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每日惯用语(9)
翅膀（长）硬了 Grow strong wings
【注音】chì bǎng (zhǎng) yìng le
【解释】小鸟儿的翅膀长硬了，就要离开父母独自觅食了，人长大了，就要离开父母，独自闯生活了，徒弟学会了手艺，就要离开师傅去闯营生了。当然父母有权利抱怨儿女们长大了就不要爹娘了；师傅们也有权利发“教会了徒弟饿死了师傅”这样的牢骚。
When little birds grow strong wings, they’ll leave their parents to seek food on their own, the same with human being. When children grow up, they’ll leave home to build up their own life independently. When apprentice grasp the skill, they will leave their master to establish their own business or career. It’s certainly understandable that parents grumble about kids growing up and they are not in need anymore; and that masters complain with “apprentice taught, master starved”.
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每日惯用语 (8)
吃老本 Live off one’s past gains
【注音】chī lǎo běn
【解释】“老本”就是最开始时的投资，比喻原来的资历、成绩、贡献和能力等。做生意，如果你把本投进去了，老是不赚钱，最后连“老本”都赔光了。一个人没有什么新的作为，只是依靠过去的声誉或影响生存，当然不会长久的。所以吃老本的人是会被人瞧不起或没有前途的。
Lao Ben is your starting capital, here is used as a metaphor for your past qualifications, achievements and capabilities. Take business as an example, after you put in your starting capital, if you can’t make a profit from it, you’ll be losing your “old capital”. And as a man, if he only rests on his laurels gained before but makes no new accomplishments, it won’t last very long. Therefore, those who live off their past gains will be looked down upon and won’t have a prospect.
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每日惯用语 (7)
吃干饭
Good-for-nothing
【注音】chī gān fàn
【解释】什么也不做或者什么也不会做。
This is the Chinese version for good-for-nothing,
【例子】
例1：厂长换了好几个，可是都是吃干饭的，大家都只好等着工厂破产。
Ex1.：We’ve changed several factory directors, but they are all good-for-nothing. We can only sit here and see out factory go bankrupt.
例2：人大代表不能光吃干饭，应该反映人民的意见。
Ex2.：As representatives of People’s Congress, thet should be the voice of people rather than doing nothing.
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吃闭门羹 Find the door closed
【注音】chī bì mén gēng
【解释】你去拜访某人，人家不在家或不欢迎你而不让你进屋，这就是“吃了闭门羹”。
When you call on someone but find the door closed, or you are not welcomed, this is called chi bi men geng.
【例子】
例：
A：昨天我去你们家玩儿，可是吃了闭门羹。
B：昨天什么时候？
A：下午两点。
B：昨天下午我们去钓鱼了。
Ex.：
A：I went to visit you yesterday but there’s nobody home.
B：At what time?
A：Two o’clock in the afternoon.
B：We went fishing yesterday afternoon.
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每日惯用语 (5)
唱白脸 Wear the white mask of the villain
【注音】chàng bái liǎn
【解释】你如果看过京剧的话，一定注意到了，“坏人”往往化妆成白脸。所以“唱白脸”表示对人及其严厉苛刻。（常与“唱红脸”一起用，见“唱红脸”）
If you’ve ever seen a Beijing Opera, you’ll surely notice that “villains”would always wear a white make-up. So this expression means you pretend to be harsh and severe. (often used in contrast to “wear the red mask of a hero”, see chang hong lian)
【例子】
例：在我们家，教育孩子的时候我唱白脸。
Ex.：In my family, I’ll play the harsh guy in educating our child.
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不是省油的灯
Trouble maker
【注音】bú shì shěng yóu de dēng
【解释】不是一个安分、老实的人
This is a metaphor for someone who is not docile or doesn’t toe the line.
【例子】
例：三个儿子没有什么出息，两个女儿也不是省油的灯。
Ex.：None of the three sons show any good prospect, and neither of the two daughters are fair ladies.
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Practical Chinese
