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Don't climb a tree to look for fish.
Tiger and deer do not walk together.
If two men unite, their money will buy gold.
In a multitude of words there will certainly be a mistake.
It is a mistake to go to a Buddhist monastery to borrow a comb.
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Much money moves the gods.
To one who waits, a moment seems a year.
When the messenger of death comes, all affairs cease.
If a little money does not go out, great money will not come in.
Ready money can buy whatever is in stock.
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If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words.
If you lose your needle in the grass, look for it in the grass.
There are times when even the tiger sleeps.
The great tree attracts the wind.
Though a mother give birth to nine sons, all nine will be different.
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This morning knows not this evening's happenings.
When the moth flies around the flame, it burns itself to death.
Talk of music only to a musician.
When climbing a high mountain, take no step backward.
If you don't climb the high mountain, you can't view the plain.
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Better good neighbors that are near than relatives far away.
Guard your mouth as though it were a vase, and guard your thoughts as you would a city wall.
To get up early for three mornings is equal to one day of time.
No needle has two sharp points.
A wife's long tongue is the staircase by which misfortunes ascend to the house.
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Better live a beggar than a dead king.
If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.
It is difficult to satisfy one's appetite by painting pictures of cakes.
An army of a thousand is easy to find, but, ah, how difficult to find a general.
Two barrels of tears will not heal a bruise.
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If you accommodate others, will be accommodating yourself.
A basket cannot dam a stream for long.
Words are the voice of the heart.
The axe strikes the chisel, and the chisel strikes the wood.
Don't go on a man's bond in public, nor guarantee his debts in private.
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A single tree does not make a forest.
Straight trees are felled first sweet wells are drained first.
Planning is in the power of man executing is in the hands of Heaven.
When you travel by boat be prepared for a dunking.
If you associate with officials you will be a beggar, if with merchants you will be rich.
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The wise bee does not sip from a flower that has fallen.
Without the aid of the divine, man cannot walk even an inch.
Books do not exhaust words words do not exhaust thoughts.
One body cannot perform two services.
A load of books does not equal one good teacher.
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The full teapot makes no sound the half-empty teapot is very noisy.
Even a beggar will not cross a rotten wooden bridge.
He painted a tiger, but it turned out a cur.
He who rides the tiger finds it difficult to dismount.
A wise bird selects its tree.
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If you cannot pole a boat, don't meddle with the pole.
While the boy is small, you can see the man.
A full bottle won't shake a half empty one will.
If you are surety for the bow, you are surety for the arrow.
If the bow is drawn taut, the arrow will fly fast.
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Sow early and you will reap early.
A man's body buried in the snow will after a time come to light.
It is the beautiful bird that we put in the cage.
Blessings never come in pairs misfortunes never come singly.
Words are empty, but the writing brush leaves traces.
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When troubles are few, dreams are few.
A bachelor of arts discusses books a pork butcher talks of pigs.
To bow the body is easy to bow the will is hard.
He who restrains his appetite avoids debt.
Propriety governs the superior man law, the inferior man.
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It is difficult to get a good word it is easy to give a bad one.
If one word does not succeed, ten thousand are of no avail.
The two words, "peace" and "tranquillity," are worth a thousand pieces of gold.
Bitter words are medicine sweet words bring illness.
Words unspoken are not known.
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For an intelligent man, one word and he understands.
Following virtue is like climbing a hill following evil, like slipping down a precipice.
Words are empty, but the writing brush leaves traces.
A single kind word keeps one warm for three winters.
When the blind leads the blind, indeed they will both fall into the water.
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A singing bird killed furnishes no flesh.
Carefulness can go everywhere.
A good breakfast cannot take the place of the evening meal.
If brothers disagree, the bystander takes advantage.
Even brothers keep careful accounts.
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If you are willing to eat cabbage stalks, you can accomplish a hundred affairs.
It is too late to pierce the ears of the bride when she is in her wedding chair.
He whose virtues exceed his talents is the superior man he whose talents exceed his virtues is the inferior man.
Do not think any vice trivial, and so practice it do not think any virtue trivial, and so neglect it.
Brothers are like hands and feet.
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When you buy shoes, measure your feet.
Too many bricklayers make a lopsided house.
Where there is a cart ahead there is a track behind.
To spoil a child is to kill it.
You may change the clothes, you cannot change the man.
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With clothes the new are best with friends the old are best.
If all your life you have had a clear conscience, you need not fear a knock at the door at midnight.
The conquerors are kings the defeated are bandits.
The bamboo stick makes a good child.
To walk in the path of virtue for ten years is not enough to do evil for a single day is too much.
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With great doubts comes great understanding with small doubts comes little understanding.
If there is no one at home, don't leave clothes to dry before the fire.
Do not pray for gold and jade and precious things, but pray that your children and grandchildren may all be good.
Abroad we look at a man's clothes at home we look at the man.
You cannot take white cloth out of a tub full of indigo.
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Chinese Proverbs (001-100) Chinese Proverbs (101-200) Chinese Proverbs (201-300) Chinese Proverbs (301-400) Chinese Proverbs (401-500) Chinese Proverbs (501-600) Chinese Proverbs (601-636)