一波未平,一波又起wave after wave
Meaning: hit one 1)snag after another / It never rains but it pours. / a run of bad luck
Example: The work has been confronted with difficulties, wave after wave.
2)Synonymy: Misfortunes seldom come singly. 禍不單行
3)Antonymy: It’s all plain sailing. 一帆風順
Origin: “波瀾開闔,如在江湖中,一波未平,一波已作。”——《姜夔·白石道人》
一氣呵成at a breath (stretch)
Meaning: at one sitting
Example: A good poem is usually accomplished at one breath.
Synonymy: Such beginning, such end. 貫徹始終
Antonymy: off and on 或作或輟
Origin: “亦皆一氣呵成,無有斷續?!薄肚濉だ顫O·閑情偶寄》
一敗涂地down to the ground
Meaning: down and out / knocked into a cocked hat / get the worst of it
Example: The school team was down to the ground in yesterday’s football match.
Synonymy: to be put to 4)rout 潰不成軍
Antonymy: to carry all before one 所向披靡
Origin: “天下方擾,諸侯并起,今置將不善,一敗涂地。”——《史記·高祖本紀》
一視同仁When it rains it rains on all alike.
Meaning: The sun shines upon all alike. / The sea has fish for every man. /
without discrimination
Example: Don’t expect favours from the boss as he thinks that when it rains it rains
on all alike.
Synonymy: put on a 5)par 等量齊觀
Antonymy: Make fish of one and flesh of another. 區別對待
Origin: “一視而同仁。”——《韓愈·原人》