1 without learning or skills (idiom); ignorant and incompetent
仁心仁术
rén xīn rén shù
1 benevolent heart and skillful execution (idiom, from Mencius); charitable in thought and deed
分身乏术
fēn shēn fá shù
1 to be up to one's ears in work (idiom)
2 to be unable to attend to other things at the same time
刻舟求剑
kè zhōu qiú jiàn
1 lit. a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom); fig. an action made pointless by changed circumstances
剑拔弩张
jiàn bá nǔ zhāng
1 lit. with swords drawn and bows bent (idiom); fig. a state of mutual hostility
2 at daggers drawn
剑走偏锋
jiàn zǒu piān fēng
1 the sword moves with side stroke (modern idiom)
2 fig. unexpected winning move
3 unconventional gambit
剑走蜻蛉
jiàn zǒu qīng líng
1 the sword moves like a dragon-fly (modern idiom)
2 fig. unexpected winning move
3 unconventional gambit
口蜜腹剑
kǒu mì fù jiàn
1 lit. honeyed words, a sword in the belly (idiom); fig. hypocritical and murderous
回天乏术
huí tiān fá shù
1 unable to turn around a hopeless situation (idiom)
2 to fail to save the situation
琴剑飘零
qín jiàn piāo líng
1 floating between zither and sword (idiom); fig. wandering aimlessly with no tenured position
罢黜百家,独尊儒术
bà chù bǎi jiā , dú zūn rú shù
1 Dismiss the hundred schools, revere only the Confucian (idiom)
2 sole dominant ideology
项庄舞剑
Xiàng Zhuāng wǔ jiàn
1 lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liú Bāng] (idiom, refers to plot to kill Liu Bang during Feast at Hongmen 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[Hóng mén Yàn] in 206 BC)
2 fig. an elaborate deception hiding malicious intent
项庄舞剑,意在沛公
Xiàng Zhuāng wǔ jiàn , yì zài Pèi gōng
1 lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liú Bāng] (idiom); refers to 206 BC plot to murder Liu Bang, aka Duke of Pei 沛公[Pèi gōng] and the future Han emperor, during a sword dance at Feast at Hongmen 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[Hóng mén Yàn]
2 an elaborate deception to hide malicious intent
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