24 words
| Word | Pinyin | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 优胜劣汰 | yōu shèng liè tài | survival of the fittest (idiom) |
| 啃老 | kěn lǎo | (coll.) to live with and depend on one's parents even upon reaching adulthood |
| 拉平 | lā píng | to bring to the same level |
| 敲门砖 | qiāo mén zhuān | lit. a brick as a door knocker (idiom) |
| 时过境迁 | shí guò jìng qiān | things change with the passage of time (idiom) |
| 此起彼伏 | cǐ qǐ bǐ fú | up here, down there (idiom); to rise and fall in succession |
| 满打满算 | mǎn dǎ mǎn suàn | taking everything into account (idiom) |
| 照本宣科 | zhào běn xuān kē | a wooden word-by-word reading |
| 盲从 | máng cóng | to follow blindly |
| 碰壁 | pèng bì | to hit a wall |
| 稀里糊涂 | xī li hú tu | muddleheaded |
| 冲浪 | chōng làng | to surf |
| 费解 | fèi jiě | to be puzzled |
| 迫不得已 | pò bù dé yǐ | to have no alternative (idiom); compelled by circumstances |
| 铁饭碗 | tiě fàn wǎn | secure employment (lit. iron rice bowl) |
| 趋利避害 | qū lì bì hài | draw on the advantages and avoid disadvantages |
| 托底 | tuō dǐ | be reassured |
| 用脚投票 | yòng jiǎo tóu piào | vote with your feet |
| 考公热 | kǎo gōng rè | civil service examination fervour |
| 挤破头 | jǐ pò tóu | compete fiercely for limited resources |
| 有枣没枣打一杆子再说 | yǒu zǎo méi zǎo dǎ yī gǎn zi zài shuō | it doesn’t hurt to try |
| 双一流 | shuāng yī liú | double first class universities in China |
| 两条腿走路 | liǎng tiáo tuǐ zǒu lù | have another string to one’s bow |
| 学历崇拜 | xué lì chóng bài | worship of academic credentials |