1 lit. teacher for one day, father for ever (idiom)
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.
先斩后奏
xiān zhǎn hòu zòu
1 first decapitate then present your trophy (idiom); act first, report later
先发制人
xiān fā zhì rén
1 to gain the initiative by striking first (idiom); to preempt
2 to anticipate
3 preemptive
先睹为快
xiān dǔ wéi kuài
1 joy of first experience (idiom)
2 the pleasure of reading sth for the first time
先礼后兵
xiān lǐ hòu bīng
1 peaceful measures before using force (idiom); diplomacy before violence
2 jaw-jaw is better than war-war
兵马未动,粮草先行
bīng mǎ wèi dòng , liáng cǎo xiān xíng
1 before the troops move, fodder and provisions go first (idiom); logistics comes before military maneuvers
2 an army marches on its stomach
再生父母
zài shēng fù mǔ
1 like a second parent (idiom); one's great benefactor
在家靠父母,出外靠朋友
zài jiā kào fù mǔ , chū wài kào péng you
1 one depends on one's parents when at home, and on one's friends when away from home (idiom)
在家靠父母,出门靠朋友
zài jiā kào fù mǔ , chū mén kào péng you
1 one depends on one's parents when at home, and on one's friends when away from home (idiom)
工欲善其事,必先利其器
gōng yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
捷足先登
jié zú xiān dēng
1 the quick-footed climb up first (idiom)
2 the early bird catches the worm
3 first come, first served
敢为人先
gǎn wéi rén xiān
1 to dare to be first
2 to pioneer (idiom)
春江水暖鸭先知
chūn jiāng shuǐ nuǎn yā xiān zhī
1 lit. the duck is the first to know if the spring water is warm (idiom)
2 fig. an expert in the field knows which way the wind blows
有其父必有其子
yǒu qí fù bì yǒu qí zǐ
1 like father, like son (idiom)
欲善其事,必先利其器
yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
溘先朝露
kè xiān zhāo lù
1 the morning dew will swiftly dissipate (idiom); fig. ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence
无颜见江东父老
wú yán jiàn Jiāng dōng fù lǎo
1 (idiom) to be unable to return to one's hometown due to the shame of failure (originally referred to Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiàng Yǔ], who chose not to retreat to Jiangdong after his humiliating defeat)
争先恐后
zhēng xiān kǒng hòu
1 striving to be first and fearing to be last (idiom); outdoing one another
父慈子孝
fù cí zǐ xiào
1 benevolent father, filial son (idiom)
2 natural love between parents and children
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