nothing sadder than a withered heart (idiom attributed to Confucius by Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); no greater sorrow than a heart that never rejoices; the worst sorrow is not as bad as an uncaring heart; nothing is more wretched than apathy
a centipede dies but never falls down; old institutions die hard
半死半死ban4 si3
half dead (of torment, hunger, tiredness etc); (tired) to death; (terrified) out of one's wits; (beaten) to within an inch of one's life; (knock) the daylights out of sb
逼死逼死bi1 si3
to hound sb to death
必死之症必死之症bi4 si3 zhi1 zheng4
terminal illness; incurable condition (also fig.)
濒死瀕死bin1 si3
nearing death; on the point of demise; approaching extinction
病死病死bing4 si3
to fall ill and die; to die of illness
不到黄河心不死不到黃河心不死bu4 dao4 huang2 he2 xin1 bu4 si3
lit. not to stop until one reaches the Yellow River (idiom); fig. to persevere until one reaches one's goal; to keep going while some hope is left
不免一死不免一死bu4 mian3 yi1 si3
cannot avoid being killed; cannot escape death; to be mortal
lit. the emperor is not worried, but his eunuchs are worried to death (idiom); fig. the observers are more anxious than the person involved
会死會死hui4 si3
mortal
假死假死jia3 si3
suspended animation; feigned death; to play dead
见光死見光死jian4 guang1 si3
(lit.) to wither in the light of day; (fig.) the bubble bursts as the reality becomes apparent (esp. of a much-anticipated first meeting with sb); (of stocks) just as the favorable news is officially published, the stock price falls
将死將死jiang1 si3
to checkmate (in chess); to be about to die
绞死絞死jiao3 si3
to hang (i.e. execute by hanging); to strangle
狡兔死走狗烹狡兔死走狗烹jiao3 tu4 si3 zou3 gou3 peng1
see 兔死狗烹
九死一生九死一生jiu3 si3 yi1 sheng1
nine deaths and still alive (idiom); a narrow escape; new lease of life
to bend to a task and spare no effort unto one's dying day (idiom); striving to the utmost one's whole life; with every breath in one's body, unto one's dying day
卡死卡死ka3 si3
jammed; stuck; frozen (computer)
砍死砍死kan3 si3
to hack to death; to kill with an ax
客死客死ke4 si3
to die in a foreign land; to die abroad
哭得死去活来哭得死去活來ku1 de5 si3 qu4 huo2 lai2
to cry one's heart out
蓝屏死机藍屏死機lan2 ping2 si3 ji1
blue screen of death
老不死老不死lao3 bu4 si3
(derog.) old but still alive; old fart; old bastard
a true gentleman will sacrifice his life for a friend who understands him, as a woman makes herself beautiful for her sweetheart
殊死殊死shu1 si3
to behead; capital punishment; desperate struggle; life-and-death
束手待死束手待死shu4 shou3 dai4 si3
hands tied and expecting the worst
摔死摔死shuai1 si3
to fall to one's death
死板死板si3 ban3
rigid; inflexible
死别死別si3 bie2
to be parted by death
死不改悔死不改悔si3 bu4 gai3 hui3
not to repent even facing death (idiom); unrepentant; very obstinate
死不了死不了si3 bu4 liao3
Portulaca Sundial (a type of plant)
死不冥目死不冥目si3 bu4 ming2 mu4
dead but will not close the eyes (idiom); to die with a remaining grievance; also written 死不瞑目
死不瞑目死不瞑目si3 bu4 ming2 mu4
dead but will not close the eyes (idiom); to die with a remaining grievance
死不要脸死不要臉si3 bu4 yao4 lian3
to know no shame; to be totally shameless
死缠烂打死纏爛打si3 chan2 lan4 da3
(coll.) to pester; to harass
死产死產si3 chan3
stillbirth
死城死城si3 cheng2
ghost town
死党死黨si3 dang3
best friends; inseparable sidekick; diehard followers
死当死當si3 dang4
to flunk (Tw); (computing) to crash; to stop working
死到临头死到臨頭si3 dao4 lin2 tou2
Death is near at hand. (idiom)
死敌死敵si3 di2
mortal enemy; arch-enemy
死点死點si3 dian3
blind spot; dead center
死定死定si3 ding4
to be screwed; to be toast
死对头死對頭si3 dui4 tou5
arch-enemy; sworn enemy
死而不僵死而不僵si3 er2 bu4 jiang1
dead but showing no signs of rigor mortis; to die hard (idiom); to die yet not be vanquished (idiom)
死而后已死而後已si3 er2 hou4 yi3
until death puts an end (idiom); one's whole life; unto one's dying day
死而无悔死而無悔si3 er2 wu2 hui3
to die without regret (idiom, from Analects)
死鬼死鬼si3 gui3
devil; You devil! (as joke or insult); the departed
死海死海si3 hai3
the Dead Sea
死海古卷死海古卷si3 hai3 gu3 juan4
Dead Sea Scrolls
死海经卷死海經卷si3 hai3 jing1 juan4
Dead Sea Scrolls
死后死後si3 hou4
after death; posthumous
死胡同死胡同si3 hu2 tong4
dead end; blind alley
死缓死緩si3 huan3
deferred death sentence; commuted death sentence with forced labor and judicial review after two years (PRC) (legal)
死灰复燃死灰復燃si3 hui1 fu4 ran2
lit. ashes burn once more (idiom); fig. sb lost returns to have influence; sth malevolent returns to haunt one
死活死活si3 huo2
life or death; fate; no matter what; anyway; for the life of me
死活不顾死活不顧si3 huo2 bu4 gu4
regardless of life or death (idiom)
死机死機si3 ji1
to crash (of a computer)
死机蓝屏死機藍屏si3 ji1 lan2 ping2
blue screen of death; computer crash screen
死记死記si3 ji4
to learn by rote; to cram
死寂死寂si3 ji4
deathly stillness
死记硬背死記硬背si3 ji4 ying4 bei4
to learn by rote; to mechanically memorize
死角死角si3 jiao3
gap in coverage; gap in protection or defenses; neglected or overlooked area; dead end
死结死結si3 jie2
tight knot; intractable problem
死结难解死結難解si3 jie2 nan2 jie3
enigmatic knot hard to untie (idiom); thorny problem; intractable difficulty
死劲死勁si3 jin4
all one's strength; with might and main
死劲儿死勁兒si3 jin4 er5
erhua variant of 死勁|死劲
死局死局si3 ju2
hopeless situation; deadlock
死绝死絕si3 jue2
to die out; to be exterminated; to become extinct
死磕死磕si3 ke1
(coll.) to fight to the death
死里逃生死裡逃生si3 li3 tao2 sheng1
mortal danger, escape alive (idiom); a narrow escape; to survive by the skin of one's teeth
死路死路si3 lu4
dead end; (fig.) the road to disaster
死马当活马医死馬當活馬醫si3 ma3 dang4 huo2 ma3 yi1
lit. to give medicine to a dead horse (idiom); fig. to keep trying everything in a desperate situation
死面死麵si3 mian4
unleavened dough
死命死命si3 ming4
doom; death; desperately
死难死難si3 nan4
to die in an accident; to die for a just cause
死难者死難者si3 nan4 zhe3
victim of an accident; casualty; martyr for one's country
死皮赖脸死皮賴臉si3 pi2 lai4 lian3
brazen faced (idiom); shameless
死期死期si3 qi1
time of death; limited to a fixed period of time; fixed term
死棋死棋si3 qi2
dead piece (in Chess); stupid move; hopeless case
死气沉沉死氣沉沉si3 qi4 chen2 chen2
dead atmosphere; lifeless; spiritless
死气白赖死氣白賴si3 qi5 bai2 lai4
variant of 死乞白賴|死乞白赖
死乞白赖死乞白賴si3 qi5 bai2 lai4
to pester someone again and again
死翘翘死翹翹si3 qiao4 qiao4
to die; to drop dead
死囚死囚si3 qiu2
prisoner that awaits execution; convict sentenced to death; someone on death row
死区死區si3 qu1
dead zone; blind spot
死去死去si3 qu4
to die
死去活来死去活來si3 qu4 huo2 lai2
to hover between life and death (idiom); to suffer terribly; within an inch of one's life
死人死人si3 ren2
dead person; (coll.) to die; (of a death) to happen
死人不管死人不管si3 ren2 bu4 guan3
(coll.) to wash one's hands of a matter
死伤死傷si3 shang1
casualties; dead and injured
死伤者死傷者si3 shang1 zhe3
casualty (of an accident); dead and wounded
死神死神si3 shen2
mythological figure (such as the Grim Reaper) in charge of taking the souls of those who die; (fig.) death
死生死生si3 sheng1
life or death; critical (event)
死尸死屍si3 shi1
a corpse; a dead body
死守死守si3 shou3
to defend one's property to the death; to cling obstinately to old habits; die-hard
死水死水si3 shui3
stagnant water; backwater
死死死死si3 si3
rigid; unwavering; unbendable; firm (hold on sth); tenacious
死锁死鎖si3 suo3
deadlock (computing)
死顽固死頑固si3 wan2 gu4
very stubborn; very stubborn person; die-hard
死亡死亡si3 wang2
to die; death
死亡笔记死亡筆記si3 wang2 bi3 ji4
Death note (Japanese: デスノート), translation of cult manga series by author ŌBA Tsugumi 大場鶇|大场鸫 (pen-name) and illustrator OBATA Takeshi 小畑健
死亡率死亡率si3 wang2 lv4
mortality rate
死亡人数死亡人數si3 wang2 ren2 shu4
number of people killed; death toll
死文字死文字si3 wen2 zi4
dead language; indecipherable script
死无对证死無對證si3 wu2 dui4 zheng4
the dead cannot testify (idiom); dead men tell no tales
死无葬身之地死無葬身之地si3 wu2 zang4 shen1 zhi1 di4
to die without a burial site; to die a pauper; a tragic end
死巷死巷si3 xiang4
blind alley; dead end
死心死心si3 xin1
to give up; to admit failure; to drop the matter; to reconcile oneself to loss; to have no more illusions about
死心塌地死心塌地si3 xin1 ta1 di4
to be hell-bent on; dead set on sth; unswerving
死心踏地死心踏地si3 xin1 ta4 di4
see 死心塌地
死心眼儿死心眼兒si3 xin1 yan3 er5
stubborn; obstinate; having a one-track mind
死信死信si3 xin4
lost letter; letter containing news of sb's death
死刑死刑si3 xing2
death penalty
死刑缓期执行死刑緩期執行si3 xing2 huan3 qi1 zhi2 xing2
deferred death sentence; abbr. to 死緩|死缓
死穴死穴si3 xue2
lethal point (acupuncture); vulnerable spot; Achilles' heel
死讯死訊si3 xun4
news of sb's death
死要面子死要面子si3 yao4 mian4 zi5
to regard face as all-important; to consider loss of face unthinkable
死要面子活受罪死要面子活受罪si3 yao4 mian4 zi5 huo2 shou4 zui4
to go through hell for the sake of keeping up appearances (idiom)
死因死因si3 yin1
cause of death
死因不明死因不明si3 yin1 bu4 ming2
unknown cause of death
死硬死硬si3 ying4
stiff; rigid; obstinate
死有余辜死有餘辜si3 you3 yu2 gu1
death cannot wipe out the crimes (idiom); dreadful crimes that rankled even after the perpetrator is dead
死于安乐死於安樂si3 yu2 an1 le4
see 生於憂患，死於安樂|生于忧患，死于安乐
死于非命死於非命si3 yu2 fei1 ming4
violent death (idiom); to die in a disaster; an unnatural death
死战死戰si3 zhan4
fight to the death; desperate struggle
死仗死仗si3 zhang4
to fight bitterly; hard struggle
死账死賬si3 zhang4
dormant bank account
死者死者si3 zhe3
the dead; the deceased
死症死症si3 zheng4
incurable disease; terminal illness
死中求生死中求生si3 zhong1 qiu2 sheng1
to seek life in death (idiom); to fight for one's life
死猪不怕开水烫死豬不怕開水燙si3 zhu1 bu4 pa4 kai1 shui3 tang4
lit. a dead pig doesn't fear scalding water (idiom); fig. to be unaffected (by sth); undaunted
死罪死罪si3 zui4
mortal crime; capital offense
送死送死song4 si3
to throw away one's life
虽死犹荣雖死猶榮sui1 si3 you2 rong2
lit. although dead, also honored; died a glorious death
虽死犹生雖死猶生sui1 si3 you2 sheng1
lit. although dead, as if still alive (idiom); still with us in spirit
贪生怕死貪生怕死tan1 sheng1 pa4 si3
greedy for life, afraid of death (idiom); craven and cowardly; clinging abjectly to life; only interested in saving one's neck
疼死疼死teng2 si3
to really hurt
替死鬼替死鬼ti4 si3 gui3
scapegoat; fall guy
兔死狗烹兔死狗烹tu4 si3 gou3 peng1
lit. to boil the hound once it caught the rabbit (idiom); fig. to get rid of sb once he has served his purpose
兔死狐悲兔死狐悲tu4 si3 hu2 bei1
lit. if the rabbit dies, the fox grieves (idiom); fig. to have sympathy with a like-minded person in distress
万死不辞萬死不辭wan4 si3 bu4 ci2
ten thousand deaths will not prevent me (idiom); ready to risk life and limb to help out
枉死枉死wang3 si3
to die in tragic circumstances
往死里往死裡wang3 si3 li3
(coll.) (to beat etc) to death
无名战死無名戰死wu2 ming2 zhan4 si3
the unknown soldier (symbolizing war dead)
瞎猫碰上死耗子瞎貓碰上死耗子xia1 mao1 peng4 shang4 si3 hao4 zi5
a blind cat finds a dead mouse (idiom); blind luck
下死劲下死勁xia4 si3 jin4
to do one's utmost
心肌梗死心肌梗死xin1 ji1 geng3 si3
myocardial infarction; heart attack
凶死兇死xiong1 si3
to die in violence
寻死尋死xun2 si3
to attempt suicide; to court death
殉死殉死xun4 si3
to be buried alive as sacrifice (together with husband or superior)
淹死淹死yan1 si3
to drown
养生送死養生送死yang3 sheng1 song4 si3
to be looked after in life and given a proper burial thereafter (idiom)
要死要死yao4 si3
extremely; awfully
要死不活要死不活yao4 si3 bu4 huo2
half dead; more dead than alive
要死要活要死要活yao4 si3 yao4 huo2
terribly; awfully; desperately
一把死拿一把死拿yi1 ba3 si3 na2
stubborn; inflexible
一潭死水一潭死水yi1 tan2 si3 shui3
a pool of stagnant water; stagnant or listless condition
以死明志以死明志yi3 si3 ming2 zhi4
to demonstrate one's sincerity by dying
缢死縊死yi4 si3
to hang oneself
婴儿猝死综合症嬰兒猝死綜合症ying1 er2 cu4 si3 zong1 he2 zheng4
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS); crib death
鱼死网破魚死網破yu2 si3 wang3 po4
lit. either the fish dies or the net splits; a life and death struggle (idiom)
欲仙欲死慾仙慾死yu4 xian1 yu4 si3
to wish one were dead (idiom); (fig.) to be in seventh heaven
冤死冤死yuan1 si3
to die of persecution
晕死暈死yun1 si3
Geez!; Shoot!; No way!
砸死砸死za2 si3
to crush to death
早死早死zao3 si3
early demise; untimely death
早死早超生早死早超生zao3 si3 zao3 chao1 sheng1
to end one's suffering by dying quickly and being reincarnated; (fig.) to get it over with
贼死賊死zei2 si3
completely; utterly (dialect)
诈死詐死zha4 si3
to feign death; to fake death
炸死炸死zha4 si3
to kill with an explosion
战死沙场戰死沙場zhan4 si3 sha1 chang3
to die in battle (idiom)
找死找死zhao3 si3
to court death; taking risks
致死致死zhi4 si3
deadly
治死治死zhi4 si3
to put to death
致死剂量致死劑量zhi4 si3 ji4 liang4
lethal dose
致死性致死性zhi4 si3 xing4
deadly; terminal
致死性毒剂致死性毒劑zhi4 si3 xing4 du2 ji4
lethal agent
置之死地置之死地zhi4 zhi1 si3 di4
to place sb on field of death; to confront with mortal danger; to give sb no way out; with one's back to the wall; looking death in the eye; part of idiom 置之死地而後生|置之死地而后生
置之死地而后生置之死地而後生zhi4 zhi1 si3 di4 er2 hou4 sheng1
place sb on a field of death and he will fight to live (idiom based on Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孫子兵法|孙子兵法); to fight desperately when confronting mortal danger; fig. to find a way out of an impasse
骤死驟死zhou4 si3
sudden death (play-off in sporting competition)
骤死式驟死式zhou4 si3 shi4
sudden death style play-off (sporting competition)
撞死撞死zhuang4 si3
to knock down and kill sb with a car; to run over sb; to run sb down
自寻死路自尋死路zi4 xun2 si3 lu4
to follow the path to one's own doom (idiom); to bring about one's own destruction
揍死揍死zou4 si3
to beat to death
醉生梦死醉生夢死zui4 sheng1 meng4 si3
as if drunk or entranced (idiom); leading a befuddled existence; in a drunken stupor