable to endure
not to submit to force
to pay no attention to
to live up to expectations (idiom)
impatient
beyond one's power (to do sth)
fail to appreciate sb's kindness
see 沒長眼睛|没长眼睛[méi zhǎng yǎn jing]
to have lost consciousness
can't reach the high or accept the low (idiom); not good enough for a high post, but too proud to take a low one
Explaining in words is not as good as teaching by example (idiom). Action speaks louder than words.
better to just get the pain over with, rather than prolong the agony
unable to move freely
susceptible to force but not persuasion
not good
desperately serious
uncharged; electrically neutral
to be at a standstill
worse than a beast
indelible
lit. a dog can't stop himself from eating shit (idiom)
to just escape from calamity
can't bear to
unmoved by force or persuasion
impunity
see 有借有還，再借不難|有借有还，再借不难[yǒu jiè yǒu huán , zài jiè bù nán]
Kingdom of Naples (1282-1860)
loose, but allows no escape (idiom, from Laozi 老子[lǎo zǐ]); the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape
imprecise
a wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him (idiom)
not feel like eating
too bad
lit. seek but fail to get (idiom); fig. exactly what one’s been looking for
with a worried frown
long time no see
cannot
(idiom) not saying anything further; not raising any objection; without demur
to confess without being pressed
see 所言非虛|所言非虚[suǒ yán fēi xū]
reluctant to part with (sth or sb); unwilling to let go of
can't come to an agreement
to fail to keep to one's word
incurable
to not be able to distinguish who's winning
It's a long and intricate story, I hardly know where to start.
unable to make sense of (sth)
to be unable to withstand a single blow
not suitable
not as good as
uneasy
lit. not following the straight path (idiom); fig. looking for a shortcut to get ahead in work or study
lit. name is not in vain (idiom); a fully justified reputation
immeasurable
shatterproof or safety glass
quietly
a student should not be guided until he has made an effort to express his thoughts (idiom)
to be unmentionable
not follow the beaten track
unambiguous
not stint
battered and exhausted
life is hard enough as it is; don't burst my bubble (Internet slang)
not the only one
unable to say
to be unable to carry on even for a single day
the stream flows without stopping (idiom); unending flow
only when absolutely essential (idiom); as a last resort
stupid; dazed
bad omen
a centipede dies but never falls down
to drift without a resting place (idiom)
useless
where there is injustice, there will be an outcry
lit. a donkey's lips do not match a horse's mouth (idiom)
at dawn, not sure of lasting to evening (idiom); precarious state
lit. the eyelashes do not come together (idiom)
a person who regularly walks by the river cannot avoid getting their shoes wet (proverb)
innumerable (idiom)
at dawn, not sure of lasting to evening (idiom); precarious state
you're welcome
can't bear having grit in one's eye (idiom)
not in good condition
incessantly
to fall short of the best but be better than the worst
suddenly
to feel unconcerned and let matters rest (idiom)
paralysis of one side of the body
impossible to resist (idiom); an irresistible force
unable to get anything to eat
to be unable to guess or make out
to be unable to pay
I'm sorry; excuse me; I beg your pardon
see 必不可少[bì bù kě shǎo]
of undetermined status
doctors like to treat those who are not sick so that they can get credit for the patient's \recovery\ (idiom)
can't help it
not worth mentioning (idiom)
lit. flies do not attack an intact egg (idiom)
it is not too late (idiom)
invincible position
to reach everywhere
Tabriz city in northwest Iran, capital of Iranian East Azerbaijan
unable to tell good from bad (idiom)
see 心不在焉[xīn bù zài yān]
to cling without letting go
not to arrive
see 酸不溜丟|酸不溜丢[suān bu liū diū]
unwise
to reap without sowing (idiom)
to keep silent (idiom)
cannot avoid being killed
not able to keep up with
by fair means or foul
to shake like a leaf (idiom)
study tirelessly (idiom, from Analects)
to vow to die rather than obey (idiom)
awkward
give me liberty or give me death
cannot forget
not to be present
Drinking the water of a well, one should never forget who dug it. (idiom)
lit. no blood on the men's swords (idiom); fig. an effortless victory
unclear
not stick to one pattern
good will always triumph over evil (idiom)
unimportant
impossible to get rid of
don't insist on only taking one road to Rome (idiom)
to make no distinction between what's one's own and what's another's (idiom)
to not say a word (idiom)
persisting in evil brings about self-destruction (idiom)
not up to it; cannot stand the test
see 抬頭不見低頭見|抬头不见低头见[tái tóu bù jiàn dī tóu jiàn]
infinitive
dubious
lit. never taking a short-cut (idiom); fig. upright and honest
(saying) people don't get up early unless there is some benefit in doing so
(dialect) not that great
to be discontented
without missing a word
a person who is in poor health cannot handle sth so strong as a tonic
boundless joy
useless (idiom)
lit. even jumping into the Yellow River can't get you clean
to be so kind as to enlighten me
see 腳不沾地|脚不沾地[jiǎo bù zhān dì]
lit. leave no hole undrilled (idiom); to latch on to every opportunity
refusing to accept
continuous and patient effort (idiom)
(lit.) name not encountered in the classics
not to mention
not the only
(idiom) to deal with varying circumstances by adhering to a basic principle
lit. to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit (idiom)
the men of today are sadly degenerated (idiom)
not regard as a matter (of any importance)
biased
top secret
polyunsaturated fatty acid
impressive-looking but useless
to harm others without benefiting oneself (idiom)
unclear
lit. a blemish does not obscure jade's luster
to get round fast
not clear
the matter should not be delayed
out of the ordinary
not distinguishing red-green or black-white (idiom)
incompatibility
there is a lot to it
to have no time (for sth)
to hesitate over what move to make (idiom); to waver
hesitant to take action
discord
lit. no one picks up lost articles in the street (idiom)
prolonged (applause, cheering etc)
to stand by and pay no heed
to start on virtue but give up (idiom); to fail to carry things through
to have no other choice
to explain in simple terms
see 不假思索[bù jiǎ sī suǒ]
crushproof
not to see
to be irrelevant
lit. body and soul separated (idiom); fig. scared out of one's wits
more likely than not
see 吃水不忘掘井人[chī shuǐ bù wàng jué jǐng rén]
see 勢不可當|势不可当[shì bù kě dāng]
lit. too much for the eye to take in (idiom); a feast for the eyes
not fit to be seen by
lit. until you reach the Great Wall, you're not a proper person; fig. to get over difficulties before reaching the goal
abstaining from liquor and tobacco
to not conform to
lit. a small hole not plugged will give you grief when it gets bigger (idiom)
secret ballot
(idiom) all-conquering; invincible
out of place
not to submit to force (idiom); to defy threats and violence
not to hear, not to question (idiom)
unceasing torrent (idiom)
to say one thing but mean another
inequality sign (≠, < , ≤, >, ≥)
to disregard (sth seen as negligible)
impatient
to attack for a long time without success
all talk and no action (idiom)
the one and only way
the conversation is disagreeable (idiom)
to spare no pains or effort (idiom); to do one's utmost
(coll.) no good; of no use
see 藝多不壓身|艺多不压身[yì duō bù yā shēn]
extremely kitsch
not only that, but ...
unable to figure out
without learning or skills (idiom); ignorant and incompetent
inestimable
to not appear to be decent or respectful
in a terrible mess (idiom)
fig. (of a person) too slow