1 complete change from the normal state (idiom); quite uncharacteristic
2 entirely outside the norm
3 out of character
一失足成千古恨
yī shī zú chéng qiān gǔ hèn
1 a single slip may cause everlasting sorrow (idiom)
三纲五常
sān gāng wǔ cháng
1 three principles and five virtues (idiom)
2 the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信)
人之常情
rén zhī cháng qíng
1 human nature (idiom)
2 a behavior that is only natural
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
兵家常事
bīng jiā cháng shì
1 commonplace in military operations (idiom)
北叟失马
běi sǒu shī mǎ
1 lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)
2 fig. a blessing in disguise
3 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
千虑一失
qiān lu:4 yī shī
1 reflect a thousand times and you can still make a mistake (idiom); to err is human
千里马常有,而伯乐不常有
qiān lǐ mǎ cháng yǒu , ér Bó Lè bù cháng yǒu
1 lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
2 fig. many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it
因小失大
yīn xiǎo shī dà
1 to save a little only to lose a lot (idiom)
坐失机宜
zuò shī jī yí
1 to sit and waste a good opportunity (idiom); to lose the chance
坐失良机
zuò shī liáng jī
1 to sit and waste a good opportunity (idiom); to lose the chance
城门失火,殃及池鱼
chéng mén shī huǒ , yāng jí chí yú
1 a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiom); the bystander will also suffer
2 fig. you can't escape responsibility for your actions
3 ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee
塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
1 lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best (idiom)
2 fig. a blessing in disguise
3 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
塞翁失马安知非福
sài wēng shī mǎ ān zhī fēi fú
1 the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
2 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
3 also written 塞翁失馬焉知非福|塞翁失马焉知非福
塞翁失马焉知非福
sài wēng shī mǎ yān zhī fēi fú
1 the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
2 it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
大惊失色
dà jīng shī sè
1 to turn pale with fright (idiom)
天网恢恢,疏而不失
tiān wǎng huī huī , shū ér bù shī
1 lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73)
2 fig. the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape
3 you can't run from the long arm of the law
失之东隅,收之桑榆
shī zhī dōng yú , shōu zhī sāng yú
1 to lose at sunrise but gain at sunset (idiom)
2 to compensate later for one's earlier loss
3 what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts
失之毫厘,谬以千里
shī zhī háo lí , miù yǐ qiān lǐ
1 a tiny lapse can lead to a huge mistake (idiom); a minor discrepancy leading to enormous losses
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