— The Weak are Prey to the Strong

    * Meaning: the law of the jungle; "Might makes Right"

    — Didn''t know whether to Laugh or Cry

    * Meaning: to be in an awkward situation; something both funny and embarrassing

    — As Steady as Mount Tai

    * Meaning: very stable and dependable

    — Heavier than Mount Tai / Weightier than Mount Tai

    * Meaning: an extremely serious matter

    — To have Eyes but fail to recognize Mount Tai

    * Meaning: to be ignorant or arrogant; to fail to recognize someone or something of great status

    — To Put in one''s Eyes

    * Meaning: to pay attention to; to care about; to attach importance to

    * Note: Often used in the negative, meaning that someone is disregarding or looking down on someone else. (Example: "They didn''t put him in their eyes.")

    — The time it takes an Incense Stick to burn

    * Meaning: a poetic way of referring to a short time span… depending on the author, generally either 5 minutes or 30 minutes

    — The time it takes to drink a Cup of Tea

    * Meaning: a poetic way of referring to a time span of about 10-15 minutes

    — The time it takes to eat a Meal

    * Meaning: a poetic way of referring to a time span of about 30-45 minutes

    — A Breath of time

    * Meaning: a poetic way of referring to a very short time span (how long it takes a person to inhale and exhale once)… usually about 1-3 seconds

    — All of this takes some time to describe, but actually happened in an Instant

    * Meaning: a cheeky comment by an author, usually made after writing a wordy action scene

    — Twice the Results for Half the Effort

    * Meaning: the right approach saves effort and leads to better results

    — Half the Results for Twice the Effort

    * Meaning: the wrong approach is wasteful and yields weaker results

    — Advance by Leaps and Bounds

    * Meaning: to make remarkable progress; to improve very rapidly

    — I, your Father / Grandfather

    * Meaning: pejorative slang – a form of address which asserts the speaker''s seniority/authority over the person being spoken to, with the intention of demeaning them

    — Courting Death

    * Meaning: said as a warning or insult to someone overstepping their bounds ("You''re courting death!"); said of someone taking serious risks with their life

    — Hover between Life and Death

    * Meaning: to suffer terribly; to be within an inch of one''s life

    — To Die a Dog''s Death

    * Meaning: to die miserably and dishonorably; to die in vain

    * Note: "To Die a Dog''s Death" isn''t actually a Chinese idiom, but some translators choose to use it for any kind of phrase with a meaning of "to die miserably".

    — People die in pursuit of Money, just as Birds die in pursuit of Food

    * Meaning: people will do anything in their means to become rich

    — Crushing Dry Weeds and Smashing Rotten Wood

    * Meaning: something done very easily – illustrates the ease with which the strong dominate the weak

    — Chop Nails and Sever Iron

    * Meaning: resolute and decisive; to get straight to the point

    — If Gods block, kill the Gods; if Buddhas block, kill the Buddhas

    * Meaning: overcome every obstacle

    — Mortal Dust / Red Dust of the Mortal World

    * Meaning: worldly affairs or existence; the world and things of mortals (Buddhist term emphasizing the transience and insignificance of this world)

    — Under Heaven / Beneath the Heavens

    * Meaning: the world; the mortal world; in all the lands

    — Unrivaled under Heaven

    * Meaning: #1 in the world; invincible; undefeated; a paragon

    — Heaven and Earth

    * Meaning: the world; the universe; yin and yang; the sky and land; every manifestation of nature

    — As different as Heaven and Earth

    * Meaning: a tremendous qualitative difference between two things

    — To not know the Immensity of Heaven and Earth

    * Meaning: having an exaggerated opinion of one''s own abilities

    — There are Heavens beyond the Heavens / There are People beyond People, and Heavens beyond the Heavens

    * Meaning: there''s always someone better than you

    — Man proposes, Heaven disposes

    * Meaning: even the best-laid plans can go awry

    — Heaven''s Net is wide, and none can escape its mesh

    * Meaning: criminals can''t evade justice forever; the way of Heaven is fair, and the guilty will not escape

    — Reaching Heaven in a single bound / Ascending to the Skies with a single leap

    * Meaning: to attain instant success

    — A Meat Pie falling from the Heavens

    * Meaning: an unexpected windfall

    — To Rebuke Heaven and Earth

    * Meaning: to be extremely powerful; to shake the entire world

    — Overturning Heaven and Earth

    * Meaning: causing a radical change

    — Heaven and Earth turned upside down

    * Meaning: complete chaos/confusion

    — Shrouding the Heavens / Hiding the Sky and Covering the Earth

    * Meaning: omnipresent; extremely powerful; world-changing

    — Coughing up Blood

    * Meaning: a sign of serious internal injuries or extreme emotional disturbance

    — Blood flowing in reverse

    * Meaning: a serious internal injury (generally caused by a cultivation-related backlash or by great physical or mental trauma)

    — Injected with Chicken Blood

    * Meaning: to be very excited or energetic

    — Gnashing Teeth

    * Meaning: displaying extreme anger or frustration

    — To Suck in a Breath of Cold Air

    * Meaning: a reaction caused by shock or surprise

    — A Flick of a Sleeve

    * Meaning: a flourish of a long sleeve; a gesture often done in a moment of passion or simply to add emphasis to a statement

    — The Seven Orifices / The Seven Apertures

    * Meaning: the seven apertures of the human head (= 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils, 1 mouth)

    — The Five Viscera and Six Bowels

    * Meaning: the internal organs of the human body

    * Note: According to Traditional Chinese Medicine… Five Viscera = heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Six Bowels = gall bladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, triple heater, and bladder.

    — The Seven Emotions and Six Desires

    * Meaning: all of the various feelings which humans possess or can experience

    * Note: The Seven Emotions are happiness, anger, sorrow, joy, love, hate, and desire. The Six Desires are the sensory pleasures associated with the eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body, and mind.

    — Three Views

    * Meaning: (slang) a person''s views about life, the world, and values

    — The Blue Sea turned into Mulberry Fields

    * Meaning: the transformations of the world; time brings great changes

    — Jade-like

    * Meaning: common descriptor for anything refined/elegant/beautiful; an unblemished, creamy white color (based on mutton-fat jade) when referring to skin/women

    — Clear as Ice and Clean as Jade

    * Meaning: spotless; irreproachable; incorruptible

    — Limpid Autumn Water

    * Meaning: traditional description of a girl''s beautiful eyes – likening them to clear pools of water

    — Rare as Phoenix Feathers and Qilin Horns

    * Meaning: extremely rare objects

    — To Pick the Flowers and Trample the Grass

    * Meaning: to womanize; to frequent brothels; to "chase skirts"

    — Pull up Grass by the Roots

    * Meaning: to completely eradicate; (figuratively) to destroy root and branch

    * Note: When referring to people, it means to kill off their entire family so that there''s no one left to take revenge in the future.

    — The Rice is Cooked

    * Meaning: what is done cannot be undone

    — As the Water recedes, the Rocks appear

    * Meaning: the truth comes to light

    — Cleansing the Marrow and Replacing the Tendons

    * Meaning: to purify and strengthen the body

    — Shed one''s Mortal Body and Exchange one''s Bones

    * Meaning: to change completely; to be reborn; to become an Immortal

    — Shatter the Void / Shattering the Void

    * Meaning: to succeed in one''s cultivation; to reach the pinnacle of strength; to reach a brand new world and horizon

    — As Easy as Lifting a Hand / As Easy as Turning over a Hand

    * Meaning: something requiring minimal effort

    — Floating Clouds and Flowing Water

    * Meaning: natural and unforced; skillful and beautiful movement

    — Experts as Common as the Clouds

    * Meaning: very many experts (comparing them to the number of clouds in the sky)

    — Dispel the Clouds and See the Sun

    * Meaning: returning to normality after a period of hardship; to restore justice

    — Produce Clouds with one turn of the Hand and Rain with another

    * Meaning: to possess great power or authority

    — Call the Wind and Summon the Rain

    * Meaning: to exercise magical powers; to exert authority

    — A Mountain of Blades and a Sea of Fire

    * Meaning: extreme danger

    — Move Mountains and Drain Seas / Topple Mountains and Overturn Seas

    * Meaning: a great display of power

    — Overturning Rivers and Seas

    * Meaning: overwhelming; earth-shattering; in a spectacular mess

    — Four Ounces can repel a Thousand Pounds

    * Meaning: a Taichi martial arts concept about using a minimal amount of force to overcome a much greater opposing force, usually by exploiting leverage and the opponent''s momentum

    — Three Heads, Six Arms

    * Meaning: to possess remarkable abilities or formidable power

    — Throw Oneself into the Net

    * Meaning: to willingly walk into a trap

    — To Bare Fangs and Brandish Claws

    * Meaning: to make threatening gestures

    — With Swords drawn and Bows bent

    * Meaning: a state of mutual hostility

    — Impervious to Blades and Spears

    * Meaning: invulnerable; impervious to mortal weapons

    — A Kite with its String cut

    * Meaning: something gone without recall, blown away uncontrollably

    — An Arrow at the end of its flight

    * Meaning: a spent/waning force; something which has very nearly exhausted its strength

    — Stake All on One Throw

    * Meaning: to risk everything in a single venture

    — Pass like Thunder and Move like the Wind

    * Meaning: swift and decisive reaction

    — Thunder from a Clear Sky

    * Meaning: something completely unexpected

    — Wind and Rain

    * Meaning: poor weather; trials and hardships

    — Winds and Waves

    * Meaning: difficulties; tough experiences

    — Add Oil to the Fire

    * Meaning: to aggravate a situation

    — Loot a Burning House

    * Meaning: to profit from someone''s misfortune

    — To Fish in Troubled Waters

    * Meaning: to take advantage of a crisis

    — You''ll eat Meat, We''ll drink Soup

    * Meaning: giving up the lion''s share of benefits to someone else; begging for scraps

    — Reap without Sowing

    * Meaning: to be rewarded without working for it

    — Throwing Stones down a Well

    * Meaning: beating someone when they''re down

    — A Frog in a Well / View the Sky from the Bottom of a Well

    * Meaning: to be ignorant/narrow-minded; to have a myopic perspective

    — You Die, I Live / Cannot Live Under the Same Sky

    * Meaning: irreconcilable enmity

    — Fight Poison with Poison

    * Meaning: to cure ills with poison; to fight fire with fire; to meet aggression with aggression

    — Forget Favors and Violate Justice

    * Meaning: to show ingratitude to a friend or benefactor

    — Treasuring a Jade Ring becomes a Crime

    * Meaning: having something precious invites disaster from the greed of others

    — If one often walks by the Riverside, one''s Shoes will eventually get wet

    * Meaning: living dangerously or associating with the wrong people will eventually lead to consequences

    — A Mantis trying to stop a Chariot

    * Meaning: to overrate oneself and attempt the impossible

    — The Mantis stalks the Cicada, unaware of the Oriole behind

    * Meaning: to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger

    — When the Sandpiper and the Clam fight each other, it''s the Fisherman who benefits

    * Meaning: said when a third party profits from the struggle of others; neighbors who fight each other will lose out to a mutual enemy

    — A Fire at the City Gates is also a Disaster to the Fish in the Pond

    * Meaning: a drastic action may unintentionally affect other people and harm innocent bystanders

    * Note: The idea is that while the fish might appear to be safe from the fire outside… if the firefighters drain the pond-water to help put out the fire, then even the fish will suffer.

    — A Carp leaping through the Dragon Gate

    * Meaning: to make a significant advancement after much effort; to undergo a great transformation (like a carp becoming a dragon)

    — Where Fish swim with Dragons / Where Dragons and Snakes intermingle

    * Meaning: a place with a mixture of both strong and weak (or good and bad) people

    — Even a Powerful Dragon cannot repress a Local Snake

    * Meaning: an outsider with great power/influence may not be a match for a gangster on his home turf

    — Paint a Dragon and Dot the Eyes

    * Meaning: to add the vital finishing touch; the crucial point that brings the subject to life

    — Dragon returning to the Sea

    * Meaning: in one''s element; "like a fish back in water"

    — A Dragon among Men

    * Meaning: an exceptional and talented person who stands out among others

    — Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons

    * Meaning: talented individuals in hiding; concealed talent

    — A Fight between a Dragon and a Tiger

    * Meaning: a fierce battle between two powerful opponents

    — Dragon''s Pool and Tiger''s Den

    * Meaning: a very dangerous location

    — Paper Tiger

    * Meaning: something that seems fierce/threatening but is actually much weaker than it looks

    — Like a Tiger that has grown Wings / Like giving Wings to a Tiger

    * Meaning: with redoubled power (a tiger is already fierce… what if it could also fly?)

    — Lure the Tiger away from the Mountain

    * Meaning: to lure an enemy out of his territory

    — If you ride a Tiger, it''s hard to get off

    * Meaning: something difficult to stop halfway

    — A Tiger Father will not beget a Dog Son

    * Meaning: a great/powerful father will not raise a worthless son (typically said as a compliment)

    — Pretending to be a Pig to eat a Tiger

    * Meaning: to fake weakness to fool and defeat a strong foe

    — The Newborn Calf does not fear the Tiger

    * Meaning: young or inexperienced people are often ignorant

    — A Lion uses its full strength even when hunting a Rabbit

    * Meaning: you can''t relax even against a weak challenge

    — A Toad lusting after a Swan''s Flesh

    * Meaning: aspiring after something one is not worthy of

    — Play the Lute for a Cow

    * Meaning: to do something for the wrong audience; "discussing philosophy with a fool"

    — Chef Ding carving the Ox

    * Meaning: performing a task effortlessly and with great skill

    — A Single Hair from Nine Oxen

    * Meaning: an insignificant amount; "a drop in the bucket"

    — A Clay Ox entering the Sea

    * Meaning: to disappear with no hope of returning (like a clay figurine dissolving in water)

    — Beat the Grass and Scare the Snake

    * Meaning: to inadvertently alert an enemy; (less commonly) to punish someone as a warning to others

    — Drawing Legs on a Snake

    * Meaning: wasted effort; to ruin something by adding unnecessary details

    — The Dog acts fierce when his Master is present

    * Meaning: to use one''s position to bully others

    — A starved Camel is still bigger than a Horse

    * Meaning: even weakened, someone strong is still strong

    — A Crane in a Flock of Chickens

    * Meaning: someone exceptional who stands out among a crowd of lesser people

    — Wanting to steal a Chicken, but instead losing the Bait

    * Meaning: trying to gain an advantage only to end up worse off

    — Killing the Chicken to warn the Monkey

    * Meaning: to punish an individual as an example to others

    — When the Tree falls, the Monkeys scatter

    * Meaning: opportunists will quickly abandon an unfavorable cause

    — Tall Trees attract the Wind

    * Meaning: being outstanding brings adversity in itself

    — Half a Day

    * Meaning: (metaphor) for a long time; for quite a while

    * Note: It literally means "half of a day", but often refers to a much shorter period of time. For example, if two people stare at each other for "half a day", it might have only been an awkwardly long moment.

    — Side Dish

    * Meaning: (slang) Noob; a small appetizer… in other words, "a piece of cake"

    — Black Belly

    * Meaning: (slang) two-faced; outwardly kind but inwardly evil or manipulative

    — Fart / Farting

    * Meaning: (slang) to talk nonsense; "Bullshit!"

    — Wear a Green Hat

    * Meaning: a cuckold; to be cuckolded by one''s wife

    — Intestines turning Green from Regret

    * Meaning: to be completely consumed with regret

    * Note: The idea is that intestines supposedly turn green in a decomposing body, so this idiom is about figuratively "dying from regret".

    — Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals

    * Meaning: useless troops

    — The Thirty-Six Stratagems

    * Meaning: a classic list of Chinese stratagems (plans/schemes) to be used in war

    * Note: A particularly famous idiom says "Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is best". In other words: "If all else fails, retreat".

    — Wash one''s Hands in a Golden Basin

    * Meaning: to retire from or leave the martial world

    — When in the Jianghu, one cannot move freely

    * Meaning: you can''t always do as you like; one has to compromise in this world

    — Fly across the Rooftops

    * Meaning: lit. "to leap the house and cross the roofridge"; often used to describe the superb movement skills of martial artists in Wuxia novels

    — A Teacher for a Day, a Father for Life

    * Meaning: a student should revere and respect someone who was willing to mentor them, even if they could only teach for a short period of time… similarly, a teacher should nurture and cherish their students as they would their own children

    — A Thousand-mile Journey begins with the First Step

    * Meaning: great accomplishments come from an accumulation of small achievements made one by one