1. Swallows know the ambition of a swan [yàn quèn zh and hó ng hú zh and zhi]: Metaphorically, where do ordinary people know the ambition of a hero?
[Source] "Historical Records Chen She Family": "Alas, do sparrows know the ambition of swans?"
2. A clever woman can't cook without rice [qi m: o [qi m: o f not ná n wé i wú m ǐ zhchu] c]: No matter how smart and capable a woman is, a clever woman can't cook without rice. It is difficult to do things without necessary conditions.
[Source] Song Luyou's Notes on the Old Learning Temple Volume III: "The monk said,' Can a clever woman make a noodle-free soup cake?' "
3. Shining on you is better than blue [q: ng ch ū yú lá né rè sè ng yú lá n]: Blue is extracted from blue grass, but its color is darker than blue grass.
[Source] Chapter 36 of Yang Mo's Song of Youth: "shine on you is better than blue. Xiao Lin, why did Lao Jiang send me to help you? "
4. The handspring is a cloud, the handspring is a rain. Metaphor is capricious or good at playing tricks and playing politics.
[Source] Tang Du Fu's Poor Bank of Communications: "There is no need for shuyun to shelter from the rain."
5. I am a fish under the sword [Ré n [Ré n Wé I Dā o z ǔ, Wǒ Wé I Y ú rê u]: "I am a fish under the sword" means that the power of life and death is in the hands of others, and I am in a position of being slaughtered by others. This idiom is quoted from Historical Records of Xiang Yu. Fan Kuai said, "Big banks don't care about details, but they don't hesitate to give small gifts. Now man is a knife and I am a fish. Why should I resign? "
[Source] Sima Qian's Historical Records of Xiang Yu in the Western Han Dynasty: "Today is a knife, I am a fish."