一路走来

make a feint in one direction while attacking in another暗渡陈仓

look for steed according to one of the pectures按图索骥

like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea ,each one show his or her special prowess八仙过海,各显神通

pull the shoots to help them grow highter——spoil things by excessive enthusiasm拔苗助长

show off one's slight skill with the axe before Lu Ban——display one's slight skill before an expert班门弄斧

mestaking a shadow of a bow in the cup as a snake——beast with imaginary fears杯弓蛇影

fight with one's back to the river ——fight to win or die背水一战

be driven to join the Liangshan rebels ——be drien to revolt逼上梁山

the disease has attacked the vitals ——beyond cure 病入膏肓

how can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's lair不入虎穴，焉得虎子

not yield for half a bag of rice 不为五斗米折腰

every bush and tree look like an enemy soldier  ——a state of extreme suspicion and fear草木皆兵

both success and failure because of Xiao He 成也萧何,败也萧何

if the lips are gone,the teeth will be cold唇亡齿寒

covet Shu after getting Long ——have insatible desires得陇望蜀

the plot has come to light东窗事发

Dong Shi knitting her eyebrows in imitation of the famous beauty Xi Shi ——crude imitation with ludicrous effect东施效颦

play the lute to a cow ——address the wrong audience对牛弹琴

proffer a birch and ask for a flogging ——offer a humble apology负荆请罪

spilt water can't be gathered up ——what is done can't be undone覆水难收

high moutains and flowing waters高山流水

drag out one's feeble existence苟延残喘

look at someone with new eyes刮目相看

look at a leopard through a bamboo tube ——have a limited view of something 管中窥豹

learn the Handan walk ——in trying to acquire a new trik,lose the ability one already has邯郸学步

the fox depending on the tiger's power ——bully people by flaunting one's powerful connections狐假虎威

gulping down a whole date ——lap up information without digesting it 囫囵吞枣

flashy but without substance华而不实

draw cakes to allay hungry —— feed on illusions画饼充饥

bring a picture of a dragon to life by putting in the pupils of its eyes ——add the touch that brings a work of art to life画龙点睛

draw a snake and add feet to it ——ruin the effect by adding something superfluous画蛇添足

a dream of golden millet ——pipe dream黄梁一梦

hide one's sickness for fear of treatment  ——conceal one's fault for fear of criticism讳疾忌医

listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; heed only one side and you will be benighted兼听则明,偏信则暗

a willy hare has three burrows ——a crafty person has more than one hideout 狡兔三窟

rubbish coated in gold and jade金玉其外,败絮其中

the bird that starts at the mere twang of a bowstring ——badly frightened person惊弓之鸟

the mythical bird Jingwei trying to fill up the sea with pebbles ——dogged determination to achieve one's purpose 精卫填海

serve one's country with unreserved loyalty精忠报国

nick the boat to seek the sword ——take measures regard to changes in circumstances刻舟求剑

castles in the air ——realm of fancy空中楼阁

pass oneself off as one of the players in an ensemble滥竽充数

a wolf working hand in glove with a bei ——act in collusion with each other狼狈为奸

an old horse knows the way ——an old hand is a good guid 老马识途

so happy as to forget home and duty乐不思蜀

gentleman on the beam ——thief梁上君子

paper is dear in Luoyang ——popular and widely distributed洛阳纸贵

offer one's services as Mao sui did ——volunteer to do something毛遂自荐

you can catch sparrows on the doorstep ——visitors are few and far between门可罗雀

the courtyard is as crowded as a marketplace  ——a much visited house or a shop whose business is booming门庭若市

fall behind Sun Shan ——fail in a competitive examination名落孙山

a Nanke dream ——an imaginary dream南柯一梦

try to go south by driving the chariot north ——act in opposition to one's goal南辕北辙

cast aside the bow once the birds are all killed ——cast sb. aside when he has served his purpose鸟尽弓藏

cast a brick to attract to attract jade ——offer a few somewhat immature remarks to solicit other people's wise and mature opinions抛砖引玉

break through brambles and thorns ——hack one's way through difficulties披荆斩棘

break the cauldrons and sink the boats ——cut off all means of retreat破釜沉舟

a broken mirror joined togther ——reunion of husband and wife after an enforced separation or rupture破镜重圆

seven-pace talent ——literary genius七步之才

like the man of Qi who feared that the sky might fall ——entertain imaginary or groundless fears杞人忧天

be haughty at first but respectful later前倨后恭

the Guizhou donkey has exhausted its tricks ——at one's wit's end黔驴技穷

wonderful workmanship excelling nature巧夺天工

keep on chipping away ——work with perseverance锲而不舍

too numerous to inscrible on all bamboo strips罄竹难书

highbrow songs find few singers 曲高和寡

like a fish in water——be in one's element如鱼得水

the young man is worth teaching孺子可教

penetrating the board by three fen 入木三分

the old frontiersman losing his horse——a blessing in disguise塞翁失马

a superb strategy, a miracle of foresight神机妙算

the land of Peach Blossoms世外桃源

stand by a stump waiting for more hares to come and dash themselves against it——wait for a windfall守株待兔

when the water subsides the rocks emerge——the whole thing comes to light水落石出

songs of Chu are sung on all sides——be besieged on all sides四面楚歌

a seamless heavenly robe——flawless天衣无缝

grinding an iron rod down to a needle——perseverance spells success铁杵磨成针

cross a river in the same boat——pull together in times of trouble同舟共济

cast aside the pen and join the army——give up intellectual pursuits for a military career投笔从戎

when the map is unrolled,the dagger is revealed——the real intention is revealed in the end图穷匕见

return the jade to the State of Zhao——return something to its own in perfect condition完璧归赵

evrything is ready except the east wind——all is ready except what is crucial万事俱备,只欠东风

quench one's thirst by thinking of plums——feed on fancies望梅止渴

play the jackal to a tiger——help a villain do evil为虎作伥

sleep on brushwood and tast gall——undergo selfimposed hardships卧薪尝胆

the concept of bamboo exists in the painter's mind——have a well-thought-out plan,stratagem,etc.胸有成竹

tie one's hair to a beam to keep from nodding off,or prod oneself awake with an awl in the thigh——study assiduously悬梁刺股

plug one's ears while stealing a bell——deceive oneself掩耳盗铃

Lord Ye's love of dragons——professed love of what one really fears叶公好龙

ludicrous conceit of the King of Yelang——parochial arrogance夜郎自大

the Foolish Old Man who removed the moutains——with dogged perseverance愚公移山

pass off fish eyes as pearls——pass off something sham as genuine鱼目混珠

when the snipe and the clam grapple,it is the fisherman who profits——it's the third party that benefits from the tussle鹬蚌相争,渔人得利

make a hole in the wall and let in the light ——diligent in one's studies凿壁偷光

three in the morning and four in the evening——chop and change朝三暮四

step high and look proud 趾高气扬

call a stag a horse——deliberately misrepresent指鹿为马

fight only on paper纸上谈兵

magistrates may set fires,while commoners may not even light lamps只许州官放火,不许百姓点灯

be self-contradictory自相矛盾