1 lit. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiom); fig. subordinates imitate their superiors' vices
不修边幅
bù xiū biān fú
1 not care about one's appearance (idiom)
2 slovenly in dress and manner
修心养性
xiū xīn yǎng xìng
1 to cultivate the heart and nurture the character (idiom); to improve oneself by meditation
偏邪不正
piān xié bù zhèng
1 biased
2 prejudiced (idiom)
净心修身
jìng xīn xiū shēn
1 to have an untroubled heart and behave morally (idiom)
就地正法
jiù dì zhèng fǎ
1 to execute on the spot (idiom); summary execution
2 to carry out the law on the spot
年久失修
nián jiǔ shī xiū
1 old and in a state of disrepair (idiom)
2 dilapidated
扶正压邪
fú zhèng yā xié
1 to uphold good and suppress evil (idiom)
舍正从邪
shě zhèng cóng xié
1 to be corrupted by evil influences (idiom)
改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
1 to mend one's ways (idiom)
2 to turn over a new leaf
明修栈道,暗渡陈仓
míng xiū zhàn dào , àn dù Chén cāng
1 lit. repair the plank road by day while secretly crossing the Wei River 渭河[Wèi Hé] at Chencang (idiom, refers to a stratagem used by Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liú Bāng] in 206 BC against Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiàng Yǔ] of Chu)
2 fig. to feign one thing while doing another
3 to cheat under cover of a diversion
横正暴敛
héng zhèng bào liǎn
1 to levy exorbitant taxes (idiom)
正中要害
zhèng zhòng yào hài
1 to hit the nail on the head (idiom)
正襟危坐
zhèng jīn wēi zuò
1 to sit upright and still (idiom)
正言厉色
zhèng yán lì sè
1 solemn in word and countenance (idiom); strict and unsmiling
2 also written 正顏厲色|正颜厉色
正颜厉色
zhèng yán lì sè
1 solemn in countenance (idiom); strict and unsmiling
琼浆玉液
qióng jiāng yù yè
1 bejeweled nectar (idiom); ambrosia of the immortals
2 superb liquor
3 top quality wine
矫枉过正
jiǎo wǎng guò zhèng
1 to overcorrect (idiom)
2 to overcompensate
义正辞严
yì zhèng cí yán
1 to speak forcibly out of a sense of righteousness (idiom)
脚正不怕鞋歪
jiǎo zhèng bù pà xié wāi
1 lit. a straight foot has no fear of a crooked shoe
2 an upright man is not afraid of gossip (idiom)
Sample Sentences
Free for members
Build your personal vocabulary!
With ChinesePod, you can not only build your vocabulary but also practice Chinese characters in our writing app!