Chinese example sentences

桃李不言，下自成蹊

táolǐbùyán, xiàzìchéngxī

peach and plum trees say nothing, yet a path forms beneath them

桅杆顶上开花，毫无指望

wéigān dǐngshàng kāihuā, háowú zhǐwàng

flowers blooming at the top of a mast: no hope at all

桅杆顶上看人，把人瞧矮了

wéigān dǐngshàng kàn rén, bǎ rén qiáo ǎile

looking at people from the top of a mast: you see them as short

案板上的肉，随人割

ànbǎn shàng de ròu, suí rén gē

Meat on the chopping board: cut as people please

案板底下放风筝，飞不起来

ànbǎn dǐxia fàng fēngzheng, fēi bù qǐlai

Flying a kite under the chopping board: it can't take off

桌子上放满了食物。

Zhuōzi shàng fàng mǎnle shíwù.

The table was groaning with food.

桌子上放着一个小泥塑。

Zhuōzi shàng fàngzhe yí gè xiǎo nísù.

There is a little clay figurine on the table.

桌子上放着一副新扑克。

Zhuōzi shàng fàngzhe yífù xīn pūkè.

A new deck of playing cards is lying on the table.

桌子上放着若干本旧杂志。

Zhuōzi shàng fàngzhe ruògān běn jiù zázhì.

There are a number of old magazines on the table.

桌子上有一台电脑。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yì tái diànnǎo.

There is a computer on the table.

桌子上有一张卡片。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yì zhāng kǎpiàn.

There is a card on the desk.

桌子上有两个盘子。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu liǎng gè pánzi.

There are two plates on the table.

桌子上有个痕迹。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu gè hénjì.

There is a trace on the table.

桌子上有什么？

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu shénme?

What is on the desk?

桌子上有只猫吗？

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu zhǐ māo ma?

Is there a cat on the table?

桌子上有本书。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu běn shū.

There is a book on the table.

桌子上的书是谁的？

Zhuōzi shàng de shū shì shéi de?

Whose book is this on the desk?

桌子上的照相机是谁的？

Zhuōzi shàng de zhàoxiàngjī shì shéi de?

Whose camera is that on the table?

桌子上的纸被一本书压着。

Zhuōzi shàng de zhǐ bèi yìběn shū yāzhe.

The paper on the table is pressed down by a book.

桌子上那个三角形的盒子是什么？

Zhuōzi shàng nàge sānjiǎoxíng de hézi shì shénme?

What is that triangular box on the table?

桌子下有老鼠。

Zhuōzi xià yǒu lǎoshǔ.

There is a mouse under the table.

桌子下面有一只猫。

Zhuōzi xiàmiàn yǒu yìzhī māo.

There's a cat under the table.

桌子下面有一颗苹果。

Zhuōzi xiàmiàn yǒu yì kē píngguǒ.

There is an apple under the desk.

桌子为什么这么晃？

Zhuōzi wèishénme zhème huàng?

Why is the table so wobbly?

桌子和椅子是匹配的一套。

Zhuōzi hé yǐzi shì pǐpèi de yítào.

The table and chairs are a matching set.

桌子和椅子连成一体。

Zhuōzi hé yǐzi lián chéng yìtǐ.

The table and chairs are joined into a single piece.

桌子底下打拳，出手就不高

zhuōzi dǐxia dǎquán, chūshǒu jiù bù gāo

boxing under the table: the hand-out is not high

桌子底下放风筝，想高也高不了

zhuōzi dǐxia fàng fēngzheng, xiǎng gāo yě gāo bù liǎo

flying a kite under the table: it can't get high even if it wants to

桌子的螺丝松了。

Zhuōzi de luósī sōngle.

The screws on the table have come loose.

桌子被灰尘覆盖。

Zhuōzi bèi huīchén fùgài.

The table was covered with dust.

桑木扁担,宁折不弯

Sāng mù biǎndan,nìngshébùwān

a mulberry-wood carrying pole: would rather snap than bend

桥在建造中。

Qiáo zài jiànzào zhōng.

The bridge is under construction.

桥处于修理中。

Qiáo chǔyú xiūlǐ zhōng.

The bridge is being repaired.

桥归桥,路归路

qiáoguīqiáo,lùguīlù

the bridge is the bridge, the road is the road

桥边的栏很矮，别靠近。

Qiáo biān de lán hěn ǎi, bié kàojìn.

The railing by the bridge is low, so don't get close.

桥连路,路连桥

qiáo lián lù,lù lián qiáo

the bridge joins the road, the road joins the bridge

梁园虽好，不是久恋之乡

liángyuánsuīhǎo, bú shì jiǔ liàn zhī xiāng

the Liang Garden is lovely, but not a land to linger in

梁山上的军师，吴用

Liángshān shàng de jūnshī, Wú Yòng

the strategist on Liangshan: Wu Yong / useless

梅雨过后，天气就变热了。

Méiyǔ guòhòu, tiānqì jiù biàn rè le.

After the plum rains, the weather gets hot.

梦从想中来

mèng cóng xiǎng zhōng lái

dreams come from thinking

梦和现实在他脑中交织。

Mèng hé xiànshí zài tā nǎo zhōng jiāozhī.

Dreams and reality interweave in his mind.

梦常常反映人的下意识。

Mèng chángcháng fǎnyìng rén de xiàyìshí.

Dreams often reflect a person's subconscious.

梦想和现实常常差很多。

Mèngxiǎng hé xiànshí chángcháng chà hěn duō.

Dreams and reality are often very different.

梦想能让我疯狂。

Mèngxiǎng néng ràng wǒ fēngkuáng.

Dreams can make me crazy.

梦溪笔谈是沈括写的。

Mèngxībǐtán shì Shěnkuò xiě de.

Dream Pool Essays was written by Shen Kuo.

梦里娶媳妇儿，想得好，到头空

mèng lǐ qǔxífùr, xiǎng de hǎo, dàotóu kōng

marrying a bride in a dream: nice to think about, empty in the end

梦里的世界很美，却太虚幻了。

Mèng lǐ de shìjiè hěn měi, què tài xūhuàn le.

The world in the dream is beautiful, but too illusory.

梯子不牢固，千万别爬上去。

Tīzi bù láogù, qiānwàn bié pá shàngqù.

The ladder isn't secure, so don't climb it whatever you do.

梳好头发再出门。

Shū hǎo tóufa zài chūmén.

Comb your hair before you go out.

梳理你的头发。

Shūlǐ nǐ de tóufa.

Comb your hair.

检察院已经立案了。

Jiǎncháyuàn yǐjīng lì'àn le.

The procuratorate has already opened a case.

检查发现她的肺上有一个小肿瘤。

Jiǎnchá fāxiàn tā de fèi shàng yǒu yí gè xiǎo zhǒngliú.

The examination found a small tumor on her lung.

检查员来工厂核查设备。

Jiǎncháyuán lái gōngchǎng héchá shèbèi.

The inspector came to the factory to inspect the equipment.

检查的各项指标都正常。

Jiǎnchá de gè xiàng zhǐbiāo dōu zhèngcháng.

All the indicators in the checkup were normal.

检查结果出来了，不是癌。

Jiǎnchá jiéguǒ chūláile, bú shì ái.

The test results are in, and it isn't cancer.

检查结果出来了，是良性的。

Jiǎnchá jiéguǒ chūláile, shì liángxìng de.

The test results are in, and it's benign.

检查结果是阴性，你别担心。

Jiǎnchá jiéguǒ shì yīnxìng, nǐ bié dānxīn.

The test result is negative, so don't worry.

检测基因组要花多少钱？

Jiǎncè jīyīnzǔ yào huā duōshǎo qián?

How much does it cost to test a genome?

棉桃里面找核桃，专拣硬的敲

miántáo lǐmiàn zhǎo hétao, zhuān jiǎn yìng de qiāo

looking for walnuts inside cotton bolls: picking only the hard ones to crack

棉花卷儿打锣，没音

miánhua juǎn ér dǎ luó, méi yīn

beating a gong with a roll of cotton: no sound

棉花店里挂绷弓儿，不弹

miánhua diàn lǐ guà bēng gōng ér, bú dàn

hanging a cotton-fluffing bow in a cotton shop: not fluffing (not talking)

棉花掉进水里，弹不成

miánhua diào jìnshuǐ lǐ, dàn bùchéng

cotton falling into water: can't be fluffed (can't be discussed)

棉花落在油缸里，一点儿声响都没有

miánhua luò zài yóu gāng lǐ, yìdiǎnr shēngxiǎng dōu méiyǒu

cotton falling into an oil vat: not a sound at all

棉花里裹着针，软里硬

miánhua lǐ guǒzhe zhēn, ruǎn lǐ yìng

a needle wrapped in cotton: soft outside, hard inside

棉衬衫洗了以后会缩水吗？

Mián chènshān xǐle yǐhòu huì suōshuǐ ma?

Will a cotton shirt shrink after being washed?

棉袄改被窝儿，两头儿苫不过

mián'ǎo gǎi bèiwōr, liǎngtóur shān búguò

making a padded jacket into a quilt: can't cover both ends

棋要一步一步地走，事要三思而后行

qí yào yíbùyíbùde zǒu, shì yào sānsī'érhòuxíng

chess is played one step at a time, affairs need three thoughts before acting

棋逢对手，将遇良才

qíféngduìshǒu, jiàngyùliángcái

in chess meeting a match, a general meeting a good talent

棋高一招，缚手缚脚

qí gāo yìzhāo, fùshǒufùjiǎo

one move better at chess, hands and feet tied

棒头出孝子，箸头出忤逆

bàngtóuchūxiàozǐ, zhù tóu chū wǔnì

the stick produces dutiful sons; chopsticks produce rebels

棒球到底哪里有意思？

Bàngqiú dàodǐ nǎlǐ yǒuyìsi?

What's so interesting about baseball?

棒球在台湾是热门的运动。

Bàngqiú zài Táiwān shì rèmén de yùndòng.

Baseball is a popular sport in Taiwan.

棒球比赛因为天雨取消了。

Bàngqiú bǐsài yīnwèi tiān yù qǔxiāole.

The baseball game was called off due to rain.

棒球赛季开始了。

Bàngqiú sàijì kāishǐle.

Baseball season has begun.

棕色眼睛是显性的。

Zōngsè yǎnjing shì xiǎnxìng de.

Brown eyes are dominant.

森林减少会加重温室效应。

Sēnlín jiǎnshǎo huì jiāzhòng wēnshìxiàoyìng.

Fewer forests will worsen the greenhouse effect.

森林外有一个美丽的湖泊。

Sēnlín wài yǒu yí gè měilì de húpō.

A beautiful lake lay just beyond the forest.

森林是地球上重要的生态系统。

Sēnlín shì dìqiú shàng zhòngyào de shēngtàixìtǒng.

Forests are an important ecosystem on Earth.

森林里下雨了。

Sēnlín lǐ xiàyǔle.

It had rained in the forest.

森林里到处是烟火，快报警！

Sēnlín lǐ dàochù shì yānhuǒ, kuài bàojǐng!

There's smoke and fire all over the forest, call the police!

森林里又再变得安静下来了。

Sēnlín lǐ yòu zài biànde ānjìng xiàlai le.

It became quiet again in the forest.

森林里有一只鹿在河边喝水。

Sēnlín lǐ yǒu yìzhī lù zài hébiān hēshuǐ.

A deer is drinking water by the river in the forest.

森林里有不少濒危物种。

Sēnlín lǐ yǒu bùshǎo bīnwēiwùzhǒng.

There are quite a few endangered species in the forest.

森林里的树木非常稠密。

Sēnlín lǐ de shùmù fēicháng chóumì.

The trees in the forest are very dense.

森林里的野兽越来越少了。

Sēnlín lǐ de yěshòu yuèláiyuè shǎole.

There are fewer and fewer wild animals in the forest.

棺材板上敲钉子，钉死了

guāncaibǎn shàng qiāo dīngzi, dìngsǐ le

hammering nails into the coffin lid: nailed shut

棺材里伸出手来，死要钱

guāncai lǐ shēnchū shǒu lái, sǐ yàoqián

a hand reaching out of the coffin: dead set on money

椅子上没有人。

Yǐzi shàng méiyǒu rén.

The chair is empty.

椅子太硬，你垫个东西吧。

Yǐzi tài yìng, nǐ diàn gè dōngxi ba.

The chair is too hard, so put something under you.

植树以后要记得浇水。

Zhíshù yǐhòu yào jìde jiāoshuǐ.

After planting trees, remember to water them.

植树造林能改善空气吗？

Zhíshùzàolín néng gǎishàn kōngqì ma?

Can afforestation improve the air?

植树造林能防风沙吗？

Zhíshùzàolín néng fáng fēngshā ma?

Can afforestation help prevent sandstorms?

植物从土壤中汲取水分。

Zhíwù cóng tǔrǎng zhōng jíqǔ shuǐfèn.

Plants draw water from the soil.

植物园门票多少钱一张？

Zhíwùyuán ménpiào duōshǎo qián yì zhāng?

How much is a ticket to the botanical garden?

植物把阳光转化成能量。

Zhíwù bǎ yángguāng zhuǎnhuà chéng néngliàng.

Plants convert sunlight into energy.

植物的根从土里吸取水分。

Zhíwù de gēn cóng tǔ lǐ xīqǔ shuǐfèn.

Plant roots absorb water from the soil.

植物能说话吗？

Zhíwù néng shuōhuà ma?

Can plants talk?

植物靠光合作用制造养分。

Zhíwù kào guānghézuòyòng zhìzào yǎngfèn.

Plants make nutrients through photosynthesis.

植物顺应季节开花结果。

Zhíwù shùnyìng jìjié kāihuājiéguǒ.

Plants flower and bear fruit in tune with the seasons.

楚虽三户,亡秦必楚

chǔ suī sānhù,wáng Qín bì chǔ

though Chu has only three households, it will be Chu that destroys Qin