Usage of the character 了

sorry to interrupt you, but ...
sorry to have bothered you
sorry, I have to go
(slang) (coined c. 2017) used facetiously to terminate a conversation (esp. online) when the other person is being insufferable

yòuláile

又来了

[又來了]

Here we go again.

bùxíngle

不行了

[不行了]

(coll.) on the point of death
dying

bàngjíle

棒极了

[棒極了]

super
excellent

jiùwǎnle

就晚了

[就晚了]

then it's too late (colloquial)

shuōlesuàn

说了算

[說了算]

to have the final say
to be the one in charge

tiělexīn

铁了心

[鐵了心]

determined
unshakable

chūleshì

出了事

[出了事]

sth bad happened

shòudeliǎo

受得了

[受得了]

to put up with; to endure

tàihǎole

太好了

[太好了]

very good

shǎobuliǎo

少不了

[少不了]

cannot do without
to be unavoidable
are bound to be many

qíngjíliǎo

情急了

[情急了]

mythical talking bird
mynah bird

màiguāngle

卖光了

[賣光了]

to be sold out
to be out of stock

méiséile

没谁了

[沒誰了]

(coll.) nobody can beat that
extraordinary
remarkable

liǎobuqǐ

了不起

[了不起]

amazing
terrific
extraordinary

liǎobude

了不得

[了不得]

terrific
terrible
(after 得 (de)) very

yòngbuliǎo

用不了

[用不了]

to not use all of
to use less than

suànbùliǎo

算不了

[算不了]

does not count for anything
of no account

bùdéliǎo

不得了

[不得了]

desperately serious
disastrous
extremely
exceedingly

xiēleba

歇了吧

[歇了吧]

(dialect) give me a break!
forget about it!

bǐbùliǎo

比不了

[比不了]

cannot compare to
to be no match for

zhīdàole

知道了

[知道了]

OK!
Got it!

tīngnìle

听腻了

[聽膩了]

fed up of hearing

bùjiànle

不见了

[不見了]

to have disappeared
to be missing
nowhere to be found

miǎnbùliǎo

免不了

[免不了]

unavoidable
can't be avoided

yǎnquānhóngle

眼圈红了

[眼圈紅了]

to be on the verge of tears

yīmùliǎorán

一目了然

[一目了然]

obvious at a glance (idiom)

qiányuánwèiliǎo

前缘未了

[前緣未了]

one's predestined fate is yet to be fulfilled (idiom)

shàngleniánjì

上了年纪

[上了年紀]

to be getting on in years
to be of the older generation

zìxíngliǎoduàn

自行了断

[自行了斷]

to take one's life

zhǔnbèihǎole

准备好了

[準備好了]

to be ready

cǎocǎoliǎoshì

草草了事

[草草了事]

to rush through the work
to get through a thing carelessly

jiǎndānmíngliǎo

简单明了

[簡單明瞭]

clear and simple
in simple terms

liǎoruòzhǐzhǎng

了若指掌

[了若指掌]

see 了如指掌 (liǎorúzhǐzhǎng)

jìnletiāntáng

进了天堂

[進了天堂]

to die
to enter the hall of heaven

liǎndōulüle

脸都绿了

[臉都綠了]

green in the face (idiom)
to look unwell

yīzǒuliǎozhī

一走了之

[一走了之]

to avoid a problem by walking away from it
to quit

fūyǎnliǎoshì

敷衍了事

[敷衍了事]

(idiom) to do things half-heartedly; to merely go through the motions

bùliǎoliǎozhī

不了了之

[不了了之]

to settle a matter by leaving it unsettled
to end up with nothing definite

zhíjiéliǎodàng

直捷了当

[直捷了當]

variant of 直截了當／直截了当 (zhíjiéliǎodàng)

liǎorúzhǐzhǎng

了如指掌

[了如指掌]

to know sth like the back of one's hand (idiom)
to know (a person, a place etc) inside out

mǎilefólěng

买了佛冷

[買了佛冷]

(Internet slang) eggcorn for the song lyrics "I love Poland" that became a catchphrase in 2018

xūyìngliǎoshì

虚应了事

[虛應了事]

see 虛應故事／虚应故事 (xūyìnggùshì)

liǎowúxīnyì

了无新意

[了無新意]

unoriginal
stereotyped

zhíjiéliǎodàng

直截了当

[直截了當]

direct and plainspoken (idiom); blunt
straightforward

zhíjiēliǎodàng

直接了当

[直接了當]

see 直截了當／直截了当 (zhíjiéliǎodàng)

tuōbùliǎoshēn

脱不了身

[脫不了身]

busy and unable to get away

zhèháiliǎodé

这还了得

[這還了得]

How dare you!
This is an outrage!
Absolutely disgraceful!

xiàbuliǎotái

下不了台

[下不了臺]

to be unable to extricate oneself gracefully
to be put on the spot
to be embarrassed

yánleyǎnr

严了眼儿

[嚴了眼兒]

up to the eyeballs
full to overflowing
jampacked

liǎowúshēngqù

了无生趣

[了無生趣]

to lose all interest in life (idiom)

zěnmedéliǎo

怎么得了

[怎麼得了]

how can this be?
what's to be done?
what an awful mess!

liǎorúzhǐzhǎng

了如指掌

[瞭如指掌]

variant of 了如指掌 (liǎorúzhǐzhǎng)

liánglebànjié

凉了半截

[涼了半截]

felt a chill (in one's heart)
(one's heart) sank

bèndàojiāle

笨到家了

[笨到家了]

extremely stupid

liǎoquècǐshēng

了却此生

[了卻此生]

to die
to be done with this world

yīmùliǎorán

一目了然

[一目瞭然]

obvious at a glance (idiom)

yīxiàoliǎozhī

一笑了之

[一笑了之]

to laugh away (instead of taking seriously)

bǎileyīdào

摆了一道

[擺了一道]

to play tricks on
to make a fool of

duōleqùle

多了去了

[多了去了]

(coll.) aplenty
millions of

yīliǎobǎiliǎo

一了百了

[一了百了]

(idiom) once the main problem is solved, all troubles are solved; death ends all one's troubles

lèdiānlexiàn

乐颠了馅

[樂顛了餡]

ecstatic; overjoyed

liǎorányúxiōng

了然于胸

[了然於胸]

to be well aware; to understand clearly

méiwánméiliǎo

没完没了

[沒完沒了]

without end
incessantly
on and on

liǎoruòzhǐzhǎng

了若指掌

[瞭若指掌]

see 了如指掌 (liǎorúzhǐzhǎng)

mālegebāzi

妈了个巴子

[媽了個巴子]

fuck!
motherfucker!
fucking

wǒyěshìzuìle

我也是醉了

[我也是醉了]

(Internet slang) I can't even...
Are you kidding me!
OMG!

chīledìngxīnwán

吃了定心丸

[吃了定心丸]

to feel reassured

shàngbùliǎotáimiàn

上不了台面

[上不了檯面]

better kept under the table (idiom)
not to be disclosed
too inferior to show in public

shíjiānbùzǎole

时间不早了

[時間不早了]

it's getting late; time's getting on

chéngbuliǎoqìhòu

成不了气候

[成不了氣候]

won't get far; unlikely to be successful

Tiān'ānménkāile

天安门开了

[天安門開了]

pants fly is down
the barn door is open

chībǎolefànchēngde

吃饱了饭撑的

[吃飽了飯撐的]

having nothing better to do
see 吃飽撐著／吃饱撑着

dōushénmeniándàile

都什么年代了

[都什麼年代了]

What decade are you living in?
That's so out-of-date!

huánghuācàidōuliángle

黄花菜都凉了

[黃花菜都涼了]

lit. the dishes are cold (idiom)
fig. to arrive late; to take one's sweet time

gǒugǎibùliǎochīshǐ

狗改不了吃屎

[狗改不了吃屎]

lit. a dog can't stop himself from eating shit (idiom)
fig. bad habits are hard to change

chībuliǎodōuzhezǒu

吃不了兜着走

[吃不了兜著走]

lit. if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home (idiom)
fig. you'll have to take the consequences

yěhǎobuliǎoduōshǎo

也好不了多少

[也好不了多少]

hardly any better
just as bad

péilefūrényòuzhébīng

赔了夫人又折兵

[賠了夫人又折兵]

lit. having given away a bride, to lose one's army on top of it (idiom)
fig. to suffer a double loss after trying to trick the enemy

zěnyīgèchóuzìliǎodé

怎一个愁字了得

[怎一個愁字了得]

(last line of the poem 聲聲慢／声声慢 ( Shēngshēng Màn) by Song poet Li Qingzhao 李清照 ( Lǐ Qīngzhào))
how can it be expressed in one word, "sorrow"?
how can words express such sadness?

yuānyuānxiāngbàohéshíliǎo

冤冤相报何时了

[冤冤相報何時了]

if revenge breeds revenge, will there ever be an end to it? (Buddhist saying)

tùziwěibachángbuliǎo

兔子尾巴长不了

[兔子尾巴長不了]

rabbits don't have long tails (idiom)
its days are numbered
won't last long

hǎolechuāngbāwàngletòng

好了疮疤忘了痛

[好了瘡疤忘了痛]

see 好了傷疤忘了疼／好了伤疤忘了疼 (hǎoleshāngbāwàngleténg)

yuǎnshuǐjiùbuliǎojìnhuǒ

远水救不了近火

[遠水救不了近火]

water in a distant place is of little use in putting out a fire right here
(fig.) a slow remedy does not address the current emergency

zhǔshúdeyāzifēile

煮熟的鸭子飞了

[煮熟的鴨子飛了]

the cooked duck flew away (proverb)
(fig.) to let a sure thing slip through one's fingers

dàshuǐchōngle Lóngwángmiào

大水冲了龙王庙

[大水沖了龍王廟]

lit. surging waters flooded the Dragon King temple (idiom)
fig. to fail to recognize a familiar person
a dispute between close people who fail to recognize each other

guòlezhècūnméizhèdiàn

过了这村没这店

[過了這村沒這店]

past this village, you won't find this shop (idiom)
this is your last chance

hǎoleshāngbāwàngleténg

好了伤疤忘了疼

[好了傷疤忘了疼]

to forget past pains once the wound has healed (idiom)

luóbokuàilebùxǐní

萝卜快了不洗泥

[蘿蔔快了不洗泥]

when radishes are selling fast, one doesn't take the time to wash the soil off them (idiom)
fig. when business is booming, merchants tend to offer goods of inferior quality

hǎoxīndàozuòlelügānfèi

好心倒做了驴肝肺

[好心倒做了驢肝肺]

(idiom) to mistake good intentions for ill will

pǎolehéshàngpǎobùliǎomiào

跑了和尚跑不了庙

[跑了和尚跑不了廟]

the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom)
you can run this time, but you'll have to come back
I'll get you sooner or later
also written 跑得了和尚，跑不了廟／跑得了和尚，跑不了庙 (pǎodéliǎohéshàng,pǎobùliǎomiào)

xīnjíchībuliǎorèdòufu

心急吃不了热豆腐

[心急吃不了熱豆腐]

hasty men don't get to eat hot tofu (idiom)
one just has to be patient
haste will ruin everything

jiǎnlezhīmadiūlexīguā

捡了芝麻丢了西瓜

[撿了芝麻丟了西瓜]

to let go of the big prize while grabbing at trifles (idiom)

pǎolehéshàng,pǎobùliǎosì

跑了和尚，跑不了寺

[跑了和尚，跑不了寺]

the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom)
you can run this time, but you'll have to come back
I'll get you sooner or later

xiǎoshíliǎoliǎo,dàwèibìjiā

小时了了，大未必佳

[小時了了，大未必佳]

being bright at an early age does not necessarily bring success upon growing up (proverb)

bùgānbùjìng,chīleméibìng

不干不净，吃了没病

[不乾不淨，吃了沒病]

a little dirt never killed anybody (proverb)
a couple of germs won't do you any harm

dàshìhuàxiǎo,xiǎoshìhuàliǎo

大事化小，小事化了

[大事化小，小事化了]

to turn big problems into small ones, and small problems into no problems at all (idiom)

pǎodéliǎohéshàng,pǎobùliǎomiào

跑得了和尚，跑不了庙

[跑得了和尚，跑不了廟]

the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom)
you can run this time, but you'll have to come back
I'll get you sooner or later

yīkēlǎoshǔshǐhuàileyīguōtāng

一颗老鼠屎坏了一锅汤

[一顆老鼠屎壞了一鍋湯]

lit. one pellet of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of soup (idiom)
fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch

línzidàle,shénmeniǎodōuyǒu

林子大了，什么鸟都有

[林子大了，什麼鳥都有]

it takes all sorts (to make a world) (idiom)

guòlezhègecūnjiùméizhègediàn

过了这个村就没这个店

[過了這個村就沒這個店]

past this village, you won't find this shop (idiom)
this is your last chance

yīkēlǎoshǔshǐhuàileyīguōzhōu

一颗老鼠屎坏了一锅粥

[一顆老鼠屎壞了一鍋粥]

see 一粒老鼠屎壞了一鍋粥／一粒老鼠屎坏了一锅粥 (yīlìlǎoshǔshǐhuàileyīguōzhōu)

yīlìlǎoshǔshǐhuàileyīguōzhōu

一粒老鼠屎坏了一锅粥

[一粒老鼠屎壞了一鍋粥]

lit. one pellet of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of congee (idiom)
fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch

sǐle Zhāngtúfū,bùchīhùnmáozhū

死了张屠夫，不吃混毛猪

[死了張屠夫，不吃混毛豬]

lit. just because Zhang the butcher dies, doesn't mean we'll have to eat pork mixed with bristles (idiom)
fig. nobody is indispensable

shīziduōlebùyǎng,zhàiduōlebùchóu

虱子多了不痒，债多了不愁

[虱子多了不癢，債多了不愁]

lit. covered with lice, one doesn't feel the itching anymore; up to one's ears in debt, one ceases to worry about it (idiom)
fig. to be past worrying (about sth)

jīguānsuànjìntàicōngming,fǎnsuànleqīngqīngxìngmìng

机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命

[機關算盡太聰明，反算了卿卿性命]

if one is too calculating, it will be the cause of one's own undoing (famous line in "A Dream of Red Mansions" 紅樓夢／红楼梦 ( Hónglóu Mèng))