dà xiàng de bí zi – néng qū néng shēn
大象的鼻子 – 能屈能伸
Like an elephant’s nose, be able to stoop or stand erect – submit or assert oneself as the occasion requires; be adaptable to circumstances

lǎo hǔ lā chē – shéi găn (găn)
老虎拉车 – 谁敢（赶）
When a tiger pulls a cart, nobody dares to drive it. – This allegory means nobody has that great courage to do something.

sì yuè de bīng hé – kāi dòng (dòng) le
四月的冰河 – 开动（冻）了
Glaciers begin to thaw in April. – start; set in motion; put into operation. (“开动,” which means “start; set in motion; put into operation”, is a homophone for “开冻,” which means “thaw”.)

shàng xié bú yòng zhuī zi – zhēn hǎo
上鞋不用锥子 – 真（针）好
Sole a shoe without an awl – How nice; really good. (If one soles a shoe without an awl, that implies the needle s/he uses is good. “真好,” which means “how nice; really good”, is a homophone for “针好,” which means “the needle is good”.)

yī lián sān zuò miào – miào miào miào (miào miào miào))
一连三座庙 – 妙妙妙（庙庙庙）
Three temples in a row – wonderful; marvelous; excellent. (“妙,” which means “wonderful; marvelous; excellent”, is a homophone for “庙,” which means “temple”.)

gé zhe mén fèng chuī lǎ ba – míng (míng) shēng zài wài
隔着门缝吹喇叭 – 名（鸣）声在外
Blow a trumpet through a door crack – have a reputation. (“鸣声,” meaning “song or distinctive sound”, is a homophone for “名声,” which means “reputation or renown”. Thus, “鸣声在外,” meaning “the song or distinctive sound is outside”, becomes “名声在外,” meaning “have got a reputation”.)

shí tou dàn yān xián cài – yī yán (yán) nán jìn (jìn)
石头蛋腌咸菜 – 一言（盐）难尽（进）
Make pickles with stone – Literally, it’s difficult for salt to penetrate; figuratively, one cannot explain the matter in a few words; it is a long story. (“盐,” meaning “salt”, is a homophone for “言,” which means “words”; “进,” meaning “penetrate”, is a homophone for “尽,” which means “finished”. Thus, “一盐难进,” meaning “it’s difficult for salt to penetrate”, becomes “一言难尽,” meaning “one cannot explain the matter in a few words; it is a long story.”)

guān gōng dǎ pēn tì – zì wǒ chuī xū (xū)
关公打喷嚏 – 自我吹嘘（须）
Guan Yu, a general in the period of the Three Kingdoms, sneezes. – Literally, he blows his own beard (when sneezing); figuratively, self-glorification

biǎn dan méi zā – liǎng tóu dǎ tā
扁担没扎 – 两头打塌
When the carrying/shoulder pole is not secured at both ends, its loads slip off. – try to grab both but end up getting neither; fall between two stools

gŏu niǎn yā zi – guā guā jiào
狗撵鸭子 – 呱呱叫
A duck chased by a dog – quacking at the top of its voice. “呱呱叫” in colloquial Chinese is often used to describe something excellent or someone who is very skillful and can accomplish something perfectly.

gŏu yǎo cì wei – wú chù xià kǒu
狗咬刺猬 – 无处下口
A dog snapping at a hedgehog – having nowhere to bite. This allegory means not knowing where to start or being in no position to accomplish something.

gǒu zuò jiào zi – bù shí tái ju
狗坐轿子 – 不识抬举
A dog sitting in a sedan chair – unable to appreciate a favor

bō li bēi lǐ de cāng ying – yǒu guāng míng wú qián tú
玻璃杯里的苍蝇 – 有光明无前途
Fly in the glass – seeing the light but not the future

yī gēn kuài zi chī ǒu – zhuān tiāo yǎn
一根筷子吃藕 – 专挑眼
Eating lotus root with only one chopstick – picking it up by the holes. This allegory is used to refer to someone who always picks flaws.

duō nián de gǔ miào – lǎo sì (lǎo sì)
多年的古庙 – 老四（老寺）
An ancient temple – literally, old monastery; figuratively, No. 4. (“老四,” which means No. 4, is a homophone for “老寺,” which means old monastery.)

hé shang de nǎo ké – méi fǎ (fà)
和尚的脑壳 – 没法（发）
A monk’s head – literally, with no hair; figuratively, no way out. (“发”, meaning hair, has a similar sound to “法”, which means method or way. Thus, “没发”, meaning “with no hair”, becomes “没法”, meaning “no way out, or being able to do nothing about a situation”.)

jí zhōng gōng nuǎn
集中供暖
central heating

fēn hù gōng nuǎn
分户供暖
household heating, that is, each household has an independent heating system

lā zhá xiàn diàn
拉闸限电
power rationing

rén gōng jiàng yǔ
人工降雨
artificial rainfall/precipitation

rén kǒu pǔ chá
人口普查
population census; census

shuāng hé jiā tíng
双核家庭
dual-core family – a family where both husband and wife are the only child or the single “core” of their own families before they got married.

shì yùn xíng
试运行
trial operation; test run

zàn zhù zhèng
暂住证
temporary residence permit