日常慣用語

老大難 lǎo dà nán

Means: An old problem， a big problem and a difficult problem.

Example:

職工們住得太遠，免不了遲到，這是一個老大難問題。

zhí gōng men zhù dé tài yuǎn， miǎn bù liǎo chí dào， zhè shì yí gè lǎo dà nán wèn tí.

Living too far away， the staff are often late for work. It has been a big and difficult problem for a long time.

回頭客 huí tóu kè

Means: Old customer. They are those who visit again because of good service.

Example:

別希望火車站旁邊的餐館有什么好的服務，他們根本不需要回頭客。

bié xī wàng huǒ chē zhàn páng biān de cān guǎn yǒu shén me hǎo de fú wù， tāmen gēn běn bù xū yào huí tóu kè.

Don’t expect any good service at restaurants near the railway station， as they don’t care for having any old customers.

厚臉皮 hòu liǎn pí

Means: Thick face. Being unreasonable or shameless. Example:

人家不愿意幫這個忙，就別再厚臉皮去求他們了。

rén jiā bú yuàn yì bāng zhè gè máng， jìu bié zài hòu liǎn pí qǜqiú tā men le.

As they’re unwilling to help， then don’t be so humble and shameless to beg.

喝西北風 hē xī běi fēng

Means: Nothing to eat， got hungry that can only eat and drink north-west wind.

Example:

如果我失業了，就只能去喝西北風了。

rú guǒ wǒ shī yè le， jìu zhǐ néng qǜ hē xī běi fēng le. In case I was jobless， I would have nothing to eat.

高姿態 gāo zī tài

Means: There’s a saying that “a gentleman doesn’t bear grudges against a small man.” People in a high posture is likely to forgive those in a lower position. Here， the expression means a magnanimous attitude.

Example:

大家都能高姿態的話，很多矛盾就容易解決了。

dà jiā dōu néng gāo zī tài de huà， hěn duō máo dùn jìu róng yìjiě jué le.

If everyone can adopt a magnanimous attitude， most of conflicts could be easily resolved.

耳邊風 ěr biān fēng

Means: It’s a metaphor for unheeded advice or demand， just like a puff of wind passing the ear， without leaving any trace.

Example:

他把我的話當做耳邊風，可他領導說的，簡直是圣旨。

tā bǎ wǒ de huà dāng ěr biān fēng， kě tā lǐng dǎo shuō de， jiǎn zhí shì shèng zhǐ.

My words are taken as a puff of wind in his ears， while what his boss said are decree.

雞毛蒜皮 jī máo suàn pí

Means: Trifles like chicken feathers and garlic skins. Both things are what need to be removed from the eatable part， and they are both light in weight. Therefore， they’re used as metaphors for trifle things that could happen everyday but carry no significance or importance.

Example:

她經常和同事拌嘴，多是因為一些雞毛蒜皮的小事。

tā jīng cháng hé tóng shì bàn zuǐ， duō shì yīn wéi yī xiē jīmáo suàn pí de xiǎo shì.

She often quarrels with her colleagues， over trifle things most of the time.

礙手礙腳 ài shǒu ài jiǎo

Means: Be in the way. Be in a position to hinder or obstruct. Example:

她真有點礙手礙腳。

tā zhēn yǒu diǎn ài shǒu ài jiǎo. She’s a real drag.