Idioms & Proverbs

Idioms

1) a bed of roses 一帆风顺 ： 
    a situation of peace, happiness, pleasure
     e.g. Life is not a bed of roses; you will need to face many  
           challenges in life.

2) a heart-to-heart talk 开门见山 ： 
    a frank and open discussion
    e.g. Issac and Olivia had a heart-to-heart talk about their 
          troubled friendship.
 
3) bad egg 不可信任的人 ： 
    a person who cannot be trusted
    e.g. Linda thinks that Jim is a bad egg as he mixes with bad 
          company.
 
4) beat around the bush 拐弯抹角 ： 
    not get straight to the point
    e.g. He likes to beat around the bush when he talks.

5) gild the lily 画蛇添足 ： 
    spoil an already good or pretty thing by trying to improve it
    e.g. This picture is perfect enough; please leave it alone or you 
           will only end up gild the lily.  

6) hang out to dry 置身事外 ： 
    abandon someone in trouble
    e.g. Gerry was upset that her friends let her hang out to dry      
           when she most needed their help.  


Proverbs 

1) a friend in need is a friend indeed 患难见真情 ：
    a true friend stands by you in times of trouble
    e.g. Sam has proven that a friend in need is a friend indeed, 
           as I can always depend on him in a crisis.

2) failure teaches success 失败乃成功之母 ：
    people can learn from their failures and mistakes
    e.g. Don't be afraid to fail, as failure teaches success. 

3) example is better than precept 言教不如身教 ：
    it is better to show by example than to advise, order or tell 
    people to upright etc.
    e.g. Why not change your way first before you tell me to do it -   
           example is better than precept .


 4) haste makes waste 欲速则不达 ：
     things that are done in a hurry are usually done sloppily and 
     may contain careless mistakes
     e.g. Mather wants Sasha to start on her homework earlier so 
            that she will do it well because haste makes waste.

5) don't cross a bridge before you come to it 杞人忧天 ：
    do not waste time worrying now about problems that might    
    crop up in the future. 
    e.g. Why worry about the UPSR which is only next year when 
           you should be studying for the mid-term exam next week?  
          Don't cross a bridge before you come to it.

6) think before you speak 先思而后言
    think before you say anything so that you do not say something
    foolish or hurtful
    e.g. You always say the wrong thing at the wrong time, so far 
          goodness' sake, think before you speak at the party later.