Usage of the character 而

lit. to speak of two things on the same day (idiom); to mention things on equal terms (often with negatives: you can't mention X at the same time as Y)

bùdé'érzhī

不得而知

[不得而知]

unknown
unable to find out

zhōu'érfùshǐ

周而复始

[週而復始]

lit. the cycle comes back to the start (idiom); to move in circles
the wheel comes full circle

rúyuē'érzhì

如约而至

[如約而至]

to arrive as planned
right on schedule

wúgōng'érfǎn

无功而返

[無功而返]

to return without any achievement (idiom); to go home with one's tail between one's legs

xiàngjī'érxíng

相机而行

[相機而行]

to act according to the situation (idiom)

xiāngduì'éryán

相对而言

[相對而言]

relatively speaking
comparatively speaking

zhídào'érxíng

直道而行

[直道而行]

lit. to go straight (idiom, from Analects); to act with integrity

chōngkǒu'érchū

冲口而出

[衝口而出]

to blurt out without thinking (idiom)

wàngfēng'értáo

望风而逃

[望風而逃]

to flee at the mere sight of (idiom)

yuǎndào'érlái

远道而来

[遠道而來]

to come from far away

huì'érbùfèi

惠而不费

[惠而不費]

a kind act that costs nothing

piáopō'érxià

瓢泼而下

[瓢潑而下]

(of rain) to fall heavily

zìrán'érrán

自然而然

[自然而然]

involuntary
automatically

jiēzhǒng'érlái

接踵而来

[接踵而來]

to come one after the other

bùsù'érzhì

不速而至

[不速而至]

to arrive without invitation
unexpected guest
unwanted presence

dà'érhuàzhī

大而化之

[大而化之]

careless
sloppy

yīyuè'érqǐ

一跃而起

[一躍而起]

to jump up suddenly
to bound up
to rise up in one bound

qīng'ěrértīng

倾耳而听

[傾耳而聽]

to listen attentively

quánqiú'éryán

全球而言

[全球而言]

globally; worldwide

fúxiù'érqù

拂袖而去

[拂袖而去]

to storm off in a huff (idiom)

yóurán'érshēng

油然而生

[油然而生]

arising involuntarily (idiom); spontaneous
to spring up unbidden (of emotion)

tīng'érbùwén

听而不闻

[聽而不聞]

to hear but not react (idiom); to turn a deaf ear
to ignore deliberately

zìshàng'érxià

自上而下

[自上而下]

top-down

yīsǎo'érkōng

一扫而空

[一掃而空]

to sweep clean
to clean out

xuè'érbùnüè

谑而不虐

[謔而不虐]

to tease
to mock sb without offending
to banter

lìmù'érshì

厉目而视

[厲目而視]

to cut sb a severe look (idiom)

bùyì'érfēi

不翼而飞

[不翼而飛]

to disappear without trace
to vanish all of a sudden
to spread fast
to spread like wildfire

jìnhuān'érsàn

尽欢而散

[盡歡而散]

to disperse after a happy time (idiom)
everyone enjoys themselves to the full then party breaks up

liànglì'érxíng

量力而行

[量力而行]

to assess one's capabilities and act accordingly (idiom); to act within one's competence
One does what one can.

xídì'érzuò

席地而坐

[席地而坐]

to sit on the ground or the floor (idiom)

qiè'érbùshě

锲而不舍

[鍥而不捨]

to chip away at a task and not abandon it (idiom); to chisel away at sth
to persevere
unflagging efforts

qīngcháo'érchū

倾巢而出

[傾巢而出]

the whole nest came out (idiom); to turn out in full strength

bùmóu'érhé

不谋而合

[不謀而合]

to agree without prior consultation
to happen to hold the same view

zǒng'éryánzhī

总而言之

[總而言之]

in short
in a word
in brief

bèidào'érchí

背道而驰

[背道而馳]

to run in the opposite direction (idiom); to run counter to

shìkě'érzhǐ

适可而止

[適可而止]

(idiom) to refrain from going too far; to know when to stop

tǐngshēn'érchū

挺身而出

[挺身而出]

to step forward bravely

pòmén'érrù

破门而入

[破門而入]

to break the door down and enter (idiom)

sìshì'érfēi

似是而非

[似是而非]

apparently right but actually wrong; specious (idiom)

yībān'éryán

一般而言

[一般而言]

generally speaking

bùzhì'éryù

不治而愈

[不治而癒]

to recover spontaneously (from an illness)
to get better without medical treatment

yíngnán'érshàng

迎难而上

[迎難而上]

to press on in the face of challenges

mùhóu'érguàn

沐猴而冠

[沐猴而冠]

lit. a monkey wearing a hat (idiom)
fig. worthless person in imposing attire

tǐng'érzǒuxiǎn

挺而走险

[挺而走險]

variant of 鋌而走險／铤而走险 (tǐng'érzǒuxiǎn)

wēi'érbùchí

危而不持

[危而不持]

national danger, but no support (idiom, from Analects); the future of the nation is at stake but no-one comes to the rescue

bùhán'érlì

不寒而栗

[不寒而慄]

lit. not cold, yet shivering (idiom)
fig. to tremble with fear
to be terrified

yíngrèn'érjiě

迎刃而解

[迎刃而解]

lit. (bamboo) splits when it meets the knife's edge (idiom)
fig. easily solved

huàn'éryánzhī

换而言之

[換而言之]

in other words

yīcù'érdé

一蹴而得

[一蹴而得]

to get there in one step (idiom); easily done
success at a stroke
to get results overnight

jiǔ'érjiǔzhī

久而久之

[久而久之]

over time
as time passes
in the fullness of time

zhǎn'érbùzòu

斩而不奏

[斬而不奏]

to do sth and not report the fact (idiom)

yán'éryǒuxìn

言而有信

[言而有信]

to speak and keep one's promise (idiom); as good as one's word

yíngmiàn'érlái

迎面而来

[迎面而來]

directly
head-on (collision)
in one's face (of wind)

sānshí'érlì

三十而立

[三十而立]

thirty years old and therefore independent (idiom, from Confucius)

chéngxū'érrù

乘虚而入

[乘虛而入]

to enter by exploiting a weak spot (idiom); to take advantage of a lapse

hézé'éryú

涸泽而渔

[涸澤而漁]

see 竭澤而漁／竭泽而渔 (jiézé'éryú)

jiébàn'érxíng

结伴而行

[結伴而行]

(of a group) to stay together; to keep together

chóngzú'érlì

重足而立

[重足而立]

rooted to the spot (idiom); too terrified to move

jìnlì'érwéi

尽力而为

[盡力而為]

to try one's utmost
to strive

qīng'éryìjǔ

轻而易举

[輕而易舉]

easy
with no difficulty

jǐncǐ'éryǐ

仅此而已

[僅此而已]

that's all; just this and nothing more

qiáozú'érdài

翘足而待

[翹足而待]

to expect in a short time (idiom)
also pr. (qiàozú'érdài)

láo'érwúgōng

劳而无功

[勞而無功]

to work hard while accomplishing little
to toil to no avail

yúguàn'érchū

鱼贯而出

[魚貫而出]

to file out; to walk out in a line

yīyōng'érshàng

一拥而上

[一擁而上]

to swarm around
flocking (to see)

bùyuē'értóng

不约而同

[不約而同]

(idiom) (of two or more people) to take the same action without prior consultation; (usu. used adverbially) all (or both) of them, independently; as if by prior agreement

sǐ'érwúhuǐ

死而无悔

[死而無悔]

to die without regret (idiom, from Analects)

bùcí'érbié

不辞而别

[不辭而別]

to leave without saying good-bye

bùqī'érzhì

不期而至

[不期而至]

to arrive unexpectably
unexpected

xídì'érshuì

席地而睡

[席地而睡]

to sleep on the ground (idiom)

huá'érbùshí

华而不实

[華而不實]

flower but no fruit (idiom); handsome exterior but hollow inside
flashy

érlìzhīnián

而立之年

[而立之年]

the age of 30

yīhòng'érsàn

一哄而散

[一鬨而散]

see 一哄而散 (yīhōng'érsàn)

xián'érgǔzhī

弦而鼓之

[弦而鼓之]

to put strings on the zither, then play it (line from a Ming dynasty text by 劉伯溫／刘伯温 ( Liú Bówēn))
(fig.) to play music

bó'érbùjīng

博而不精

[博而不精]

extensive but not refined (idiom); to know something about everything
jack-of-all-trades, master of none

fēn'érzhìzhī

分而治之

[分而治之]

to divide and rule

dà'érwúdàng

大而无当

[大而無當]

grandiose but impractical (idiom)
large but of no real use

shāyǔ'érguī

铩羽而归

[鎩羽而歸]

to return in low spirits following a defeat or failure to achieve one's ambitions (idiom)

xíng'érshàngxué

形而上学

[形而上學]

metaphysics

xuán'érwèijué

悬而未决

[懸而未決]

pending a decision; hanging in the balance

xué'érbùyàn

学而不厌

[學而不厭]

study tirelessly (idiom, from Analects)

jìng'éryuǎnzhī

敬而远之

[敬而遠之]

to show respect from a distance (idiom)
to remain at a respectful distance

wénfēng'érdòng

闻风而动

[聞風而動]

to respond instantly
to act at once on hearing the news

yīpào'érhóng

一炮而红

[一炮而紅]

to win instant success (idiom)
to become an instant hit

shǒuyī'érzhōng

守一而终

[守一而終]

to be faithful to one's mate all one's life

xiāngshì'érxiào

相视而笑

[相視而笑]

(idiom) to look at each other and smile

jiān'éryǒuzhī

兼而有之

[兼而有之]

to have both (at the same time)

dé'érfùshī

得而复失

[得而復失]

to lose what one has just obtained (idiom)

yīdài'érguò

一带而过

[一帶而過]

to skate around
to skip over
to skimp

sǐ'érbùjiāng

死而不僵

[死而不僵]

dead but showing no signs of rigor mortis
to die hard (idiom)
to die yet not be vanquished (idiom)

yǒugǎn'érfā

有感而发

[有感而發]

(idiom) to speak from the heart

bùjìng'érzǒu

不胫而走

[不脛而走]

to get round fast
to spread like wildfire

táng'érhuángzhī

堂而皇之

[堂而皇之]

overt
to make no secret (of one's presence)
grandiose
with great scope

cāshēn'érguò

擦身而过

[擦身而過]

to brush past

fēngyōng'érzhì

蜂拥而至

[蜂擁而至]

to arrive in huge numbers
to flock there

yǎnmiàn'érqì

掩面而泣

[掩面而泣]

to bury one's head in one's hands and weep (idiom)

wàng'érquèbù

望而却步

[望而卻步]

to shrink back; to flinch

zhīnán'értuì

知难而退

[知難而退]

lit. to sound out the difficulties and retreat to avoid defeat (idiom)
fig. to back out of an awkward situation; to get out on finding out what it's really like

pūmiàn'érlái

扑面而来

[撲面而來]

lit. sth hits one in the face
directly in one's face
sth assaults the senses
blatant (advertising)
eye-catching
(a smell) assaults the nostrils

yīhōng'érsàn

一哄而散

[一哄而散]

to disperse in confusion (idiom)

yīwàng'érzhī

一望而知

[一望而知]

to be evident at a glance (idiom)

qǔ'érdàizhī

取而代之

[取而代之]

(idiom) to replace; to supersede; to take its (or her etc) place

duómén'érchū

夺门而出

[奪門而出]

to rush out through a door (idiom)

tóumèi'érqǐ

投袂而起

[投袂而起]

lit. to shake one's sleeves and rise (idiom)
fig. to get excited and move to action

mùmíng'érlái

慕名而来

[慕名而來]

to come to a place on account of its reputation (idiom); attracted to visit a famous location

mǎnzài'érguī

满载而归

[滿載而歸]

to return from a rewarding journey

yán'érwúxìn

言而无信

[言而無信]

untrustworthy; not true to one's word

bùyán'éryù

不言而喻

[不言而喻]

it goes without saying; it is self-evident

yīnrén'éryì

因人而异

[因人而異]

varying from person to person (idiom); different for each individual

yīyǐn'érjìn

一饮而尽

[一飲而盡]

to drain the cup in one gulp (idiom)

xiào'érbùyǔ

笑而不语

[笑而不語]

to smile but say nothing

shì'érbùjiàn

视而不见

[視而不見]

(idiom) to turn a blind eye to; to ignore

gài'éryánzhī

概而言之

[概而言之]

same as 總而言之／总而言之 (zǒng'éryánzhī)

zuò'érlùndào

坐而论道

[坐而論道]

to sit and pontificate; to find answers through theory and not through practice (idiom)

bǐjiào'éryán

比较而言

[比較而言]

comparatively speaking

wújí'érzhōng

无疾而终

[無疾而終]

to die peacefully
(fig.) to result in failure (without any outside interference); to come to nothing; to fizzle out

yùsù'érbùdá

欲速而不达

[欲速而不達]

see 欲速則不達／欲速则不达 (yùsùzébùdá)

xué'éryōuzéshì

学而优则仕

[學而優則仕]

one who is successful in one's studies, can become an official (idiom)

xiǎoxué'érdàyí

小学而大遗

[小學而大遺]

to concentrate on trivial points while neglecting the main problem (idiom)

bùqīrán'érrán

不期然而然

[不期然而然]

happen unexpectedly
turn out contrary to one's expectations

wēngù'érzhīxīn

温故而知新

[溫故而知新]

to review the old and know the new (idiom, from the Analects)
to recall the past to understand the future

tuì'érqiúqícì

退而求其次

[退而求其次]

to settle for second best
the next best thing

qúnqǐ'érgōngzhī

群起而攻之

[群起而攻之]

the masses rise to attack it (idiom); Everyone is against the idea.
universally abhorrent

hélè'érbùwéi

何乐而不为

[何樂而不為]

What can you have against it? (idiom)
We should do this.
Go for it!

sānsī'érhòuxíng

三思而后行

[三思而後行]

think again and again before acting (idiom); consider carefully in advance

kěwàng'érbùkějí

可望而不可及

[可望而不可及]

in sight but unattainable (idiom)
inaccessible

kěyī'érbùkězài

可一而不可再

[可一而不可再]

may be done once and once only; just this once

chūyūní'érbùrǎn

出淤泥而不染

[出淤泥而不染]

lit. to grow out of the mud unsullied (idiom)
fig. to be principled and incorruptible

yīfā'érbùkěshōu

一发而不可收

[一發而不可收]

to be impossible to stop once started

yǐshībài'érgàozhōng

以失败而告终

[以失敗而告終]

to succeed through failure
to achieve one's final aim despite apparent setback

bùdéqímén'érrù

不得其门而入

[不得其門而入]

to be unable to get into (a house, an organization, a field of study, a particular type of career etc)

fǎnqídào'érxíngzhī

反其道而行之

[反其道而行之]

to do the very opposite
to act in a diametrically opposite way

liángqínzémù'érqī

良禽择木而栖

[良禽擇木而棲]

a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in (proverb)
fig. a talented person chooses a patron of integrity

bùdéyǐ'érwéizhī

不得已而为之

[不得已而為之]

to have no other choice
to be the last resort

wèikětóngrì'éryǔ

未可同日而语

[未可同日而語]

lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom); not to be mentioned in the same breath
incomparable

gǎnnù'érbùgǎnyán

敢怒而不敢言

[敢怒而不敢言]

angry, but not daring to speak out (idiom); obliged to remain silent about one's resentment
unable to voice objections

jìngguǐshén'éryuǎnzhī

敬鬼神而远之

[敬鬼神而遠之]

to respect Gods and demons from a distance (idiom); to remain at a respectful distance

gùzuǒyòu'éryántā

顾左右而言他

[顧左右而言他]

(idiom) to digress from the topic of discussion

kěwàng'érbùkějí

可望而不可即

[可望而不可即]

in sight but unattainable (idiom)
inaccessible
also written 可望而不可及 (kěwàng'érbùkějí)

bùkětóngrì'éryǔ

不可同日而语

[不可同日而語]

lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom); not to be mentioned in the same breath
incomparable

yǒubǎihài'érwúyīlì

有百害而无一利

[有百害而無一利]

having no advantage whatsoever

yǒubǎilì'érwúyībì

有百利而无一弊

[有百利而無一弊]

to have many advantages and no disadvantages

shùyùjìng'érfēngbùzhǐ

树欲静而风不止

[樹欲靜而風不止]

lit. the trees long for peace but the wind will never cease (idiom)
fig. the world changes, whether you want it or not

xīnyǒuyú'érlìbùzú

心有余而力不足

[心有餘而力不足]

the will is there, but not the strength (idiom)
the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

zhīqíbùkě'érwéizhī

知其不可而为之

[知其不可而為之]

to keep going resolutely despite knowing the task is impossible (idiom)

yǒuguòzhī'érwúbùjí

有过之而无不及

[有過之而無不及]

not to be inferior in any aspects (idiom)
to surpass
to outdo
(derog.) to be even worse

yī'érzài,zài'érsān

一而再，再而三

[一而再，再而三]

again and again

zhìzhīsǐdì'érhòushēng

置之死地而后生

[置之死地而後生]

(idiom based on Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孫子兵法／孙子兵法 ( Sunzī Bingfā)) to deploy one's troops in such a way that there is no possibility of retreat, so that they will fight for their lives and win the battle; to fight desperately when confronted with mortal danger; to find a way to emerge from a dire situation

yǒubǎilì'érwúyīhài

有百利而无一害

[有百利而無一害]

to have many advantages and no disadvantages

fàngzhīsìhǎi'érjiēzhǔn

放之四海而皆准

[放之四海而皆準]

applicable anywhere (idiom)

lái'érbùwǎngfēilǐyě

来而不往非礼也

[來而不往非禮也]

not to reciprocate is against etiquette (classical)
to respond in kind

qiānyīfà'érdòngquánshēn

牵一发而动全身

[牽一髮而動全身]

lit. pulling a single hair makes the whole body move (idiom)
fig. a small change in one part can affect the whole system

bùhuànguǎ'érhuànbùjūn

不患寡而患不均

[不患寡而患不均]

do not worry about scarcity, but rather about uneven distribution (idiom, from Analects)

fàngzhīsìhǎi'érjiēzhǔn

放之四海而皆准

[放之四海而皆准]

appropriate to any place and any time (idiom); universally applicable
a panacea

tīngqíyán'érguānqíxíng

听其言而观其行

[聽其言而觀其行]

hear what he says and observe what he does (idiom, from Analects); judge a person not by his words, but by his actions

guǎng'érgàozhīguǎnggàogōngsī

广而告之广告公司

[廣而告之廣告公司]

China Mass Media International Advertising Corp

qīngchūyúlán'érshèngyúlán

青出于蓝而胜于蓝

[青出於藍而勝於藍]

lit. the color blue is made out of indigo but is more vivid than indigo (idiom)
fig. the student surpasses the master

bǎizúzhīchóngsǐ'érbùjiāng

百足之虫死而不僵

[百足之蟲死而不僵]

a centipede dies but never falls down
old institutions die hard

xué'érbùyàn,huìrénbùjuàn

学而不厌，诲人不倦

[學而不厭，誨人不倦]

study tirelessly, teach with endless enthusiasm (idiom, from Analects)

jūgōngjìncuì,sǐ'érhòuyǐ

鞠躬尽瘁，死而后已

[鞠躬盡瘁，死而後已]

to bend to a task and spare no effort unto one's dying day (idiom); striving to the utmost one's whole life
with every breath in one's body, unto one's dying day

fǎwǎnghuīhuī,shū'érbùlòu

法网灰灰，疏而不漏

[法網灰灰，疏而不漏]

The net of justice is wide, but no-one escapes.

tiānwǎnghuīhuī,shū'érbùshī

天网恢恢，疏而不失

[天網恢恢，疏而不失]

lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73)
fig. the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape
you can't run from the long arm of the law

tiānwǎnghuīhuī,shū'érbùlòu

天网恢恢，疏而不漏

[天網恢恢，疏而不漏]

lit. heaven's net has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it (idiom, from Laozi 73)
fig. the way of Heaven is fair, but the guilty will not escape
you can't run from the long arm of the law

rìchū'érzuò,rìrù'érxī

日出而作，日入而息

[日出而作，日入而息]

lit. to get up at sunrise and work until sunset (proverb)
fig. to lead a plain and hardworking life

guò'érnénggǎi,shànmòdàyān

过而能改，善莫大焉

[過而能改，善莫大焉]

If one can change after making a mistake, there is nothing better (idiom)

zhīqírán'érbùzhīqísuǒyǐrán

知其然而不知其所以然

[知其然而不知其所以然]

(idiom) to know that it is so but not why it is so

wúshēngyěyǒuyá,érzhīyěwúyá

吾生也有涯，而知也无涯

[吾生也有涯，而知也無涯]

Life is short, learning is limitless
Ars longa, vita brevis

línyuānxiànyú,bùrútuì'érjiéwǎng

临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网

[臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網]

better to go home and weave a net than to stand by the pond longing for fish (idiom)
one should take practical steps to achieve one's aim

qiānlǐmǎchángyǒu,ér Bó Lèbùchángyǒu

千里马常有，而伯乐不常有

[千里馬常有，而伯樂不常有]

lit. there are many swift horses, but very few who can spot them (idiom)
fig. many have talent, but few can recognize talent when they see it

rénfēishēng'érzhīzhīzhě,shúnéngwúhuò

人非生而知之者，孰能无惑

[人非生而知之者，孰能無惑]

Knowledge is not innate to man, how can we overcome doubt?
We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity? (i.e. without guidance from a teacher - Tang dynasty essayist Han Yu 韓愈／韩愈 ( Hán Yù))

xué'érbùsīzéwǎng,sī'érbùxuézédài

学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆

[學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆]

To learn without thinking is confusing, to think without learning is dangerous (Confucius)

xiāntiānxiàzhīyōu'éryōu,hòutiānxiàzhīlè'érlè

先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐

[先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂]

to be the first to worry about affairs of state, and the last to enjoy oneself (quotation from the essay On Yueyang Tower 岳陽樓記／岳阳楼记 ( Yuèyánglóujì) by Song writer Fan Zhongyan 范仲淹 ( Fàn Zhòngyān)