again and again ⇒ 再三叮嘱 zàisān dīngzhǔ → warn ... again and again ⇒ 再三思考 zàisān sīkǎo → on second thoughts
瘪三
( 方 ) layabout
三九天
the coldest days of winter pl
三明治
sandwich
第三者
( 破坏感情者 ) ⇒ 因为第三者插足,他们分手了。 Yīnwèi dìsānzhě chāzú, tāmen fēnshǒu le. → They split up because of an affair.
三三两两
in twos and threes ⇒ 大家三三两两地离开了办公室。 Dàjiā sānsānliǎngliǎng de líkāile bàngōngshì. → Everyone left the office in twos and threes.
一日三秋
days creep by like years
三五成群
( 口 ) in little groups
三亲六故
friends and relatives
三令五申
give repeated orders ⇒ 政府三令五申司机不能在开车时打手机。 Zhèngfǔ sān lìng wǔ shēn sījī bùnéng zài kāichē shí dǎ shǒujī. → The government has given repeated orders that drivers must not use mobile phones while driving.
三天两头
( 口 ) almost every day
三心二意
half-hearted ⇒ 他工作三心二意的。 Tā gōngzuò sān xīn èr yì de. → He's half-hearted about his work.
三思而行
think twice ⇒ 处理这个棘手的问题,望你三思而行,切莫鲁莽。 Chǔlǐ zhège jíshǒu de wèntí, wàng nǐ sān sī ér xíng, qiè mò lǔmǎng. → I hope you'll think twice before you deal with this difficult issue, and not do anything rash.
三更半夜
the middle of the night ⇒ 你三更半夜不睡觉,跑出去干吗？ Nǐ sāngēng-bànyè bù shuìjiào, pǎo chūqù gànmá? → It's the middle of the night — why aren't you asleep and what are you doing outside?
三生有幸
be extremely lucky
三番五次
over and over again
三维空间
three-dimensional space
三言两语
in a few words ⇒ 三言两语解释不清。 Sān yán liǎng yǔ jiěshì bù qīng. → It's not possible to explain in a few words.
三长两短
accident ⇒ 孩子要有个三长两短，父母该怎么办呢？ Háizi yào yǒu gè sān cháng liǎng duǎn, fùmǔ gāi zěnme bàn ne? → If something happens and the child dies, what will his parents do then?
不三不四
( 不正经 ) shady
丢三落四
scatterbrained
举一反三
extrapolate information
五大三粗
tall and well-built
低三下四
servile
入木三分
( 喻 ) incisive
挑三拣四
be petty ⇒ 不要挑三拣四了,哪个都不错的。 Bùyào tiāo sān jiǎn sì le, nǎge dōu bùcuò de. → Don't be so petty, they're all OK.
接二连三
one after another ⇒ 他接二连三来信叫我去他那里过圣诞节。 Tā jiē èr lián sān láixìn jiào wǒ qù tā nàlǐ guò Shèngdàn Jié. → He sent one letter after another asking me to spend Christmas at his place.
推三阻四
fob ... off with excuses
朝三暮四
blow hot and cold ⇒ 交朋友不能朝三暮四。 Jiāo péngyou bùnéng zhāo sān mù sì. → You shouldn't blow hot and cold with your friends.
火冒三丈
burn with rage
约法三章
establish a set of rules
说三道四
gossip
颠三倒四
incoherent ⇒ 他说话颠三倒四的。 Tā shuōhuà diān sān dǎo sì de. → He talks incoherently. ⇒ 他做事颠三倒四的。 Tā zuòshì diān sān dǎo sì de. → When he tries to do something he always gets in a muddle.
三下五除二
efficiently ⇒ 他三下五除二把我交给的任务完成了。 Tā sān xià wǔ chú èr bǎ wǒ jiāo gěi de rènwù wánchéng le. → He efficiently completed the task I gave him.
三百六十行
all walks of life
三天打鱼,两天晒网
work in fits and starts ⇒ 你三天打鱼,两天晒网,根本练不好书法。 Nǐ sān tiān dǎ yú, liǎng tiān shài wǎng, gēnběn liàn bù hǎo shūfǎ. → You lack perseverance, so you'll never get anywhere with your calligraphy.
English translation of '三'
三
(sān)
数
(指数目) three
⇒ 三本书 (sān běn shū) three books
⇒ 三月 (sānyuè) March
(表示序数) third
⇒ 我住三层。 (Wǒ zhù sān céng.) I live on the third floor.