One Stone, Two Birds
Pinyin: yī shí èr niǎo
Interpretation: Throwing a stone hits two birds. It is a metaphor for doing one thing and getting two benefits.
Example sentence: Zhang Min made a business deal; and also made a friend; really ~.
Twice and thrice
Pinyin: èr cì sān fān
Interpretation: tom: times. More than once, repeatedly
Origin: qing-wen kang 《儿女英雄传》第40回："He invited me twice and thrice to go shopping."
Example sentence: as a gerund; indicating repetition
Three Longs and Two Shorts
Pinyin: sān cháng liǎng duǎn
Interpretation: referring to an unexpected calamity or accident. It specifically refers to the death of a person.
Origin: Ming Fan Wenruo, "The Mandarin Ducks' Stick": "I'm still afraid that the lover will break my daughter, so I must go all the way up to find her, and in case there are any shortcomings, I'll make sure to get to the bottom of it."
Example sentence: If in case sister-in-law Li has ~, it is really a pity!
The four sides
Pinyin: sì miàn bā fāng
Definition: refers to all aspects or places.
Source: Song Shi Daoyuan, Jingde Chuanluan Dengluo, Volume 20: "Suddenly, how did you meet the four sides of the world?"
Example sentence: On the evening of the National Day; the crowds in the capital city ~ flocked to the square; singing and dancing; reveling to their heart's content.
Five Colors and Six Colors
Pinyin: wǔ yán liù sè
Interpretation: describes a complexity of color or variety of patterns. Extended to all kinds of colors.
Origin: Qing Dynasty - Li Ruzhen, "The Edge of Mirror Flowers" (镜花缘), 14th episode: "But the clouds on which each of them boarded were colorful and their shapes were not the same."
Example sentence: It was a miracle in the history of Sichuan's raf, so those country people, oh, immediately issued a ~ speculation came.
Seven on eight
Pinyin: qī shàng bā xià
Interpretation: describes the heart in a state of panic.
Origin: Ming Shi Nai-an (施耐庵)《水浒全传》第二十六回："那胡正卿心头十五个吊桶打水，七上八下。"
Example sentence: He felt ~, the heart is always uncomfortable.
Nine oxen and one hair
Pinyin: jiǔ niú yī máo
Interpretation: one hair on nine oxen. It is a metaphor for a very small number in a very large number, which is insignificant.
Origin: Han Sima Qian, "The Book of Reporting Ren Shaoqing": "If I were to have my servant executed, if nine oxen were to die and a single hair, how would I be different from a mole cricket?"
Example sentence: This in the county officials, special ~ ear, and can make a eup tens of thousands of families from the poor wandering.
Ten Perfect and Ten Beautiful
Pinyin: shí quán shí měi
Interpretation: very perfect, lacking nothing.
Example sentence: New things are not always perfect when they are first created, but they are always developing and growing, and eventually they are going to replace the old things.