1 lit. one hand exchanges the cash, the other the goods (idiom)
2 fig. to pay for what you want in cash
3 simple and direct transaction
七手八脚
qī shǒu bā jiǎo
1 (idiom) with everyone lending a hand (eagerly but somewhat chaotically)
上下其手
shàng xià qí shǒu
1 to raise and lower one's hand (idiom); to signal as conspiratorial hint
2 fig. conspiring to defraud
不怕神一样的对手,就怕猪一样的队友
bù pà shén yī yàng de duì shǒu , jiù pà zhū yī yàng de duì yǒu
1 a boneheaded teammate can do you more harm than the most formidable opponent (idiom)
不看僧面看佛面
bù kàn sēng miàn kàn fó miàn
1 lit. not for the monk's sake but for the Buddha's sake (idiom)
2 fig. (to do sth for sb) out of deference to sb else
人有失手,马有失蹄
rén yǒu shī shǒu , mǎ yǒu shī tí
1 lit. just as humans make mistakes, so can a horse stumble (idiom)
2 fig. everyone makes mistakes
3 even the best fall down sometimes
伸手不见五指
shēn shǒu bù jiàn wǔ zhǐ
1 pitch-dark (idiom)
佛口蛇心
fó kǒu shé xīn
1 words of a Buddha, heart of a snake (idiom); two-faced
2 malicious and duplicitous
借花献佛
jiè huā xiàn Fó
1 lit. presenting the Buddha with borrowed flowers (idiom); fig. to win favor or influence using sb else's property
2 plagiarism
先下手为强
xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng
1 strike first and gain the upper hand (idiom, martial arts term); Making the first move is an advantage.
两手空空
liǎng shǒu kōng kōng
1 empty-handed (idiom); fig. not receiving anything
吃人家的嘴软,拿人家的手短
chī rén jiā de zuǐ ruǎn , ná rén jiā de shǒu duǎn
1 lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)
2 fig. one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted
大手大脚
dà shǒu dà jiǎo
1 extravagant (idiom); to throw away money by the handful
2 wasteful
大处着眼,小处着手
dà chù zhuó yǎn , xiǎo chù zhuó shǒu
1 think of the big picture, start with the little things (idiom)
大显身手
dà xiǎn shēn shǒu
1 (idiom) fully displaying one's capabilities
妙手回春
miào shǒu huí chūn
1 magical hands bring the dying back to life (idiom); miracle cure
2 brilliant doctor
平时不烧香,临时抱佛脚
píng shí bù shāo xiāng , lín shí bào fó jiǎo
1 lit. to clasp the Buddha's feet when danger arises (idiom); fig. to profess devotion only when in trouble
2 doing things at the last minute
3 to make a hasty last-minute effort (often refers to cramming for exams)
强中自有强中手
qiáng zhōng zì yǒu qiáng zhōng shǒu
1 however strong you are, there is always someone stronger (idiom)
2 there is always sth more to learn
3 never be satisfied to rest on your laurels
4 there is no room for complacency
强将手下无弱兵
qiáng jiàng shǒu xià wú ruò bīng
1 there are no poor soldiers under a good general (idiom)
强扭的瓜不甜
qiǎng niǔ de guā bù tián
1 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)
2 fig. if sth is not meant to be, it's no use trying to force it to happen
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