[纸上谈兵 / 紙上談兵, zhǐ shàng tán bīng, ㄓˇ ㄕㄤˋ ㄊㄢˊ ㄅㄧㄥ]lit. military tactics on paper (成语 saw); fig. theoretical discussion that is worse than useless in practice (cf. Zhao Kuo 趙括|赵括 leading an army of 400, 000 to annihilation at Changping in 260 BC); an armchair strategist; idle theorizing#40926[Add to Longdo]
[曾经沧海 / 曾經滄海, céng jīng cāng hǎi, ㄘㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄘㄤ ㄏㄞˇ]lit. once experienced the vast ocean(成语 saw); fig. widely experienced in the vicissitudes of life; cf. to have known the world#48688[Add to Longdo]
[倒打一耙, dào dǎ yī pá, ㄉㄠˋ ㄉㄚˇ ㄧ ㄆㄚˊ]lit. to strike with a muck-rake (成语 saw), cf. Pigsy 豬八戒|猪八戒 in Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记; fig. to counter-attack; to make bogus accusations (against one's victim)#84956[Add to Longdo]
[伐柯, fá kē, ㄈㄚˊ ㄎㄜ](cf. Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax; fig. to follow a principle; fig. to act as match-maker#261483[Add to Longdo]
[花朝月夕, huā zhāo yuè xī, ㄏㄨㄚ ㄓㄠ ㄩㄝˋ ㄒㄧ]a beautiful day; cf. Birthday of the Flowers on lunar 15th February and Mid-autumn Festival on lunar 15th August#466134[Add to Longdo]
[操斧伐柯, cāo fǔ fá kē, ㄘㄠ ㄈㄨˇ ㄈㄚˊ ㄎㄜ](cf. Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax; fig. to follow a principle; fig. to act as match-maker[Add to Longdo]