半途而废
bàn tú ér fèito give up halfway- 无论是学习一门语言，还是坚持一项运动，凡靠意志力硬撑的，大多半途而废；凡由兴趣驱动的，反而细水长流。Whether it is learning a language or keeping up a sport, whatever is forced through by sheer willpower mostly ends half-finished, while whatever is driven by interest tends to flow on steadily.HSK 6 · 内驱力
闭门谢客
bìmén xièkèto shut the door on visitors- 试想一位作家闭门谢客、埋首创作数月，表面上形单影只，内心却因专注而充实丰盈，这与终日无人问津的孤寡老人截然不同。Imagine a writer who shuts out visitors and buries himself in his work for months — outwardly solitary, yet inwardly full and enriched by focus, utterly unlike a neglected, lonely elderly person whom no one ever visits.HSK 6 · 孤独与独处之辨
不合时宜
bù hé shí yíout of keeping with the times- 在快节奏的现代社会，“匠人精神”这个词似乎有些不合时宜。In today's fast-paced society, the term "craftsman spirit" seems somewhat out of step with the times.HSK 6 · 匠人精神
不思进取
bù sī jìn qǔlacking ambition; not striving to advance- 知足并非不思进取，而是分得清什么值得追逐，什么只是虚荣的负担。Contentment is not a lack of ambition; it is knowing exactly what is worth chasing and what is merely the burden of vanity.HSK 6 · 知足常乐
不知不觉
bù zhī bù juéunconsciously- 算法根据用户的喜好推送内容，使人们不知不觉陷入“信息茧房”。Algorithms push content based on users' preferences, causing people to sink unknowingly into an 'information cocoon.'HSK 6 · 媒介素养
不堪设想
bùkān shèxiǎngtoo dreadful to imagine- 然而，技术是一把双刃剑，滥用它的后果同样不堪设想。However, technology is a double-edged sword, and the consequences of abusing it are equally unthinkable.HSK 6 · 科技伦理
不可或缺
bùkě huòquēindispensable- 它既需要制度的转身，也需要无数人日常的坚持，二者同样不可或缺。It needs institutions to turn around and it needs the daily persistence of countless people; the two are equally indispensable.HSK 6 · 气候变化与责任
成千上万
chéng qiān shàng wànthousands upon thousands- 生活中这种偏差无处不在：媒体热衷于报道辍学创业的亿万富翁，却很少提及成千上万个失败的创业者。This bias is everywhere in daily life: the media love stories of dropout billionaires, yet rarely mention the tens of thousands of founders who failed.HSK 6 · 幸存者偏差
持之以恒
chí zhī yǐ héngto persevere unremittingly- 为什么有的人不用监督也能持之以恒，有的人却离开奖惩就寸步难行？Why can some people keep going without any supervision, while others can barely move a step once rewards and punishments are removed?HSK 6 · 内驱力
重蹈覆辙
chóng dǎo fù zhéto repeat the same mistake- 反之，也有创业者屡次亏损却不愿检讨决策失误，只归咎于运气不佳，非但没有引以为戒，反而一再重蹈覆辙。Conversely, there are also entrepreneurs who, despite repeated losses, refuse to examine their own decision-making mistakes, blaming only bad luck — not only failing to learn the lesson, but repeating the same mistake again and again.HSK 6 · 失败的价值
车水马龙
chē shuǐ mǎ lóngheavy traffic- 高楼林立、车水马龙，大城市以其繁华吸引着无数追梦的年轻人。With high-rises standing like forests and streets streaming with traffic, big cities attract countless dream-chasing young people with their bustle and prosperity.HSK 6 · 大城市病
寸步难行
cùn bù nán xíngunable to move an inch- 为什么有的人不用监督也能持之以恒，有的人却离开奖惩就寸步难行？Why can some people keep going without any supervision, while others can barely move a step once rewards and punishments are removed?HSK 6 · 内驱力
擦肩而过
cā jiān ér guònarrowly brush past- 然而，算法在迎合既有偏好的同时，也悄然压缩了偶然存在的空间，使人与陌生领域擦肩而过的机会越来越少。However, while catering to existing preferences, algorithms have also quietly compressed the space in which chance exists, making opportunities to brush past unfamiliar fields increasingly rare.HSK 6 · 算法与偶然性
粗制滥造
cūzhì làn zàoshoddily made- 与此同时，一些企业只顾贴上“国潮”标签，却缺乏真正的设计投入，产品粗制滥造，消费者很快就能识破。At the same time, some companies only bother slapping on a 'Guochao' label while lacking genuine design investment; their products are shoddily made, and consumers quickly see through it.HSK 6 · 国潮兴起
大道至简
dà dào zhì jiǎnthe great way is utterly simple- “大道至简”出自道家思想，意思是宇宙间最根本的道理，往往可以用最朴素的话说清楚。'The great way is utterly simple' comes from Daoist thought: the most fundamental truths of the universe can usually be stated in the plainest words.HSK 6 · 大道至简
大打折扣
dà dǎ zhékòugreatly compromised- 空气污染、噪音干扰，更使城市居民的生活质量大打折扣。Air pollution and noise disturbance further leave urban residents' quality of life greatly compromised.HSK 6 · 大城市病
大器晚成
dà qì wǎn chénggreat talent matures late- “大器晚成”出自《道德经》，意思是真正的大才往往需要漫长的岁月才能成熟。The phrase 'great talent matures late' comes from the Tao Te Ching, meaning that true greatness often needs long years to ripen.HSK 6 · 大器晚成
荡然无存
dàng rán wú cúnto vanish without a trace- 同样，把英语的幽默直译成汉语，笑点往往荡然无存；高明的译者会另起炉灶，用汉语自身的方式逗笑读者。Likewise, translate English humor literally into Chinese and the joke usually vanishes without a trace; a masterly translator will start from scratch and make readers laugh in Chinese's own way.HSK 6 · 翻译的艺术
道法自然
dào fǎ zìránthe Way follows what is naturally so- 《道德经》里“道法自然”这四个字，常被译成“顺其自然”，其实远比这样的翻译复杂。The four characters 道法自然 from the Dao De Jing are often rendered as "let nature take its course," but they are in fact far more complicated than that translation suggests.HSK 6 · 道法自然
得不偿失
dé bù cháng shīnot worth the loss incurred- 这样的结局往往得不偿失，甚至让企业因执迷不悟而错失转型的良机。Such outcomes are often not worth the cost, and can even cause a company, through sheer stubbornness, to miss the golden opportunity to transform.HSK 6 · 沉没成本
滴水穿石
dī shuǐ chuān shídripping water pierces stone- 古人说：“滴水穿石。”The ancients said: "Dripping water pierces stone."HSK 6 · 坚持的力量
覆水难收
fù shuǐ nán shōuspilled water cannot be retrieved- 真正的智慧，不在于紧抓过去不放，而在于清醒地认识到覆水难收，进而及时止损，将目光投向未来。True wisdom lies not in clinging tightly to the past, but in clearly recognizing that spilled water cannot be retrieved, and then promptly cutting one's losses and turning one's gaze toward the future.HSK 6 · 沉没成本
发人深省
fā rén shēn xǐngthought-provoking- 两千多年后的今天，这句话读来依然发人深省。Read today, more than two thousand years later, these words remain deeply thought-provoking.HSK 6 · 知足常乐
非黑即白
fēi hēi jí báiblack-or-white; no middle ground- 网络时代盛行非黑即白的争论，人们急于站队，中间地带反而成了最孤独的位置。In the internet age, black-or-white debates prevail and people rush to pick a side; the middle ground, paradoxically, has become the loneliest place to stand.HSK 6 · 中庸之道
风吹草动
fēng chuī cǎo dòngthe slightest disturbance- 然而，量子比特极易受到外界干扰，稍有风吹草动就会发生“退相干”，导致计算结果出错。However, qubits are extremely susceptible to outside interference; the slightest disturbance can cause 'decoherence,' leading to errors in the computation results.HSK 6 · 量子计算浅谈
锋芒毕露
fēng máng bì lùto flaunt one's brilliance- 在传统观念里，锋芒毕露不仅显得缺乏修养，还容易招来嫉妒，正所谓“枪打出头鸟”。In the traditional mindset, flaunting your brilliance not only looks uncultivated but also easily attracts jealousy — as the saying goes, "the gun shoots the bird that sticks its head out."HSK 6 · 谦虚的文化根源
过犹不及
guò yóu bù jígoing too far is as bad as falling short- 孔子所说的中庸，核心是“过犹不及”：事情做得过头，与做得不够，同样有害。The Mean that Confucius spoke of centers on 'excess is as bad as deficiency': overdoing a thing and underdoing it are equally harmful.HSK 6 · 中庸之道
拐弯抹角
guǎi wān mò jiǎoroundabout; beating around the bush- 不妨想想你的母语：当你们不愿直说“死”或“不”的时候，又会用哪些拐弯抹角的说法呢？Think about your own language: when you would rather not say "die" or "no" outright, what roundabout expressions do you reach for?HSK 6 · 委婉语
格格不入
gégé bú rùout of place- 反之，如今的推荐系统下，用户接触的内容多是过去自我的延伸，陌生而格格不入的可能性早已被层层过滤。Conversely, under today's recommendation systems, the content users encounter is mostly an extension of their past selves, while the possibility of anything unfamiliar and out of place has long since been filtered out, layer by layer.HSK 6 · 算法与偶然性
高楼林立
gāolóu línlìhigh-rises standing like a forest- 高楼林立、车水马龙，大城市以其繁华吸引着无数追梦的年轻人。With high-rises standing like forests and streets streaming with traffic, big cities attract countless dream-chasing young people with their bustle and prosperity.HSK 6 · 大城市病
祸福相依
huò fú xiāng yīfortune and misfortune are intertwined- 教科书告诉我们，这个故事的寓意是“祸福相依”。The textbooks tell us the moral of the story is that 'fortune and misfortune depend on each other.'HSK 6 · 塞翁失马新解
浩如烟海
hào rú yān hǎivast as an ocean- 这种机制固然带来了前所未有的便利，让人们在浩如烟海的信息中迅速找到自己喜欢的东西。This mechanism has admittedly brought unprecedented convenience, letting people quickly find the things they like amid a vast ocean of information.HSK 6 · 算法与偶然性
毫不相干
háo bù xiānggānto have nothing to do with each other- 提起儒家，很多人会想到古老的经典和繁琐的礼节，似乎与今天的写字楼毫不相干。Mention Confucianism and many people picture ancient classics and elaborate rituals, seemingly with nothing to do with today's office towers.HSK 6 · 儒家与现代职场
洪水猛兽
hóngshuǐ měngshòua fearsome scourge- 因此，与其把算法视为洪水猛兽，不如在设计之初就有意识地为偶然留出余地，让人重新拥有迷路的自由。Therefore, rather than simply regarding algorithms as a fearsome scourge, it would be better to consciously leave room for chance from the very outset of design, letting people once again have the freedom to get lost.HSK 6 · 算法与偶然性
轰轰烈烈
hōng hōng liè liègrand and spectacular- 可见，决定人生走向的，往往不是那些轰轰烈烈的大决定，而是每天不起眼的小选择。Clearly, what determines the course of a life is seldom the grand, dramatic decisions, but the unremarkable little choices made every day.HSK 6 · 习惯的复利
渐行渐远
jiànxíng jiànyuǎndrift further apart- 更令人不安的是，一段记忆越是被反复讲述，就越容易掺入讲述者当下的情绪与想象，与最初的经历渐行渐远。What is more unsettling is that the more a memory is retold, the more easily it becomes mixed with the narrator's current emotions and imagination, drifting further and further from the original experience.HSK 6 · 记忆的重构性
截然不同
jiérán bùtóngcompletely different- 如今，情况截然不同：年轻消费者愿意为印着“国潮”标签的球鞋、彩妆甚至奶茶排起长队。Nowadays, things are completely different: young consumers are willing to line up for sneakers, makeup, or even milk tea labeled 'Guochao.'HSK 6 · 国潮兴起
坚持不懈
jiānchí búxièto persevere unremittingly- 以某位研究疫苗的科学家为例，他历经上百次失败的实验，却依然坚持不懈。Take a certain vaccine researcher as an example: he went through over a hundred failed experiments, yet still persevered without giving up.HSK 6 · 失败的价值
急于求成
jí yú qiú chéngimpatient for quick success- 快与慢其实是辩证的：该快的时候拖泥带水，会错失机会；该慢的时候急于求成，则容易埋下隐患。Fast and slow are in fact dialectical: drag your feet when speed is needed and you miss opportunities; rush when patience is needed and you plant hidden dangers.HSK 6 · 快与慢的辩证
精益求精
jīng yì qiú jīngto strive for perfection- 然而，正是那些耐得住寂寞、精益求精的匠人，创造了无数令人惊叹的作品。And yet it is precisely those craftsmen — patient with solitude, forever striving for perfection — who have created countless breathtaking works.HSK 6 · 匠人精神
斤斤计较
jīnjīn jìjiàoto haggle over every ounce- 当然，模糊也有边界：签合同、谈价钱时，中国人同样会斤斤计较，毫不含糊。Of course, vagueness has its limits: when signing contracts or negotiating prices, Chinese people will haggle over every ounce, with no vagueness whatsoever.HSK 6 · 汉语的模糊之美
津津有味
jīnjīn yǒu wèiwith keen delight- 几周后，得过奖品的孩子一旦没有奖励就不再愿意画，而另一组依然画得津津有味。Weeks later, the children who had been rewarded no longer wanted to draw once the prizes stopped, while the other group still drew with as much delight as ever.HSK 6 · 内驱力
枯燥乏味
kūzào fáwèidull and tedious- 譬如，有人花高价买了一张电影票，即使发现影片枯燥乏味，也宁愿硬撑着看完，只因“钱已经花了”。For example, someone who has paid a high price for a movie ticket, even upon discovering the film is dull and tedious, would rather force themselves to sit through it, simply because 'the money is already spent.'HSK 6 · 沉没成本
口耳相传
kǒu ěr xiāng chuánword of mouth- 可见，类型文学的跨文化接受，靠的往往不是官方推广，而是读者之间最朴素的口耳相传。It is evident that the cross-cultural reception of genre literature usually depends not on official promotion, but on the plainest word of mouth among readers themselves.HSK 6 · 网络文学出海
量身定做
liàng shēn dìng zuòtailor-made- 这个古老的故事，放到今天简直像是为手机时代量身定做的。Placed in the present, this ancient story seems practically tailor-made for the smartphone era.HSK 6 · 禅与生活
另起炉灶
lìng qǐ lú zàoto start from scratch- 同样，把英语的幽默直译成汉语，笑点往往荡然无存；高明的译者会另起炉灶，用汉语自身的方式逗笑读者。Likewise, translate English humor literally into Chinese and the joke usually vanishes without a trace; a masterly translator will start from scratch and make readers laugh in Chinese's own way.HSK 6 · 翻译的艺术
论资排辈
lùn zī pái bèito rank people by seniority- 与其简单地否定，不如把“尊重”留下，把“论资排辈”放下。Rather than simply rejecting it, it is better to keep the "respect" and let go of the "rank by seniority."HSK 6 · 儒家与现代职场
理所当然
lǐ suǒ dāng rána matter of course- 当越来越多的人把节能视作理所当然，政策与市场才有可能随之调整。Only when more and more people take saving energy as a matter of course can policy and the market possibly adjust along with them.HSK 6 · 气候变化与责任
理直气壮
lǐ zhí qì zhuàngwith perfect self-assurance- 比如“己所不欲，勿施于人”，放在今天就是：不要把自己不愿意做的杂事，理直气壮地推给同事。Take "do not impose on others what you do not want for yourself": translated into today's terms, it means don't shove the chores you dislike onto a colleague as if you had every right to.HSK 6 · 儒家与现代职场
妙不可言
miào bù kě yántoo wonderful for words- 以“缘分”一词为例：英语里找不到现成的对应词，译者只能用一整句话去解释这种妙不可言的联系。Take the word yuanfen: English has no ready-made equivalent, so the translator can only spend a whole sentence explaining this connection too wonderful for words.HSK 6 · 翻译的艺术
名存实亡
míng cún shí wángexist in name only- 这种心态同样体现在感情与事业中：许多人明知关系或工作早已名存实亡，却因投入多年心血而骑虎难下。This same mentality shows up in relationships and careers: many people clearly know a relationship or job has long existed in name only, yet because they have invested years of effort, they find themselves unable to let go.HSK 6 · 沉没成本
默默无闻
mò mò wú wénunknown; obscure- 英国自行车队曾经默默无闻，新教练上任后不追求宏大的改革，只要求每个环节改进百分之一，几年后这支队伍竟横扫了奥运会的奖牌。The British cycling team was once an obscure squad; its new coach pursued no grand reforms, demanding only a one-percent improvement in every detail — and within a few years the team was, astonishingly, sweeping Olympic medals.HSK 6 · 习惯的复利
迫不及待
pò bù jí dàiunable to wait; itching to- 有的孩子迫不及待地把糖塞进嘴里，有的则闭上眼睛、唱歌分散注意力，硬是熬过了漫长的等待。Some children stuffed the candy into their mouths at once; others shut their eyes or sang to distract themselves, and by sheer willpower endured the long wait.HSK 6 · 延迟满足
拍案叫绝
pāi àn jiào juéto gasp in admiration- 他的理由令人拍案叫绝：机翼中弹还能飞回来，说明那里挨打没关系；而发动机中弹的飞机，根本没有机会返航。His reasoning was brilliant: a plane hit in the wings could still fly home, which meant those areas could take punishment; but a plane hit in the engine never got the chance to return at all.HSK 6 · 幸存者偏差
铺天盖地
pū tiān gài dìoverwhelming- 面对屏幕上铺天盖地的信息，你是否想过：是我们在使用媒介，还是媒介在塑造我们？Facing the flood of information on our screens, have you ever wondered: are we using the media, or is the media shaping us?HSK 6 · 媒介素养
恰到好处
qià dào hǎo chùjust right- 日本有一位寿司师傅，名叫小野二郎，他捏了七十多年寿司，至今仍在琢磨如何让米饭的温度恰到好处。In Japan there is a sushi master named Jiro Ono; after more than seventy years of making sushi, he is still pondering how to get the temperature of the rice exactly right.HSK 6 · 匠人精神
前所未有
qián suǒ wèi yǒuunprecedented- 这种机制固然带来了前所未有的便利，让人们在浩如烟海的信息中迅速找到自己喜欢的东西。This mechanism has admittedly brought unprecedented convenience, letting people quickly find the things they like amid a vast ocean of information.HSK 6 · 算法与偶然性
潜移默化
qián yí mò huàto influence imperceptibly- 语言学家曾提出一个著名的假说：不同语言的结构，会潜移默化地塑造使用者的认知方式。Linguists once proposed a famous hypothesis: the structure of each language imperceptibly shapes the way its speakers perceive things.HSK 6 · 语言与思维
求而不得
qiú ér bù déto seek but never attain- 归根结底，独处与孤独之别，不在形式而在心境：前者是特立独行者主动拥抱的自由，后者则是渴望连接却求而不得的煎熬。In the final analysis, the distinction between solitude and loneliness lies not in outward form but in inner state: the former is a freedom actively embraced by those who dare to stand apart, the latter a torment of craving connection yet never attaining it.HSK 6 · 孤独与独处之辨
全神贯注
quán shén guàn zhùtotal absorption- 一旦你尝到了全神贯注的甜头，就很难再忍受浅薄而零碎的忙碌。Once you have tasted the rewards of total absorption, it becomes hard to tolerate shallow, fragmented busyness again.HSK 6 · 深度工作
骑虎难下
qí hǔ nán xiàstuck with no way to back out- 这种心态同样体现在感情与事业中：许多人明知关系或工作早已名存实亡，却因投入多年心血而骑虎难下。This same mentality shows up in relationships and careers: many people clearly know a relationship or job has long existed in name only, yet because they have invested years of effort, they find themselves unable to let go.HSK 6 · 沉没成本
其貌不扬
qí mào bù yángunimpressive in appearance- 可真正支撑起整个生态系统的，多半是些其貌不扬的角色：土壤里的真菌、河底的贝类、草丛中的昆虫。But what actually holds up a whole ecosystem is mostly a cast of unglamorous players: fungi in the soil, shellfish on the riverbed, insects in the grass.HSK 6 · 生物多样性
日复一日
rì fù yí rìday after day- 一滴水的力量微不足道，但日复一日，竟能把坚硬的石头穿透。A single drop of water is insignificant, yet day after day it can pierce through solid stone.HSK 6 · 坚持的力量
日积月累
rì jī yuè lěiaccumulating day by day and month by month- 反之，每天熬夜刷手机一小时，日积月累，透支的便是整个人的精力与健康。Conversely, an hour of late-night scrolling every day, accumulated over months and years, overdraws your entire store of energy and health.HSK 6 · 习惯的复利
如期而至
rúqī ér zhìto arrive right on schedule- 人们常说“失败是成功之母”，似乎只要经历挫折，成功便会如期而至。People often say 'failure is the mother of success,' as if success will arrive right on schedule the moment one goes through setbacks.HSK 6 · 失败的价值
水火不容
shuǐ huǒ bù róngutterly incompatible- 由此可见，集体与个人并非水火不容，而是相辅相成的关系。From this we can see that the collective and the individual are by no means incompatible like fire and water, but rather complement each other.HSK 6 · 集体与个人
少年得志
shàonián dézhìsuccess at a young age- 在这个崇尚少年得志的时代，这四个字仿佛是一剂良药。In an era that worships early success, these four characters feel like a dose of good medicine.HSK 6 · 大器晚成
顺其自然
shùn qí zìránto let nature take its course- 《道德经》里“道法自然”这四个字，常被译成“顺其自然”，其实远比这样的翻译复杂。The four characters 道法自然 from the Dao De Jing are often rendered as "let nature take its course," but they are in fact far more complicated than that translation suggests.HSK 6 · 道法自然
删繁就简
shān fán jiù jiǎnto cut the complex down to the simple- 其实，删繁就简是一种更高级的能力：知道自己不要什么，比知道要什么更难。In truth, cutting the complicated down to the simple is a higher-order skill: knowing what you do not want is harder than knowing what you want.HSK 6 · 大道至简
深信不疑
shēnxìn bùyífirmly believe without doubt- 心理学家曾诱导受试者“回忆”起从未发生的童年事件，许多人却对虚构情节深信不疑，描述得栩栩如生。Psychologists have induced subjects to "recall" childhood events that never happened, and many people firmly believe these fabricated details, even describing them vividly as if real.HSK 6 · 记忆的重构性
耸人听闻
sǒng rén tīng wénsensational- 一条耸人听闻的假新闻，往往比严谨的辟谣传播得更快、更广。A sensational piece of fake news often spreads faster and wider than a rigorous refutation.HSK 6 · 媒介素养
天赋异禀
tiānfù yìbǐngexceptionally gifted- 他并非天赋异禀，而是几十年如一日地磨炼笔墨，把寂寞熬成了功力。He was by no means exceptionally gifted; rather, he honed his brushwork day after day for decades, slowly simmering loneliness into mastery.HSK 6 · 大器晚成
拖泥带水
tuō ní dài shuǐsluggish; dragging one's feet- 快与慢其实是辩证的：该快的时候拖泥带水，会错失机会；该慢的时候急于求成，则容易埋下隐患。Fast and slow are in fact dialectical: drag your feet when speed is needed and you miss opportunities; rush when patience is needed and you plant hidden dangers.HSK 6 · 快与慢的辩证
万家灯火
wàn jiā dēnghuǒthe lights of ten thousand homes- 核能既能点亮万家灯火，也曾带来毁灭性的灾难，这正是技术双刃剑性质最直观的例证。Nuclear energy can both light up the homes of ten thousand families and has once brought devastating disaster — this is the most direct illustration of technology's double-edged nature.HSK 6 · 人类的未来
望尘莫及
wàng chén mò jíhopelessly outmatched- 正是这种叠加与纠缠现象，让量子计算机在处理某些特定问题时，展现出传统计算机望尘莫及的潜力。It is precisely this phenomenon of superposition and entanglement that lets quantum computers show potential traditional computers can't hope to match, when handling certain specific problems.HSK 6 · 量子计算浅谈
无处不在
wú chù bú zàito be everywhere- 生活中这种偏差无处不在：媒体热衷于报道辍学创业的亿万富翁，却很少提及成千上万个失败的创业者。This bias is everywhere in daily life: the media love stories of dropout billionaires, yet rarely mention the tens of thousands of founders who failed.HSK 6 · 幸存者偏差
无孔不入
wú kǒng bú rùpenetrating everywhere- 相比之下，今天的科幻常常笼罩着一层阴影，气候崩溃、人工智能失控、监控无孔不入，几乎成了固定的背景板。By contrast, today's science fiction is often wrapped in shadow: climate collapse, artificial intelligence running loose, surveillance seeping into every crack — these have become an almost fixed backdrop.HSK 6 · 科幻的黄金时代
无能为力
wú néng wéi lìpowerless to do anything- 然而，倘若因此断定个人无能为力，同样是一种误解。Yet if one concludes from this that individuals are powerless, that is equally a misunderstanding.HSK 6 · 气候变化与责任
无人问津
wú rén wèn jīnignored by everyone- 试想一位作家闭门谢客、埋首创作数月，表面上形单影只，内心却因专注而充实丰盈，这与终日无人问津的孤寡老人截然不同。Imagine a writer who shuts out visitors and buries himself in his work for months — outwardly solitary, yet inwardly full and enriched by focus, utterly unlike a neglected, lonely elderly person whom no one ever visits.HSK 6 · 孤独与独处之辨
无所不能
wú suǒ bù néngomnipotent; all-powerful- 值得警惕的是，媒体常常把量子计算描绘成“无所不能”的黑科技，却很少提及它距离实用化还有相当长的一段路。What deserves caution is that the media often portrays quantum computing as an 'omnipotent' high technology, while rarely mentioning that it still has a long way to go before practical use.HSK 6 · 量子计算浅谈
无缘无故
wú yuán wú gùfor no reason at all- 两千年前，边塞住着一位老人，人们叫他塞翁；有一天，他的马无缘无故跑丢了。Two thousand years ago, an old man lived at the frontier; people called him Saiweng, and one day his horse ran off for no reason at all.HSK 6 · 塞翁失马新解
无关紧要
wúguān jǐnyàoof no importance- 有生态学家把物种比作飞机机翼上的铆钉：掉一颗两颗似乎无关紧要，可谁也说不清哪一颗是最后一颗。One ecologist likens species to the rivets on an aircraft wing: losing one or two seems to matter little, yet nobody can say which one will be the last.HSK 6 · 生物多样性
歪打正着
wāi dǎ zhèng zháoaccidentally getting it right- 这种歪打正着的收获，甚至可能彻底改变一个人日后的职业道路，而这一切都源于环境本身所保留的随机性。Such a fortuitous, accidental gain could even completely change a person's later career path, and all of this stemmed from the randomness that the environment itself preserved.HSK 6 · 算法与偶然性
微不足道
wēibùzúdàoinsignificant- 一滴水的力量微不足道，但日复一日，竟能把坚硬的石头穿透。A single drop of water is insignificant, yet day after day it can pierce through solid stone.HSK 6 · 坚持的力量
相辅相成
xiāngfǔ xiāngchéngto complement each other- 由此可见，集体与个人并非水火不容，而是相辅相成的关系。From this we can see that the collective and the individual are by no means incompatible like fire and water, but rather complement each other.HSK 6 · 集体与个人
细水长流
xì shuǐ cháng liúa thin stream flows long- 欲望像海水，越喝越渴；感恩像清泉，细水长流。Desire is like seawater — the more you drink, the thirstier you become; gratitude is like a clear spring — a gentle stream that never runs dry.HSK 6 · 知足常乐
信誓旦旦
xìnshì dàndànsolemnly sworn- 这一发现对司法领域尤其具有警示意义：一旦过分依赖目击者信誓旦旦的证词，就可能酿成冤假错案。This finding is especially cautionary for the judicial field: once one relies too heavily on an eyewitness's solemnly sworn testimony, it may result in a wrongful conviction.HSK 6 · 记忆的重构性
形单影只
xíng dān yǐng zhīsolitary and companionless- 许多人一提到“独处”，便不自觉地将其等同于“孤独”，仿佛独自生活的人注定形单影只、郁郁寡欢。Many people, upon hearing the word 'solitude,' unconsciously equate it with 'loneliness,' as if anyone living alone were doomed to be friendless and melancholy.HSK 6 · 孤独与独处之辨
心领神会
xīn lǐng shén huìto understand tacitly- 因此，中国人拒绝别人时很少说“不行”，而是说“我尽量”“到时候再说”，听者自然心领神会。So when Chinese people refuse someone, they rarely say "no"; instead they say "I'll do my best" or "let's see when the time comes," and the listener naturally reads between the lines.HSK 6 · 委婉语
栩栩如生
xǔxǔ rúshēngvivid, lifelike- 心理学家曾诱导受试者“回忆”起从未发生的童年事件，许多人却对虚构情节深信不疑，描述得栩栩如生。Psychologists have induced subjects to "recall" childhood events that never happened, and many people firmly believe these fabricated details, even describing them vividly as if real.HSK 6 · 记忆的重构性
原封不动
yuánfēngbùdòngintact, unchanged- 人们往往以为记忆就像一台摄像机，把经历原封不动地保存下来，需要时按下播放键便可重现。People often assume that memory works like a video camera, preserving experience intact and ready to replay at the press of a button whenever needed.HSK 6 · 记忆的重构性
言过其实
yán guò qí shíto overstate- 依我看，这种说法未免言过其实。In my view, this claim is rather an exaggeration.HSK 6 · 全球化的退潮
言外之意
yán wài zhī yìmeaning beyond the words- 中国画讲究留白，汉语同样讲究言外之意：话说三分，其余七分留给听者自己体会。Chinese painting values empty space, and the Chinese language likewise values what lies beyond the words: say three-tenths, and leave the other seven-tenths for the listener to work out.HSK 6 · 汉语的模糊之美
一笔带过
yì bǐ dài guòto mention only in passing- 正史记录的往往是帝王将相的功过，而普通人的日常生活常常被一笔带过。Official history tends to record the achievements and faults of emperors, generals, and ministers, while the daily lives of ordinary people are often mentioned only in passing.HSK 6 · 历史的温度
一成不变
yì chéng bú biànunchanging; set in stone- 无论最终结论如何，这次发现都提醒我们：历史并非一成不变的定论，而是随着新证据不断被重新讲述的故事。Whatever the final conclusion turns out to be, this discovery reminds us: history is not a fixed, unchanging verdict, but a story that keeps being retold as new evidence emerges.HSK 6 · 考古新发现
一举两得
yì jǔ liǎng déto kill two birds with one stone- 一个“差不多”，既给了对方大致的预期，又为自己留了余地，可谓一举两得。A single "more or less" both gives the other person a rough expectation and leaves yourself some leeway — two birds with one stone, as it were.HSK 6 · 汉语的模糊之美
一无是处
yì wú shì chùutterly worthless- 这并非说碎片化阅读一无是处，用它来获取信息固然方便，但若以此取代系统的阅读，无异于用零食代替正餐。This is not to say fragmented reading is worthless — for picking up information it is admittedly convenient — but letting it replace systematic reading is like living on snacks instead of proper meals.HSK 6 · 碎片化阅读之弊
一无所知
yì wú suǒ zhīto know nothing at all- 承认自己会犯错，并不丢人；真正危险的，是对自身的盲点一无所知。Admitting that you can be wrong is nothing to be ashamed of; what is truly dangerous is knowing nothing about your own blind spots.HSK 6 · 认知偏差
应运而生
yìng yùn ér shēngto emerge as circumstances require- 随着读者群不断扩大，专门的翻译平台应运而生，把原本零散的爱好者汇聚成了庞大的社区。As the readership kept growing, dedicated translation platforms emerged, gathering once-scattered enthusiasts into an enormous community.HSK 6 · 网络文学出海
一事无成
yí shì wú chéngto achieve nothing- 反观今天，许多年轻人一旦三十岁还没有“成功”，就断定自己这辈子一事无成。Look at today, by contrast: many young people, if they have not 'succeeded' by thirty, conclude that they will never amount to anything.HSK 6 · 大器晚成
郁郁寡欢
yùyù guǎhuānmelancholy and joyless- 许多人一提到“独处”，便不自觉地将其等同于“孤独”，仿佛独自生活的人注定形单影只、郁郁寡欢。Many people, upon hearing the word 'solitude,' unconsciously equate it with 'loneliness,' as if anyone living alone were doomed to be friendless and melancholy.HSK 6 · 孤独与独处之辨
烟消云散
yān xiāo yún sànto vanish like smoke and clouds- 心理学家把这种现象称为“享乐适应”：新车带来的兴奋不出三个月便烟消云散，人们随即又盯上了下一个目标。Psychologists call this "hedonic adaptation": the thrill of a new car evaporates within three months, and people promptly fix their eyes on the next target.HSK 6 · 知足常乐
一蹶不振
yī jué bù zhènto collapse and never recover- 一旦缺乏诚实而深入的总结，同样的错误便会反复重演，甚至令人一蹶不振。Once honest and thorough summarizing is lacking, the same mistakes will repeat themselves over and over, even leaving a person unable to recover.HSK 6 · 失败的价值
因祸得福
yīn huò dé fúto turn misfortune into a blessing- 他在每一次失败后都详细记录变量、修正假设，最终因祸得福，找到了突破性的解决方案。After every failure he meticulously recorded variables and revised his hypotheses, and in the end turned misfortune into a blessing, finding a breakthrough solution.HSK 6 · 失败的价值
引人入胜
yǐn rén rù shèngcaptivating- 这种设定之所以引发广泛讨论，是因为它把国际关系、博弈论与人性的幽暗面编织进了一个引人入胜的故事。This premise sparked such widespread discussion because it weaves international relations, game theory, and the dark side of human nature into a captivating story.HSK 6 · 《三体》现象
引以为戒
yǐn yǐ wéi jièto take as a warning- 反之，也有创业者屡次亏损却不愿检讨决策失误，只归咎于运气不佳，非但没有引以为戒，反而一再重蹈覆辙。Conversely, there are also entrepreneurs who, despite repeated losses, refuse to examine their own decision-making mistakes, blaming only bad luck — not only failing to learn the lesson, but repeating the same mistake again and again.HSK 6 · 失败的价值
有增无减
yǒu zēng wú jiǎnever-increasing- 退潮的只是旧模式，人类在气候变化等共同挑战面前，合作的必要性有增无减。What is receding is only the old model; in the face of shared challenges such as climate change, the necessity of cooperation is only increasing.HSK 6 · 全球化的退潮
转瞬即逝
zhuǎn shùn jí shìfleeting; gone in an instant- 越是容易得到的快乐，越是转瞬即逝；越是需要等待的果实，越是甘甜。The more easily a pleasure is gained, the more quickly it vanishes; the longer a fruit must be waited for, the sweeter it tastes.HSK 6 · 延迟满足
执迷不悟
zhí mí bù wùobstinately refuse to see reason- 这样的结局往往得不偿失，甚至让企业因执迷不悟而错失转型的良机。Such outcomes are often not worth the cost, and can even cause a company, through sheer stubbornness, to miss the golden opportunity to transform.HSK 6 · 沉没成本
直言不讳
zhí yán bú huìto speak bluntly without reserve- 现代生活里，这种分寸感处处可见：工作要拼，但不能拼到透支健康；待人要真诚，但不必句句直言不讳。In modern life this sense of proportion is everywhere: work hard, but not to the point of overdrawing your health; be sincere with people, but you need not be brutally blunt in every sentence.HSK 6 · 中庸之道
直截了当
zhíjié liǎodàngblunt; point-blank- 委婉语之所以如此发达，是因为汉文化高度重视面子：直截了当的拒绝，会让双方都下不来台。The reason euphemism is so highly developed is that Chinese culture places enormous weight on face: a point-blank refusal leaves both sides with no way to climb down gracefully.HSK 6 · 委婉语
争论不休
zhēnglùn bùxiūto argue endlessly- 与其在“该怪谁”上争论不休，不如承认：气候责任从来不是单选题。Rather than argue endlessly over "whose fault it is," it would be better to admit that climate responsibility was never a single-choice question.HSK 6 · 气候变化与责任
自不量力
zì bú liàng lìto overestimate one's strength- 河曲智叟讥笑他自不量力，愚公却答道：“子子孙孙无穷尽，而山不会再增高，何愁挖不平？”Zhisou of Hequ ridiculed him for overreaching, but Yugong replied: 'My descendants will go on without end, whereas the mountains will grow no taller — why worry that they cannot be leveled?'HSK 6 · 愚公移山与现代人
子子孙孙
zǐzǐ-sūnsūngeneration after generation- 河曲智叟讥笑他自不量力，愚公却答道：“子子孙孙无穷尽，而山不会再增高，何愁挖不平？”Zhisou of Hequ ridiculed him for overreaching, but Yugong replied: 'My descendants will go on without end, whereas the mountains will grow no taller — why worry that they cannot be leveled?'HSK 6 · 愚公移山与现代人