刹风景 shā fēng jǐng

刹风景 shā fēng jǐng

解释：有损景致，败人兴致。多用来埋怨有人在大家兴致很高时，言行扫人的兴。

Explanation:
Ruin the scene, spoil the fun.

Dialogue:
A：zuótiān wǒmēn zhèng zài weì Mike qìngzhù shēngrì dē shíhòu, tūrán tíngdiàn le.
A：昨天 我们 正 在 为 Mike 庆祝 生日 的 时候， 突然 停电 了。Last night, the power went out when we are celebrating for Mike’s birthday.
B: zhēn shì shā fēngjǐng！
B: 真 是 刹 风景! Oh, what a pity!

心有灵犀一点通 xīn yǒu língxī yī diǎn tōng

心有灵犀一点通 xīn yǒu língxī yī diǎn tōng

解释：心灵相通，互相有感应。

Explanation:
Two hearts beat as one.

Dialogue:
A：nǐ hé wǒ xiǎng de yī mó yī yàng.
A：你 和 我 想 的 一 摸 一 样。We have got the same idea.
B：wǒmēn shì “xīn yǒu língxī yī diǎn tōng” ma!
B：我们

画饼充饥 huà bǐng chōng jī

画饼充饥 huà bǐng chōng jī

解释：比喻用空想安慰自己，不能解决实际问题。

Explanation:
Allaying hunger with prictures of cakes. It is used to mean comforting oneself with unrealistic thoughts without solving practical problems.

Dialogue:
A：méiyǒu jǜtǐ xìzé, děngyǔ huà bǐng chōng jī, yīdìng búhuì chénggōng.
A：没有 具体 细则，等于 画 饼 充 饥，一定 不会 成功。We can not get it done without detailed principals. It is just like allying hunger with drawing a cake.
B：suǒyǐ yào jìnkuài zhìdìng.
B：所以 要 尽快 制定。Yea, so we must set to work it out.

不男不女 bù nán bù nǚ

不男不女 bù nán bù nǚ

解释：既不象男的，也不象女的。

Explanation:
Androgynous; neither man nor woman.

Dialogue:
A：nà gè rén shì nánde háishì nǚde?
A：那 个 人 是 男的 还是 女的？Is that a boy or a girl?
B：zhǎngde xiàng nánde, chuānde yòu xiàng nǚde, zhēn shì bú nán bú nǚ.
B：长得 象 男的， 穿得 又 象 女的，真 是 不 男 不 女。Looks gile a man, while dresses like a woman. Oh, really androgynous.

同甘共苦 tóng gān gòng kǔ

同甘共苦 tóng gān gòng kǔ

解释：甘是甜的意思。共同享受欢乐；共同承担痛苦。

Explanation:
Enjoy happiness and undertake suffering together.

Dialogue:
A：zěnyàng cái suàn shì péngyǒu?
A：怎样 才 算 是 朋友？What can be called friends?
B：tóng gān gòng kǔ de cái suàn shì zhēnzhèng de péngyǒu.
B：同 甘 共 苦 的 才 算 是 真正 的 朋友。Friends should share happiness and sorrow with each other.

打保票 dǎ bǎo piào

打保票 dǎ bǎo piào

解释：也作”打包票”。比喻作出承诺一定可以做到。

Explanation:
It can also be said as “打包票”, means making a promise that things must be done sucessfully.

Dialogue:
A：nǐ nàme chūsè, wǒ gǎn dǎ bǎo piào nǐ yīdìng néng dédào nà fèn gōngzuò.
A：你 那么 出色， 我 敢 打 保 票 你 一定 能 得到 那 份 工作。You perform so great! I may promise that you may get that job.
B：xièxiè. wǒ yě xīwàng zhèyàng.
B：谢谢。 我 也 希望 这样。Thanks. I hope so.

炒鱿鱼 chǎo yóu yú

炒鱿鱼 chǎo yóu yú

解释：解雇，开除。解雇还有一种说法是”卷铺盖走人”，当然这样的说法是比较粗鲁的。

Explanation:
To fire from work.

Dialogue:
A：tā zěnme beì chǎo yóuyǘ le?
A：他 怎么 被 炒 鱿鱼 了？ Why he was sacked?
B：tā jīngcháng chídào.
B：他 经常 迟到。He was often late for work.

家常便饭 jiā cháng biàn fàn

家常便饭 jiā cháng biàn fàn

解释：1. 家里日常普通的饭菜。2. 经常发生的事情。

Explanation:
Literally it means very comman meal, nothing special or unusual. It is usually used to mean things happening quite often.

Dialogue:
A：zhème wǎn hái jiābān?
A：这么 晚 还 加班？Are you working overtime so late?
B：jiā cháng biàn fàn le.
B：家 常 便 饭了。Oh, it is common.

爱莫能助 ài mò néng zhù

爱莫能助 ài mò néng zhù

解释：想要帮忙却没有能力。

Explanation:
I wish I could do so to do you a favour. It expresses the speaker’s willingness to do so, while fails due to some objective reason.

Dialogue:
A：jīntiān xiàwǔ nǐ néng bāng wǒ xiūlǐ yīxià diànnǎo ma?
A：今天 下午 你 能 帮 我 修理 一下 电脑 吗？Can you help me fix my computer this afternoon?
B：duìbùqǐ, shízài ài mò néng zhù, wǒ yào chūchāi qù le.
B：对不起， 实在 爱 莫 能 助， 我 要 出差 去 了。So sorry. I really wish I could, but I am about on business soon.

不见不散 bù jiàn bù sàn

不见不散 bù jiàn bù sàn

解释：没有见到就不离开约定见面的地方。

Explanation:
Don’t leave until others have arrived. It expresses sincerity and resolution about meeting.

Dialogue:
A：bù jiàn bù sàn!
A：不 见 不 散！Don’t leave before I arrived!
B：yī yán wéi dìng!
B：一 言 为 定！ It’s a deal!

混日子 hùn rì zi

混日子 hùn rì zi

解释：马马虎虎，糊里糊涂地消磨光阴。

Explanation:
Idle away the time.

Dialogue:
A：guòde zěnme yàng? hái hǎo ma?
A：过得 怎么 样？ 还 好 吗？How are you doing? Fine?
B：lǎo yàngzi, hùn rì zi bei.
B：老 样子， 混 日子 呗。So so, just idle away.

半边天 bàn biān tiān

半边天 bàn biān tiān

解释：半个天空。比喻妇女的作用和男人一样重要，多用来强调或称赞妇女作用大，也特指妇女或妻子。

Explanation:
Half the sky, is likened to woman who can play an equal part in the new society. It is mainly used to emphasize or praise the important role of women or wives.

Dialogue:
A：nà xiē nǚhái hǎo lìhài a!
A：那 些 女孩 好 厉害 啊！How great those girls are!
B：nàshì, fùnǚ néng dǐng bàn biān tiān ma.
B：那是， 妇女 能 顶 半 边 天 嘛。Yea, women are half the sky!

Background knowledge:
The initial meaning of ” bàn biān tiān ” refers to the important role of women after the foundation of the P.R.C.. In the feudal society, man was s the “sky” and woman is the “earth”. Woman must be obedient to man. While in the new society, feminism is advocated. “bàn biān tiān “often refers to the important role women play nowadays.Now it also means somebody plays an important role in a certain working unit. The verb 顶”dǐng”, 撑”chēng” are often used before “bàn biān tiān “. For example, he is the half sky in his department.

爱面子 ài miàn zi

爱面子 ài miàn zi

解释：指说话，办事过于考虑情面而自讨苦吃。也用来劝人不要太顾忌情面。

Explanation:
Being concerned too much about face-saving when speaking or acting. It is mainly used to refer to people scrupling too much and asking for trouble. It may also be used to persuade someone not to scuple too much.

Dialogue:
Mr. Gu found that one of his employees took away company’s belongings, he mentioned it to his friend Mike.

Mr. Gu: ai, dàjiā dōu shì shúrén, wǒ yě ài miàn zi, bù hǎo shuō shíme.
Mr. Gu: 唉，大家 都 是 熟人， 我 也爱 面 子，不 好 说 什么。
Mike: shúrén yě bù néng ài miàn zi, gāi shuō de hái dě shuō!
Mike: 熟人 也 不 能 爱 面 子，该 说 的 还 得 说！