302 Themes

009 Social relationships 社交关系 (shèjiāo guānxi)


host, owner, landlord
small gain, petty-advantage
cash cow
everywhere, in all aspects
arrogant
cheerful
restless (uneasy standing and sitting)
take care
be careful
suspect everyone (even doubt your own shadow)
associate with
be concerned about, think about
use your seniority
have luck
cause physical or mental suffering/torment
mature timber, useful person
amaze the world with a single brilliant feat, an overnight celebrity
return home gloriously
try to get the first word in
take pleasure in helping others
be in the way
share a bed but dream differently (strange partners)
traffic jam
emerge in an endless stream
subordinate
unable to catch up with
always, forever
funny
cannot withstand a single blow, collapse at the first blow
cheerful
not take to heart, try to look on the bright side of things
contentment brings happiness
passive
mindful, careful
do shoddy work and use inferior material
embezzle
eager to get a bargain
exert oneself to the utmost, spare no effort
clumsy birds have to start flying early-the slow need to start early (usu. said in selfdeprecation)
with a tiger’s head and a snake’s tail- fine start and poor finish
go fishing for three days and dry the nets for two- work by fits and starts, lack perseverance
noisy
slovenly, sloppy
always, totally, completely
always (previously)
always (previously), a period of time in the recent past
always, forever
often, frequently
old, always
always
always
always
consistently
always (previously), a period of time in the recent past
[often used correlatively with都or总] no matter (what, who, how etc.), whether . . . or. . ., regardless of

17 主人 [-] zhǔrén (host-man) host, owner, landlord: ~热情接待了客 人. The hosts welcomed the guests enthusiastically. || 人类永远是机器的~. Human beings are always the owners of machines. '
84 小便宜 [-] xiǎopiányí (small-advantage) small gain, petty-advantage: 贪~ always on the lookout for petty advantages || 占~ gain petty advantages '
9 摇钱树 [搖錢樹] yáoqiánshù (shake-money-tree) cash cow: 这个产品 是谷歌公司的~. This product has always been a cash cow for the Google corporation. '
19 处处 [處處] chùchù (place-place) everywhere, in all aspects: 中国父母 总是想 ~保护孩子, 帮助孩子. Chinese parents always want to protect their child and provide for their child in every way. '
8 傲气 [-氣] àoqì (arrogant-air) arrogant: ~十足 pure arrogance || 杀杀 他的~ quell sb.’s arrogance || 他太~了, 总是看不起人. He is very proud and always holds others in contempt. '
10 乐呵呵 [樂--] lèhēhē (happy-onomatopoeia) cheerful: ~地说 cheerfully say || 她整天~的. She is always cheerful and gay. '
17 坐立不安 [-] zuòlìbù’ān (sit-stand-not-easy) restless (uneasy standing and sitting): 小王在考试前总是~. Little Wang always gets antsy before a test. || 这个工作面试让我整天都~. This job interview has had me on pins and needles all day. '
3 留心 [-] liúxīn (careful-heart) take care: ~细节 take care with details || ~观察 (guānchá) observe carefully || 处处~ always be careful '
7 小心 [-] xiǎoxīn (cautious-heart) be careful: ~钱包 be careful with one’s wallet || 千万~ take the utmost care || 处处~ always careful '
17 疑神疑鬼 [-] yíshényíguǐ (suspicious-god-suspicious-ghost) suspect everyone (even doubt your own shadow): 老是~ always suspicious of everything '
31 联想 [聯-] liánxiǎng (associate-think) associate with: 引起~ cause association || 令人~ associated || 说起医生, 小孩就会联想到 ~打针. Children always associate the doctor with injections. 认可 [認-] rènkě (admit-approve) approve: ~他的观点approve his view || 公开~ approve in public || 获得/得到~ abstain/get someone’s acceptance or approval '
10 惦记 [-記] diànjì (miss-think) be concerned about, think about: ~家里 的事情think about family || 母亲最~自己的孩子. A mother is always most concerned about her children. '
11 倚老卖老 [--賣-] yǐlǎomàilǎo (rely-seniority-sell-seniority) use your seniority: 我爷爷总是~, 把他的想法强加给我. Presuming his seniority, my grandfather always imposes his ideas upon me. '
1 走运 [-運] zǒuyùn (be with-luck) have luck: 他总是挺~的. He is always quite lucky. || 走好运good luck || 走大运 a lot of luck '
11 折磨 [-] zhémó (bend-pester) cause physical or mental suffering/torment: 遭受~ suffer torment || 感情的~ emotional torment || 心理~ psychological torment || 他很变态, 总是喜欢~别人. He is very perverted and always likes to torture others. '
9 成材 [-] chéngcái (become-timber) mature timber, useful person: 这棵 树已经~了. The tree has grown to full size. || 自学 ~ become a success from being self-taught || 父母都希望孩子早日~. Parents always want their children to be successful soon. '
19 一鸣惊人 [-鳴驚-] yīmíngjīngrén (one-cry-astonish-people) amaze the world with a single brilliant feat, an overnight celebrity: 不鸣则已, ~. The quiet ones always sneak up on you. || 中国游泳队~. The Chinese swimming team became famous overnight. '
48 衣锦还乡 [-錦還鄉] yìjǐnhuánxiāng (wear-brocade-return-home) return home gloriously: 中国人一直有赚钱后~的观念. The Chinese always thought they were going to move back to their hometowns after earning their fortune elsewhere. 运输 [運輸] yùnshū (transport-convey) transport: 交通~ communication and transportation || 铁路~ railway transportation || ~食物 transport food '
55 抢话 [搶話] qiǎnghuà (grab-word) try to get the first word in: 抢她的话 try to get the first word in before her || 老~ always speak at once '
18 助人为乐 [--為樂] zhùrénwéilè (help-others-as-pleasure) take pleasure in helping others: 她一直热心~. She has always been enthusiastic about helping others. 517 '
52 碍手碍脚 [礙-礙-] ài’shǒu’ài’jiǎo (prevent-hand-prevent-foot) be in the way: 站开点, 别在这儿~. Go away, don’t be in the way. || 她的三个孩 子老是~. Her three children are always under foot. '
44 同床异梦 [--異夢] tóngchuángyìmèng (same-bed-different-dream) share a bed but dream differently (strange partners): 这对夫妻早就~了, 总是 吵嘴. This couple has always been a strange pair. They are always arguing. '
60 堵车 [-車] dǔchē (block-vehicle) traffic jam: 堵了四小时车 a fourhour traffic jam || 老~ always jammed up || 路上~ traffic on the roads '
6 层出不穷 [層--窮] céngchūbúqióng (layer-appear-not-end) emerge in an endless stream: 新东西~. New things are created in an endless stream. || 新技术~. New technologies are always being created. '
22 从属 [從屬] cóngshǔ (subordinate-belong to) subordinate: 在旧社会, 女人是 ~ 于男人的. In old times, women were subordinate to men. ||在任何 时代, 艺术都是~于政治的. In any era, art is always subordinate to politics. '
49 赶不上 [趕--] gǎnbúshàng (catch up with-not-able) unable to catch up with: 我总是~她. I can’t catch up with her. || 计划~变化. Plans always fall behind changes. || ~潮流 can’t catch up with the trend, outdated '
20 永远 [-遠] yǒngyuǎn (forever-long) always, forever: ~记着 remember forever || ~正确 (zhèngquè) always right || ~幸福 (xìngfú) be happy forever '
26 滑稽 [-] huájī (slippery-check) funny: 长相~ funny looking || 他很~, 总 是让周围的人大笑. He is funny and always makes people around him laugh '
29 不堪一击 [---擊] bùkān-yījī (unable-withstand-single-blow) cannot withstand a single blow, collapse at the first blow: 谎言总是 ~的. Lies are always flimsy. || 对手~. The opponent is vulnerable. '
1 开朗 [開-] kāilǎng (open-bright) cheerful: 性格 (xìnggé) ~ always cheerful || 他很 ~. He is very outgoing. || 心情~ be in a cheerful mind '
7 想得开 [--開] xiǎng de kāi (think-auxiliary-open) not take to heart, try to look on the bright side of things: 凡事都要~. It is better to always look on the bright side. '
9 知足常乐 [---樂] zhīzú chánglè (know-content-always-happy) contentment brings happiness: ~是一种乐观的人生态度. Contentment is an optimistic attitude in life. '
19 被动 [-動] bèidòng (passive-move) passive: ~接受passive acceptance || 处于~的地位in a passive position || 你做事怎么总是那么~, 能不能主动 一点儿? How can you always be passive in your work? Can you take the initiative? '
9 小心 [-] xiǎoxīn (caucious-mind) mindful, careful: 她说话总是很~, 不乱说. He always speaks with care. || 这个街区不安全, 你得~. This block isn’t safe. You have to be careful. '
35 偷工减料 [--減-] tōugōng jiǎnliào (pilfer-man hour-reduce-material) do shoddy work and use inferior material: ~的工程the constructions of cutting corners. || 别找他们盖楼, 他们总是~. Don’t hire them to build a building. They’re always cutting corners. '
24 贪 [貪] tān (greedy) embezzle: ~小便宜 always on the lookout for petty advantages || ~钱/财 embezzle money/wealth || ~舒服 comfort through embezzlement '
28 贪便宜 [貪--] tān piányi (greedy for-cheap) eager to get a bargain: 企 图~ always attempt to get a bargain/the better deal || 贪小便宜always on the '
2 卖力 [賣-] màilì (sell-labor) exert oneself to the utmost, spare no effort: 工作~ work hard || 他干活一向很~. He has always been hard-working. '
9 笨鸟先飞 [-鳥-飛] bènniǎo xiānfēi (clumsy-bird-first-fly) clumsy birds have to start flying early-the slow need to start early (usu. said in selfdeprecation): ~的办法 the way of clumsy birds || 他不聪明, 但是学习成绩 很好. 因为他知道~, 总是比别人花更多时间学习. He is not smart, but his grades are always good. Because he knows the slow need to start early and always spends more time studying than others. '
20 虎头蛇尾 [-頭--] hǔtóu shéwěi (tiger-head-snake-tail) with a tiger’s head and a snake’s tail- fine start and poor finish: 这个故事~ The story begins dramatically, but the plot peters out before the end. || 她做事总是~. She always starts off with a bang but ends with a whimper. '
21 三天打鱼, 两天晒网 [---魚, 兩-曬網] sāntiān dǎyú liǎngtiān shàiwǎng (3-day-catch-fish, 2-day-dry-net) go fishing for three days and dry the nets for two- work by fits and starts, lack perseverance: 她做事总是~. She always lacks perseverance. '
7 闹哄哄 [鬧--] nàohōnghōng (noisy-suffix) noisy: ~的农贸 (nóngmào) 市场noisy farmers’ markets || ~的场景 (chǎngjǐng) a noisy scene || 图书馆里 的青少年阅读室总是~的. The youth reading room in the library is always noisy. '
11 邋遢 [-] lāta (slovenly) slovenly, sloppy: 外表~ sloppy appearance || 他工作总是~. His work is always sloppy. '
24 总 [總] zǒng (bundle, all, always) always, totally, completely: ~不高 兴 always unhappy || ~迟到 always late '
1 向来 [-來] xiànglái (always-was) always (previously): ~重要 consistently important || ~温柔 (wēnróu) consistently warm, tender || ~脾气不好 always in bad temper '
3 一向 [-] yīxiàng (all-was) always (previously), a period of time in the recent past: 他们~有矛盾 (máodùn). They have consistently had problems. || ~认真 consistently hardworking || ~冷静 (lěngjìng) consistently calm '
33 永远 [-遠] yǒngyuǎn (forever-everlasting) always, forever: ~记着 always remember || ~不变 always remain unchanged || ~年轻 remain young forever '
20 往往 [-] wǎngwǎng (formerly-always) often, frequently: 最深刻的理 论~很简单. The deepest theories are often very simple. || ~不重视 often not emphasize. || ~很复杂 (fùzá) often very complicated '
21 老 [-] lǎo (old, always) old, always: ~痛 always hurting || ~写不好 always write poorly || ~看电视 always watch TV '
22 总 [總] zǒng (always) always: ~想着孩子 always think of children || ~不相信 always not trust || ~迟到 always be tardy '
23 老是 [-] lǎoshì (always-be) always: ~哭 always cry || ~开会 always meet || ~下雨 always rain '
24 总是 [總-] zǒngshì (always-be) always: ~害怕 always be afraid || ~失 败 always defeated || ~很忙 always be busy '
25 一直 [-] yīzhí (continuously-straight) consistently: ~不舒服 consistently not well || ~不满意 consistently not satisfied || ~唱下去 to always sing '
26 一向 [-] yīxiàng (consistently-always) always (previously), a period of time in the recent past: ~听话 have recently heard || ~老实 has always been honest || ~努力 has always been hardworking '
6 不论 [-論] búlùn (not-discuss, speaking) [often used correlatively with都or总] no matter (what, who, how etc.), whether . . . or. . ., regardless of: 中国人~走到哪里, 都爱问各种东西的价格. Chinese people love to ask prices of all kinds of things wherever they go. || ~我怎么问, 他都不说. No matter how I asked him, he said nothing. || ~贫穷还是富有, 我都永远爱你. Whether you are poor or rich, I will always love you.'