| 八仙过海，各显神通 |
Bā xiān guò hǎi , gè xiǎn shén tōng |
lit. the Eight Immortals cross the sea, each showing his own special talent (idiom) / fig. (of each individual in a group) to give full play to one's unique capabilities |
| 八 |
bā |
eight |
| 八仙 |
Bā xiān |
the Eight Immortals (Daoist mythology) |
| 仙 |
xiān |
immortal |
| 仙 |
xiān |
variant of 仙 |
| 过 |
Guō |
surname Guo |
| 过 |
guò |
to cross / to go over / to pass (time) / to celebrate (a holiday) / to live / to get along / excessively / too- |
| 过 |
guo |
(experienced action marker) |
| 海 |
Hǎi |
surname Hai |
| 海 |
hǎi |
ocean / sea / CL:个,片 / great number of people or things / (dialect) numerous |
| 各 |
gè |
each / every |
| 显 |
xiǎn |
to make visible / to reveal / prominent / conspicuous / (prefix) phanero- |
| 神 |
Shén |
God |
| 神 |
shén |
god; deity / supernatural; magical; mysterious / spirit; mind; energy / lively; expressive / look; expression / (coll.) awesome; amazing |
| 神通 |
shén tōng |
remarkable ability / magical power |
| 通 |
tōng |
to go through / to know well / (suffix) expert / to connect / to communicate / open / to clear / classifier for letters, telegrams, phone calls etc |
| 通 |
tòng |
classifier for an activity, taken in its entirety (tirade of abuse, stint of music playing, bout of drinking etc) |