9 Terms
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General culture
Common learned behavior patterns that are acquired by people as members of a society.
Industry: Culture
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General culture
守株待兔 Shoŭ zhū daì tù
Culture; General culture
This idiom means to "sit around waiting for opportunities" but the story behind it is quite entertaining. Once upon a time, a rabbit was running away from something or other and ran smack into a ...
自由自在 Zì yoú zì zaì
Culture; General culture
Zì yoú zì zaì is that old free and easy feeling. It can be said of a person's (or animal's, I suppose) attitude, personality, or behavior, or can describe the a feeling, whether given by a place or a ...
脚踏实地 Jiào Tá Shí Dì
Culture; General culture
This idiom literally means to walk or step on solid ground. Basically, it's a way of saying 'focus on the fundamentals, keep working hard, and don't stop'. This is a great saying for bosses to ...
对牛弹琴 Duì niú tán qín
Culture; General culture
Similar to the English expression - "to cast pearls before swine" - this idiom means to "play the qin (an ancient Chinese wind instrument) for a cow." It is usually used to indicate that someone is ...
入乡随俗 Rù xiāng súi sú
Culture; General culture
For Westerners, China can seem a very unfamiliar place; there's strange food, strange customs, and a strange language. The best thing you can do is repeat this Chinese idiom to yourself, which has ...
自相矛盾 Zì xiāng máo dùn
Culture; General culture
The meaning of this idiom is relatively straightforward - "self-contradictory" - but the story behind it is fascinating. It comes from an ancient tale of a salesman who claimed that he sold a spear ...
画蛇添足 Huà shé tiān zú
Culture; General culture
Literally, this idiom means to draw a snake but add a foot. The meaning behind it is that something has been ruined by trying to add something unnecessary. We have a similar expression in English, ...
