Word: 子 (zǐ, zi)

两个槌子敲一面锣，响在一处

liǎng gè chuí zǐ qiāo yímiàn luó, xiǎng zài yí chù

two mallets striking one gong: sounding in one place / thinking in one place

他们认为他是太阳之子。

Tāmen rènwéi tā shì tàiyang zhī zǐ.

They thought he was the son of the Sun.

他有一大家子要养。

Tā yǒu yí dàjiā zǐ yào yǎng.

He has a large family to support.

偏怜之子不保业，难得之妇不主家

piānlián zhī zǐ bù bǎo yè, nándé zhī fù bù zhǔ jiā

a favoured son won't keep the family estate; a doted-on wife won't run the household

凉子有一张可爱的小脸。

Liáng zǐ yǒu yì zhāng kě'ài de xiǎo liǎn.

Ryoko has a cute little face.

劝君莫打三春鸟,子在巢中望母归

quàn jūn mò dǎ sān chūn niǎo,zǐ zài cháo zhōng wàng mǔ guī

I urge you not to shoot spring birds; their chicks in the nest wait for their mother

只有直子喝咖啡。

Zhǐyǒu zhí zǐ hē kāfēi.

Only Naoko drinks coffee.

囤子上插旗杆，尖上拔尖

dùn zi shang chā qígān, jiān shang bájiān

sticking a flagpole in a grain bin: the tip on top of a tip

妻贤夫祸少，子孝父心宽

qī xiánfū huò shǎo, zǐ xiào fù xīn kuān

a worthy wife, the husband has fewer misfortunes; a filial son, the father's heart is at ease

子不嫌母丑

zǐ bù xián mǔ chǒu

a child doesn't find his mother ugly

子孝双亲乐，家和万事成

zǐ xiào shuāngqīn lè, jiā hé wànshì chéng

when children are filial, both parents are happy; when the family is harmonious, everything succeeds

孔子家儿不识骂,曾子家儿不识斗

Kǒngzǐ jiā ér bù shí mà,zēng zǐ jiā ér bù shí dòu

Confucius's sons don't know how to curse; Zengzi's sons don't know how to fight

对不起，这位子是否被人家占了？

Duìbùqǐ, zhèwèi zǐ shìfǒu bèi rénjia zhànle?

Excuse me, is this seat taken?

惯子如杀子

guàn zǐ rú shā zǐ

spoiling a child is like killing the child

成家子，粪如宝；败家子，钱如草

chéngjiā zi, fèn rú bǎo; bàijiāzi, qián rú cǎo

The son who builds a home treasures manure; the son who ruins it treats money like grass

明子在法国有一些朋友。

Míng zi zài Fǎguó yǒu yìxiē péngyou.

Akiko has some friends in France.

没秤锤的秤杆子，压不准斤两

méi chèngchuí de chènggǎn zi, yà bùzhǔn jīnliǎng

a steelyard without a weight: can't judge the weight

父不慈则子不孝

fù bù cí zé zǐ búxiào

if the father is not kind, the son will not be filial

父不记子过

fù bú jì zǐ guò

a father doesn't hold his son's faults against him

由美子是网球俱乐部的成员。

Yóu měi zǐ shì wǎngqiú jùlèbù de chéngyuán.

Yumiko belongs to the tennis club.

电线杆子上挂灯笼，有明的光棍儿

diànxiàngān zǐ shàng guà dēnglóng, yǒu míng de guānggùnr

hanging a lantern on a utility pole: a famous bare pole

电线杆子上晒衣服，架子不小

diànxiàngān zi shang shài yīfu, jiàzi bù xiǎo

drying clothes on a utility pole: quite a frame

电线杆子当筷子，大材小用

diànxiàngān zi dàng kuàizi, dàcáixiǎoyòng

using a telegraph pole as chopsticks: big timber put to small use

电线杆子绑鸡毛，好大的掸子

diànxiàngān zǐ bǎng jīmáo, hǎo dà de dǎnzi

tying chicken feathers to a telephone pole: what a big duster

直子住在这个白色的房子里。

Zhí zǐ zhù zài zhège báisè de fángzi lǐ.

Naoko lives in this white house.

直子是个游泳员。

Zhí zǐ shì gè yóuyǒng yuán.

Naoko is a swimmer.

真理子擅长说英语。

Zhēnlǐ zǐ shàncháng shuō Yīngyǔ.

Mariko speaks English well.

真理子英语说得很好。

Zhēnlǐ zǐ Yīngyǔ shuō de hěn hǎo.

Mariko speaks English well.

纵子如纵虎

zòng zǐ rú zòng hǔ

indulging a son is like letting a tiger loose

老怕丧子,少怕丧母

lǎo pà sàng zǐ,shào pà sàng mǔ

the old fear losing a son, the young fear losing a mother

老电线杆子,挂的线越来越多

lǎo diànxiàngān zǐ,guà de xiàn yuèláiyuè duō

An old telephone pole: more and more wires (titles) hung on it

莫言家未成，成家子未生；莫言家未破，破家子未大

Mò Yán jiā wèi chéng, chéngjiā zǐ wèi shēng; Mò Yán jiā wèi pò, pòjiāzi wèi dà

don't say the family isn't made yet, the son who will make it isn't born; don't say the family isn't ruined yet, the son who will ruin it hasn't grown up

货郎担子,两头儿货

huòlángdān zǐ,liǎngtóur huò

a pedlar's carrying pole: goods at both ends (disaster at both ends)

酒糟鼻子不喝酒，枉担其名

jiǔzāobí zi bù hējiǔ, wǎng dān qí míng

a man with a red, rum-blossom nose who doesn't drink: bearing the name for nothing

阎罗王审案子,全是鬼事

Yánluówáng shěn'àn zi,quán shì guǐ shì

King Yama tries a case: all ghost business

面团儿炸成果子卖，全是虚货

miàntuán ér zhà chéngguǒ zǐ mài, quán shì xū huò

frying dough into fritters to sell: all hollow goods

马路上的电线杆子，靠边儿站

mǎlù shàng de diànxiàngān zǐ, kào biānr zhàn

A telegraph pole by the road: stand to one side

麻由子总是追求完美。

Má yóu zǐ zǒngshì zhuīqiú wánměi.

Mayuko always aims for perfection.

黄柏木作了磬槌子,外头体面里头苦

huángbò mùzuò le qìng chuí zi,wàitou tǐmiàn lǐtou kǔ

yellow cork wood made into a chime mallet: respectable outside, bitter inside