1. A bad beginning makes a bad ending. A bad beginning makes a bad ending.

2. A bad custom is like a good cake, better broken than kept. Don’t keep the cake, get rid of the bad habit.

3. A bad workman always blames his tools.

4. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Two birds in the bush are not worth a bird in the hand.

5. A body without knowledge is like a house without a foundation. A body without knowledge is like a house without a foundation.

6. A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.

7. A candle lights others and consumes itself.

8. A door must be either shut or open. If the door is not closed, it must be opened. It must be one of the two. / Either/or.

9. A friend is a second self. A friend is a second self.

10. A good beginning makes a good ending. If you want to have a good ending, you must first make a good beginning.

11. A good medicine tastes bitter.

12. A lazy youth, a lousy age. A lazy youth, a lousy age.

13. A life without a friend is a life without a sun.

14. A little help is worth a deal of pity. An action is worth a basket of empty words.

15. A little is better than none. A little is better than nothing.

16. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. A little knowledge can cause harm to others.

17. A little labor, much health. Move around frequently, no illness or pain.

18. A little learning is a dangerous thing.

19. A little of everything, and nothing at all.

20. A man is never too old to learn.

21. A merry heart goes all the way. A happy mood and a happy work.

22. A picture is a poem without words.

23. A snow year, a good year. Auspicious snow heralds a good year.

24. A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.

25. A thousand mile trip begins with one step.

26. A tree is known by its fruit. You can know its person by watching its behavior.

27. A word spoken cannot be recalled.

28. A word to the wise is enough. A wise person does not need to elaborate.

29. A work ill done must be twice done. A work ill done must be done twice.

30. Act fairly by all men. Treat everyone equally.

31. Actions speak louder than words. Facts speak louder than words.

32. Adversity makes a man wise, not rich. Difficulties and misfortunes cannot make a man rich, but they can make a man wise.

33. After rain comes fair weather.

34. After supper walk a mile. Walk a hundred steps after a meal and live to be ninety-nine.

35. All are not friends that speak us fair.

36. All beginnings are hard.

37. All men can't be first. Not all can be first.

38. All roads lead to Rome. There are roads everywhere leading to Chang'an.

39. All things are difficult before they are easy.

40. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

41. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

42. An empty bag cannot stand upright. An empty bag cannot stand upright.

43. An evil lesson is soon learned.

44. An honest man's word is as good as his bond. A gentleman's word is hard to follow.

45. An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening.

46. An idle youth, a needy age.

47. An ill workman quarrels with his tools. Can't punt a strange river bend.

48. Art is long, life is short. Life has limits but knowledge has no limits.

49. As a man sows, so shall he reap.

50. As one door closes, another door opens.

51. As the wind blows, you must set your sail.

52. As you brew, so you must drink.

53. Bad luck always comes in threes.

54. Bad news travels fast.

55. Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing. Be cautious in choosing a friend and even more cautious in discarding them.

56. Be slow to promise and quick to perform. Keep promises and keep promises.

57. Be swift to hear, slow to speak. Listen more and speak less.

58. Beauty is but skin-deep. Don’t judge a book by its appearance.

59. Beauty is truth, truth beauty. Beauty is truth, truth is beauty.

60. Better a little fire to warm us, than a great fire to burn us.

61. Better a little loss than a long sorrow. Better a little sacrifice than a long sorrow.

62. Better ask twice than lose your way once. Better ask twice than lose your way once.

63. Better be sure than sorry. Be safe, not dangerous.

64. Better early than late. Better early than late.

65. Better late than never. This is better than never.

66. Better lost than found. Better lost than found. (Often directed at people or things you don’t like.)

67. Better safe than sorry. Better safe than sorry.

68. Better small fish than empty dish. Small fish on the plate is better than no fish at all.

69. Better the last smile than the first laughter.

70. Better to ask the way than go astray.

71. Better to be safe than sorry. Better to be safe than sorry.

72. Better to do well than to say well.

73. Better to have than wish.

74. Birds of a feather flock together. Birds of a feather flock together. Birds of a feather flock together.

75. Bite off more than one can chew. Bite off more than one can chew.

76. Blood is thicker than water. Blood is thicker than water.

77. Books and friends should be few but good. Choosing friends is like collecting books, both should be few but good.

78. Both together do best of all. When people are united, Mount Tai can move.

79. Busiest men find the most time. The busiest men find the most time.

80. Business before pleasure. Work first, entertainment later.

81. Business is business. Business is business, and friendship is friendship.

82. By doing nothing we learn to do ill.

83. By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn.

84. By reading we enrich the mind; by conversation we polish it.

85. By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall. By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.

86. Call a spade a spade. Call a spade a spade.

87. Care and diligence bring luck. Care and diligence bring luck.

88. Care brings gray hair. Care brings gray hair.

89. Care is enemy to health. Worry is harmful to health.

90. Care will kill a cat. Worry hurts the mind.

91. Children and fools cannot lie. Children and fools cannot lie.

92. Children and fools speak the truth. Children speak the truth.

93. Children are what the mothers are. Like mother, like son.

94. Children have the qualities of the parents. Children have what kind of parents they have.

95. Christmas comes but once a year.

96. Clothes don't make the man. A good horse is not in the saddle, and a beautiful man is not in his clothes.

97. Clothes make the man. A man relies on his clothes and a horse relies on his saddle.

98. Confidence in yourself is the first step on the road to success. Confidence is the beginning of success.

99. Content is better than riches. Be content with what you have.

100. Content is happiness. Contentment is always happiness.

101. Custom is a second nature. Custom is people’s second nature.

102. Custom makes all the things easy. Form a habit and everything will be easy.

103. Cut your coat according to your cloth.

104. Deeds are males and words are females. Being able to talk is not as good as being able to do it.

105. Delays are dangerous. Delay things.

106. Diamond cut diamond. Evenly matched.

107. Diligence is the mother of good luck. Luck comes from hard work.

108. Diligence is the greatest of teachers. Diligence is the greatest mentor.

109. Diligence is the mother of success. Success comes from diligence.

110. Disappointment is the nurse of wisdom. Disappointment nurtures wisdom.

111. Discontent is the first step in progress. Dissatisfaction is the first step in progress.

112. Do as I say, not as I do. Do as I say, not as I do.

113. Do as the Romans do.

114. Do it now. Do it now. Don’t miss the opportunity.

115. Do not attend to two things at a time.

116. Do not cry for the moon.

117. Do not try out before you are hurt.

118. Do not cut down the tree that gives you shade.

119. Do nothing by halves. Don’t give up halfway.

120. Do on the hill as you would do in the hall. Everyone is the same.

121. Do what you ought, and come what can. But know and do good things, and don’t ask about the future.

122. Doing is better than saying.

123. Doing nothing is doing ill. Doing nothing is doing ill.

124. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

125. Don't change horses in the middle of a stream. Don't change horses in the middle of a stream.

126. Don't climb a tree to look for fish.

127. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched. Don't be happy too early.

128. Don't forget to cross your t's. Don't forget to cross your t's.

129. Don't have too many irons in the fire. Eat more than you can chew.

130. Don't judge a book by its cover. The value of a book is not in its cover.

131. Don't judge by appearance.

1. Do as I say, not as I do.

Do as I say, not as I do.

2. Do as most men do, then most men will speak well of you.

Follow the customs and everyone will praise you.

3. Do as you would be done by. Do to others what you would like to do to others.

4.Do in Rome as the Romans do. Do as the Romans do.

5.Do not cast your pearls before swine.

Don’t throw your pearls before swine; don’t play the harp to a cow.

6. Do not halloo till you are out of the wood.

Don’t celebrate your escape before you are truly out of danger.

7. Do not kick against the pricks.

Do not kick against the pricks.

8.Do not put new wine into old bottles.

Do not put new wine into old bottles.

9. Do not wear out your welcome.

Stay as a guest; do not wear out your welcome.

10.Dog does not eat dog. Like does not kill each other.

11.Don't change horses in mid-stream.

Don't change horses in the river; changing generals in the middle of battle is not a good idea.

12.Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

Counting your chickens before they are hatched is useless; don't make wishful thinking.

13.Don't cross a bridge till you come to it.

Don't worry too much; the boat will be straight when it reaches the bridge.

14. Don't cry before you are hurt.

Don't cry before you are hurt; don't give in before disaster strikes.

15. Don't cry stinking fish.

Don't hawk stinking fish; don't dismantle yourself; don't belittle yourself.

16.Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

Don't hurt yourself because of your anger.

17.Don't cut the bough you are standing on.

Don't act rashly and ruin your own life.

18.Don't empty the baby out with the bath water.

Don't take things lightly and empty the baby out with the bath water.

19.Don't have too many irons in the fire.

Don't act too hastily.

20.Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.

Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.

21.Don't make a rod for your own back. Don't ask for trouble.

22.Don't make yourself a mouse, or the cat will eat you.

Don't belittle yourself; anyone who humiliates yourself will be humiliated by everyone.

23.Don't meet trouble half-way. Don't meet trouble half-way.

24.Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket; don't put all your eggs in one basket.

25.Don't put the cart before the horse. Don't put the cart before the horse.

26.Don't quarrel with your bread and butter.

Don't quarrel with your job.

27.Don't ride the high horse.

Don't be arrogant; don't be arrogant.

28.Don't speak ill of others behind their backs.

Don't speak ill of others behind their backs.

29.Don't take your harp to the party.

Don't repeat the same old tune; don't harp on the same thing.

30.Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs.

Don't try to do whatever you want.

31.Don't tell tales out of school.

Don't tell tales or reveal people's privacy.

32.Don't wash your dirty linen in public.

Do not publicize family scandals.

33.Dying is as natural as living.

Life and death are determined by fate, wealth and honor are in heaven.

34. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

35. Easier said than done. Easier said than done.

36.East or west, home is best.

A golden nest or a silver nest is not as good as your own doghouse.

37.Easy come, easy go. Easy come, easy go.

38.Empty vessels make the most sound.

A full bottle will not make any sound, but a half-full bottle will make a tinkling sound.

39.Enough is as good as a feast.

Know what is appropriate and do it in moderation.

40. Even a worm will turn. A man hangs on a beam and a dog jumps over a wall.

41. Even Homer sometimes nods. A wise man will make a mistake after thinking a lot.

42.Every ass likes to hear himself bray.

Horses are ignorant, and fools are always complacent.

43.Every bullet has its billet.

Life and death are destiny, wealth is in heaven.

44.Every cloud has a silver lining.

There is always a ray of light in the darkness.

45. Every cock crows on his own dunghill.

The cock always rules the roost on his own haystack; he is a dragon at home and a worm outside.

46.Every dog ??has his day. Everyone has his day.

47.Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard.

Every family has a scripture that is difficult to recite.

48.Every flow must have its ebb.

The tide rises and recedes; life is fickle.

49.Every horse thinks its own pack heaviest.

Everyone thinks it has the heaviest workload.

50.Every law has a loophole. Every law has loopholes.