Basic Info Figurative Definition It describes a state of being caught between life and death – barely alive, on the verge of death. By extension, it describes anything that is lifeless, stagnant, or devoid of energy: a dying business, a dull atmosphere, a person drained of vitality. It can be used: In short: barely…
Basic Info Important note: 出家 does not mean “leaving home” in the ordinary sense. It is the standard Buddhist term for renouncing worldly life and taking monastic vows. So the literal image is: someone who becomes a monk or nun in mid-life – not as a child raised in the monastery, but as an…
Basic Info Figurative Definition It refers to a middle-aged woman who still retains her charm, beauty, and romantic appeal – a woman no longer young, but still graceful and attractive. It carries a tone of admiring appreciation, often with a slightly playful or nostalgic nuance: “She is no longer young, but she still has…
Basic Info Crucial cultural note: In the old Chinese weight system, 1 jin (斤) = 16 liang (两). Therefore, half a jin is exactly eight liang – the two amounts are identical in weight. This is the key to understanding the idiom: what sounds like two different quantities is actually the same thing. Figurative…
Basic Info Figurative Definition It means that a person is already old and not far from death – “half buried in the earth.” It is a blunt, vivid image of advanced age and approaching mortality. It is often used: It is not usually a polite or respectful phrase for elders – it is informal,…
Basic Info Figurative Definition It means that the wisdom contained in the Confucian classics – even just a portion of them – is sufficient to govern a nation and bring order to the world. It is a powerful statement of the practical value of classical learning: the principles in a single book, properly understood…
Basic Info Also written as 半壁河山 (bàn bì hé shān). Figurative Definition It refers to half of a nation’s territory – specifically, the portion that remains after part of the country has been lost to invasion or occupation. It can also refer to the part of the country that has been occupied by an…
Basic Info Figurative Definition It means that something is firmly settled and cannot be changed – like a nail hammered into a wooden board, it is fixed in place and not easily pulled out. It describes a decision, agreement, or outcome that is final and certain. It can be used: In short: settled, fixed,…
Basic Info Also written as 拨弄是非 (bō nòng shì fēi). Figurative Definition It means to carry tales, spread gossip, twist people’s words, and stir up disputes behind others’ backs. A person who “搬弄是非” takes what one person said, repeats or distorts it to another, and creates misunderstanding, suspicion, and conflict. It is strongly negative…