Chinese example sentences

七月半的蚊子，直往肉里叮

qīyuèbàn de wénzi, zhí wǎng ròu lǐ dīng

mosquitoes in the middle of the seventh month: they go straight for the flesh

七月的天，孩子的脸

qīyuè de tiān, háizi de liǎn

the weather in the seventh month, a child's face

七月的河水，后浪推前浪

qīyuè de héshuǐ, hòulàngtuīqiánlàng

the river in the seventh month: the waves behind push the waves ahead

七次量衣一次裁

qīcìliángyīyícìcái

measure the cloth seven times, cut once

七点我会回到这里的。

Qī diǎn wǒ huì huídào zhèlǐ de.

At seven I'll be back.

万一下雨，我就不去。

Wànyī xiàyǔ, wǒ jiù bú qù.

In case it rains, I won't go.

万一你生病了，吃这个药。

Wànyī nǐ shēngbìng le, chī zhège yào.

Take this medicine in case you get sick.

万一决堤，居民要马上离开。

Wànyī juédī, jūmín yào mǎshàng líkāi.

If the dike breaks, the residents must leave right away.

万一出了差错，谁来负责？

Wànyī chūle chācuò, shéi lái fùzé?

If something goes wrong, who will take responsibility?

万一发生火灾，按下按钮。

Wànyī fāshēng huǒzāi, àn xià ànniǔ.

In case of fire, push the button.

万一我来晚了的话，请不要等我。

Wànyī wǒ lái wǎn le dehuà, qǐng búyào děng wǒ.

If by any chance I'm late, please don't wait for me.

万一我来晚的话，就别等我了。

Wànyī wǒ lái wǎn dehuà, jiù bié děng wǒ le.

Should I be late, don't wait for me.

万一来不了，我会先给你打电话。

Wànyī lái bù liǎo, wǒ huì xiān gěi nǐ dǎdiànhuà.

In case I can't come, I'll give you a call beforehand.

万万人的心愿终于实现了。

Wànwàn rén de xīnyuàn zhōngyú shíxiànle.

The wish of hundreds of millions of people has finally come true.

万两黄金未为贵，一家安乐值钱多

wàn liǎng huángjīn wèi wéi guì, yìjiā ānlè zhíqián duō

ten thousand taels of gold isn't precious; a family's peace and joy is worth more

万事从一开始

wànshì cóng yì kāishǐ

all things begin from one

万事俱备，但欠东风

wànshìjùbèi, dàn qiàn dōngfēng

everything is ready, only the east wind is lacking

万事俱备，只欠东风

wànshìjùbèi, zhǐqiàndōngfēng

everything is ready, only the east wind is lacking

万事和为贵

wànshì hé wéi guì

in all things, harmony is what's precious

万事开头难，慢慢来吧。

Wànshìkāitóunán, mànmànlái ba.

Every beginning is hard, so take it slowly.

万事皆从急中错

wànshì jiē cóng jí zhōng cuò

all mistakes come from being in a hurry

万圣节快乐！

Wànshèngjié kuàilè!

Happy Halloween!

万恶淫为首，百善孝为先

wàn'è yín wéishǒu, bǎishànxiàowéixiān

of ten thousand evils lewdness is first; of a hundred virtues filial piety comes first

万有引力是谁发现的？

Wànyǒuyǐnlì shì shéi fāxiàn de?

Who discovered universal gravitation?

万物真美好。

Wànwù zhēn měihǎo.

The world is beautiful.

万般事仗少年为

wànbān shì zhàng shàonián wéi

all kinds of things depend on the young to do

万般皆下品，唯有读书高

wànbān jiē xiàpǐn, wéiyǒu dúshū gāo

all trades are low-grade; only book study is lofty

万言万中，不如一默

wàn yán wàn zhòng, bùrú yí mò

ten thousand words, ten thousand hits, are not as good as one silence

万里风沙源头治

wànlǐ fēngshā yuántóu zhì

for wind and sand over ten thousand miles, treat the source

丈二的和尚，摸不着头脑

zhàng'èr de héshang, mōbùzháotóunǎo

a twelve-foot monk: can't touch his own head

丈二的门槛儿，难进

zhàng'èr de ménkǎn ér, nánjìn

a twelve-foot threshold: hard to get in

丈八的灯台，照见人家，照不见自己

zhàng bā de dēngtái, zhàojiàn rénjiā, zhào bújiàn zìjǐ

a sixteen-foot lamp stand: lights others but not itself

丈八的灯塔，照远不照近

zhàng bā de dēngtǎ, zhào yuǎn bú zhào jìn

a sixteen-foot lighthouse: lights the far, not the near

丈夫不受人怜

zhàngfu bú shòu rén lián

a real man does not accept others' pity

丈夫去世时她十分绝望。

Zhàngfu qùshì shí tā shífēn juéwàng.

She was in despair when her husband died.

丈夫很怜惜辛苦的妻子。

Zhàngfu hěn liánxī xīnkǔ de qīzi.

The husband feels great tenderness toward his hardworking wife.

丈母娘看女婿，越看越中意

zhàngmǔniáng kàn nǚxu, yuè kàn yuè zhōngyì

a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law: the more she looks, the more she likes

三个不开口,神仙难下手

sān gè bù kāikǒu,shénxiān nán xiàshǒu

if the three won't open their mouths, even an immortal can't get started

三个和尚没水吃

sāngèhéshangméishuǐchī

three monks have no water to drink

三个妇女一台戏

sān gè fùnǚ yì tái xì

three women make a stage show

三个指头捡田螺,稳拿

sān gè zhǐtou jiǎn tiánluó,wěnná

picking up a river snail with three fingers: a steady grip

三个月前她在上海。

Sān gè yuè qián tā zài Shànghǎi.

She was in Shanghai three months ago.

三个灯泡烧坏了。

Sān gè dēngpào shāo huàile.

Three bulbs have burned out.

三个臭皮匠,顶个诸葛亮

sāngèchòupíjiang,dǐng gè Zhūgě Liàng

three stinking cobblers equal one Zhuge Liang

三个铜板放两处,一是一,二是二

sān gè tóngbǎn fàng liǎng chù,yíshìyī,èrshì'èr

three copper coins in two places: one is one, two is two

三乘以四，积是十二。

Sān chéngyǐ sì, jī shì shí'èr.

Three times four gives a product of twelve.

三亚是很有名的度假胜地。

Sānyà shì hěn yǒumíng de dùjià shèngdì.

Sanya is a very famous holiday resort.

三亩棉花三亩稻,晴也好雨也好

sān mǔ miánhua sān mǔ dào,qíng yěhǎo yǔ yěhǎo

three mu of cotton and three of rice: sun is fine, rain is fine

三人同一心,黄土变成金

sān rén tóngyī xīn,huángtǔbiànchéngjīn

when three share one heart, yellow earth turns to gold

三人同行,小的苦

sān rén tóngháng,xiǎo de kǔ

when three travel together, the youngest suffers

三人误大事,六耳不通谋

sānrénwùdàshì,liù'ěrbùtōngmóu

three people ruin great matters; six ears don't share a plot

三仙传道,一人一套

sān xiān chuándào,yì rén yítào

three immortals teach the Way: each has his own version

三代同堂的家里总是很热闹。

Sāndàitóngtáng de jiālǐ zǒngshì hěn rènao.

A home with three generations is always lively.

三伏天的辣椒,嘴尖皮厚

sānfútiān de làjiāo,zuǐjiān pí hòu

a chili in the hottest dog days: pointed tip, thick skin

三伏天的雨,说来就来

sānfútiān de yǔ,shuō lái jiù lái

rain in the dog days: comes the moment it's mentioned

三减五等于负数，对吗？

Sān jiǎn wǔ děngyú fùshù, duì ma?

Three minus five equals a negative number, right?

三分人才七分打扮

sānfēn réncái qī fēn dǎban

three parts looks, seven parts dressing up

三分吃药,七分调理

sānfēn chīyào,qī fēn tiáolǐ

three parts taking medicine, seven parts care

三分天才,七分勤奋

sānfēn tiāncái,qī fēn qínfèn

three parts talent, seven parts hard work

三分教,七分学

sānfēn jiāo,qī fēn xué

three parts teaching, seven parts learning

三加三等于六。

Sān jiā sān děngyú liù.

If you add 3 to 3, you get 6.

三十六计,走为上计

sānshíliùjì,zǒuwéishàngjì

of the thirty-six stratagems, running away is the best

三十年河东,三十年河西

sānshíniánhédōng,sānshíniánhéxī

thirty years east of the river, thirty years west

三十晚上买猪肉,买的找不到卖的

sānshíwǎnshang mǎi zhūròu,mǎi de zhǎo búdào mài de

buying pork on New Year's Eve night: the buyer can't find a seller

三十晚上晒衣裳,今年不干明年干

sānshíwǎnshang shài yīshang,jīnnián bú gàn míngnián gàn

drying clothes on New Year's Eve: if not dry this year, dry next year

三十晚上的案板,不得空儿

sānshíwǎnshang de ànbǎn,bùdé kòngr

the chopping board on New Year's Eve: never empty

三十晚上盼月亮,没有指望

sānshíwǎnshang pàn yuèliang,méiyǒu zhǐwàng

waiting for the moon on the last night of the lunar month: no hope

三十晚上走路,没影儿

sānshíwǎnshang zǒulù,méiyǐngr

walking on the last night of the lunar month: no shadow

三名运动员依次走上领奖台。

Sān míng yùndòngyuán yīcì zǒu shàng lǐngjiǎngtái.

The three athletes walked up onto the podium one after another.

三天不打,上房揭瓦

sāntiān bù dǎ,shàngfáng jiē wǎ

three days without a beating, and he's on the roof pulling off tiles

三天以前，我在南京。

Sāntiān yǐqián, wǒ zài Nánjīng.

Three days ago, I was in Nanjing.

三天打鱼,两天晒网

sāntiāndǎyú,liǎngtiānshàiwǎng

fish for three days, dry the nets for two

三尺长的梯子,搭不上檐儿

sānchǐ zhǎng de tīzi,dā bú shàng yán ér

a three-foot ladder: can't be propped up to the eaves

三局两胜，你敢来吗？

Sān jú liǎng shèng, nǐ gǎn lái ma?

Best of three. Do you dare to play?

三岁小孩儿贴对联,不分上下

sān suì xiǎoháir tiē duìlián,bùfēnshàngxià

a three-year-old pasting up couplets: can't tell top from bottom

三岁看大,七岁看老

sān suì kàn dà,qī suì kàn lǎo

at three see the grown-up, at seven see the old man

三年不上门,当亲也不亲

sān nián bú shàngmén,dāng qīn yě bù qīn

three years without visiting, even relatives are no longer close

三年不漱口,一张臭嘴

sān nián bú shùkǒu,yì zhāng chòu zuǐ

three years without rinsing the mouth: a stinking mouth

三年后战争开始了。

Sān nián hòu zhànzhēng kāishǐle.

The war began three years later.

三张纸画了个驴头,好大的脸面

sānzhāng zhǐ huà le ge lǘtóu,hǎo dà de liǎnmiàn

a donkey's head drawn on three sheets of paper: what a big face

三弦当琵琶,少根弦

sānxián dàng pípa,shǎo gēn xián

using a three-string lute as a pipa: one string short

三心二意,永不成器

sānxī-nèyì,yǒng bùchéngqì

three minds and two intentions, never turn into a useful vessel

三教对中国人的生活影响很大。

Sānjiào duì Zhōngguórén de shēnghuó yǐngxiǎng hěn dà.

The Three Teachings have had a great influence on Chinese people's lives.

三斧头劈不开的脸,好厚

sān fǔtóu pī bù kāi de liǎn,hǎo hòu

a face that three axe blows can't split: so thick

三日不弹,手生荆棘

sānrì bù tán,shǒu shēng jīngjí

three days without playing, the hands grow thorns

三日不见,当刮目相看

sānrì bújiàn,dāng guāmùxiāngkàn

after three days apart, look at him with scraped-clean eyes

三月三是壮族的节日。

Sānyuè sān shì Zhuàngzú de jiérì.

The Third of March is a festival of the Zhuang people.

三月中旬，花都开了。

Sānyuè zhōngxún, huā dōu kāile.

By the middle of March, the flowers are all in bloom.

三月以后，北方会开始变暖。

Sānyuè yǐhòu, běifāng huì kāishǐ biànnuǎn.

After March, the north will start to warm up.

三月里扇扇子,满面春风

sānyuè li shān shànzi,mǎnmiànchūnfēng

fanning oneself in the third month: face full of spring breeze

三月里的桃花,红不了多久

sānyuè lǐ de táohuā,hóng bù liǎo duōjiǔ

peach blossoms in the third month: won't stay red long

三月里的白菜,早就有心儿了

sānyuè lǐ de báicài,zǎojiù yǒuxīn ér le

cabbage in the third month: it already has a heart

三条腿的板凳,一碰就倒

sāntiáo tuǐ de bǎndèng,yí pèng jiù dǎo

a three-legged stool: topples at a touch

三根搅屎棍撑桌子,一副臭架子

sān gēn jiǎoshǐgùn chēng zhuōzi,yífù chòujiàzi

three dung-stirring sticks holding up a table: a stinking frame

三点一刻，我在门口等你。

Sāndiǎn yíkè, wǒ zài ménkǒu děng nǐ.

I'll wait for you at the door at a quarter past three.

三百六十行,行行吃饭穿衣裳

sānbǎiliùshíháng,háng háng chīfàn chuān yīshang

three hundred and sixty trades, every trade eats and wears clothes

三百钱买了个瘟猪崽,死活不开口

sānbǎiqián mǎile ge wēn zhūzǎi,sǐhuó bù kāikǒu

three hundred coins buy a plague-struck piglet: dead or alive, it won't open its mouth

三的三倍是九。

Sān de sānbèi shì jiǔ.

Three times three is nine.

三的立方是二十七。

Sān de lìfāng shì èr shíqī.

Three cubed is twenty-seven.

三角洲上有很多小河。

Sānjiǎozhōu shàng yǒu hěn duō xiǎohé.

There are many small rivers in the delta.