| 三K党 | [ sān dǎng ] Ku Klux Klan, KKK |
| 三七开 | [ sān qī kaī ] ratio seventy to thirty, thirty percent failure, seventy percent success |
| 三七开定论 | [ sān qī kaī dìng lùn ] thirty percent failure, seventy percent success, the official PRC verdict on Mao Zedong |
| 三三两两 | [ sān sān liǎng liǎng ] in twos and threes |
| 三下两下 | [ sān xià liǎng xià ] quickly and effortlessly (idiom) |
| 三不五时 | [ sān bù wǔ shí ] (Tw) from time to time, frequently |
| 三中全会 | [ sān zhōng quán huì ] third plenum of a national congress of the Chinese Communist Party |
| 三亚 | [ sān yà ] Sanya prefecture level city, Hainan |
| 三亚市 | [ sān yà shì ] Sanya prefecture level city, Hainan |
| 三人行，则必有我师 | [ sān rén xíng zé bì yoǔ wǒ shī ] If three walk together, one of them can teach me sth (Confucius) |
| 三人行，必有我师 | [ sān rén xíng bì yoǔ wǒ shī ] lit. if three walk together, one can be my teacher (idiom, from the Analects of Confucius), you have sth to learn from everyone |
| 三件套式西装 | [ sān jiàn taò shì xī zhuāng ] three-piece suit |
| 三位一体 | [ sān weì yī tǐ ] Holy Trinity, trinity |
| 三侠五义 | [ sān xiá wǔ yì ] Sanxia wuyi (lit. Three knight-errants and five righteous one), novel edited from stories of late Qing dynasty pinghua 評話|评话 master storyteller Shi Yukun 石玉昆 |
| 三个世界 | [ sān ge shì jiè ] the Three Worlds (as proposed by Mao Zedong), i.e. the superpowers (USA and USSR), other wealthy countries (UK, France, Japan etc), and the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America |
| 三个代表 | [ sān gè daì ] the Three Represents enunciated by Jiang Zemin 江澤民|江泽民 as the duty of the Chinese Communist party in 2001, namely: to represent productivity of an advanced society, forward progress of advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the people |
| 三个和尚没水吃 | [ sān gè hé shang meí shuǐ chī ] see 三個和尚沒水喝|三个和尚没水喝[san1 ge4 he2 shang5 mei2 shui3 he1] |
| 三个和尚没水喝 | [ sān gè hé shang meí shuǐ hē ] lit. three monks have no water to drink (idiom), fig. everybody's business is nobody's business, (If there is one monk, he will fetch water for himself. If there are two, they will fetch water together. But if there are three or more, none will take it upon himself to fetch water.) |
| 三个女人一个墟 | [ sān gè nǚ rén yī gè xū ] three women makes a crowd |
| 三个女人一台戏 | [ sān ge nǚ rén yī taí xì ] three women are enough for a drama (idiom) |
| 三个臭皮匠，胜过一个诸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang shèng guò yī gè zhū gě liàng ] variant of 三個臭皮匠，賽過一個諸葛亮|三个臭皮匠，赛过一个诸葛亮[san1 ge4 chou4 pi2 jiang5 , sai4 guo4 yi1 ge4 Zhu1 ge3 Liang4] |
| 三个臭皮匠，合成一个诸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang hé chéng yī gè zhū gě liàng ] lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom |
| 三个臭皮匠，赛过一个诸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang saì guò yī gè zhū gě liàng ] lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom, wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual |
| 三个臭皮匠，赛过诸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang saì guò zhū gě liàng ] lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom, wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual |
| 三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang dǐng gè zhū gě liàng ] lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom, wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual |
| 三催四请 | [ sān cuī sì qǐng ] to coax and plead |
| 三价 | [ sān jià ] trivalent |
| 三元区 | [ sān yuán qū ] Sanyuan district of Sanming city 三明市[San1 ming2 shi4], Fujian |
| 三元运算 | [ sān yuán yùn suàn ] ternary operator (computing) |
| 三两 | [ sān liǎng ] two or three |
| 三八大盖 | [ sān bā dà gaì ] (coll.) Arisaka Type 38 rifle (Japanese army rifle used 1905-1945) |
| 三八节 | [ sān bā jié ] International Women's Day (March 8) |
| 三八线 | [ sān bā xiàn ] 38th parallel, forming the DMZ border between North and South Korea |
| 三公消费 | [ sān gōng feì ] see 三公經費|三公经费[san1 gong1 jing1 fei4] |
| 三公经费 | [ sān gōng jīng feì ] "three public expenditures" of the PRC government, i.e. air travel, food and entertainment, and public vehicles |
| 三分钟热度 | [ sān fēn zhōng rè dù ] brief period of enthusiasm, flash in the pan |
| 三分头 | [ sān fēn toú ] regular men's haircut, short back and sides |
| 三北防护林 | [ sān beǐ fáng hù lín ] Green Wall of China, a massive afforestation program on the eastern margin of the Gobi Desert aimed at stopping the desert's expansion, started in 1978 and planned to be completed by 2050 |
| 三十八度线 | [ sān shí bā dù xiàn ] 38th parallel, dividing line agreed at Yalta between US and Soviet zones of influence in Korea, now the DMZ between North and South Korea |
| 三十六计 | [ sān shí liù jì ] The Thirty-Six Stratagems, a Chinese essay used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics, war, and in civil interaction, all the possible schemes and stratagems |
| 三十六计，走为上策 | [ sān shí liù jì zoǔ weí shàng cè ] of the thirty-six stratagems, the best option is to flee (idiom), the best thing to do is leave |
| 三十六计，走为上计 | [ sān shí liù jì zoǔ weí shàng jì ] see 三十六計，走為上策|三十六计，走为上策[san1 shi2 liu4 ji4 , zou3 wei2 shang4 ce4] |
| 三十年河东，三十年河西 | [ sān shí nián hé dōng sān shí nián hé xī ] the river flows thirty years to the East, thirty years to the West (proverb), change is the only constant |
| 三原则 | [ sān yuán zé ] the Three Principles (in many contexts) |
| 三原县 | [ sān yuán xiàn ] Sanyuan County in Xianyang 咸陽|咸阳[Xian2 yang2], Shaanxi |
| 三叉神经 | [ sān chā shén jīng ] trigeminal nerve |
| 三反运动 | [ sān fǎn yùn dòng ] "Three Anti" campaign (anti-corruption, anti-waste, anti-bureaucracy), early PRC purge of 1951-52 |
| 三句话不离本行 | [ sān jù huà bù lí běn háng ] to talk shop all the time (idiom) |
| 三台县 | [ sān taí xiàn ] Santai county in Mianyang 綿陽|绵阳[Mian2 yang2], north Sichuan |
| 三合会 | [ sān hé huì ] triad, Chinese crime gang, triad society, anti-Manchu secret society in Qing-dynasty China |
| 三味线 | [ sān weì xiàn ] shamisen, three-stringed Japanese musical instrument |
| 三国 | [ sān guó ] Three Kingdoms period (220-280) in Chinese history, several Three Kingdoms periods in Korean history, esp. from 1st century AD to unification under Silla 新羅|新罗[Xin1 luo2] in 658 |
| 三国史记 | [ sān guó shǐ jì ] History of Three Kingdoms (Korean: Samguk Sagi), the oldest extant Korean history, compiled under Kim Busik 金富軾|金富轼[Jin1 Fu4 shi4] in 1145. The three kingdoms are Goguryeo 高句麗|高句丽[Gao1 gou1 li2], Baekje 百濟|百济[Bai3 ji4], Silla 新羅|新罗[Xin1 luo2]. |
| 三国志 | [ sān guó zhì ] History of the Three Kingdoms, fourth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], composed by Chen Shou 陳壽|陈寿[Chen2 Shou4] in 289 during Jin Dynasty 晉朝|晋朝[Jin4 chao2], 65 scrolls |
| 三国演义 | [ sān guó yǎn yì ] Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong 羅貫中|罗贯中[Luo2 Guan4 zhong1], one of the Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature, a fictional account of the Three Kingdoms at the break-up of the Han around 200 AD, portraying Liu Bei's 劉備|刘备[Liu2 Bei4] Shu Han 蜀漢|蜀汉[Shu3 Han4] as heroes and Cao Cao's 曹操[Cao2 Cao1] Wei 魏[Wei4] as villains |
| 三围 | [ sān weí ] BWH, abbr. for a woman's three measurements, namely: bust 胸圍|胸围[xiong1 wei2], waist 腰圍|腰围[yao1 wei2] and hip 臀圍|臀围[tun2 wei2] |
| 三地门 | [ sān dì mén ] Santimen township in Pingtung County 屏東縣|屏东县[Ping2 dong1 Xian4], Taiwan |
| 三地门乡 | [ sān dì mén xiāng ] Santimen township in Pingtung County 屏東縣|屏东县[Ping2 dong1 Xian4], Taiwan |
| 三大纪律八项注意 | [ sān dà jì lǜ bā xiàng zhù yì ] the Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention, a military doctrine issued in 1928 by Mao Zedong for the Red Army, which included a number of injunctions demanding high standards of behavior and respect for civilians during wartime |
| 三天两头 | [ sān tiān liǎng toú ] lit. twice every three days (idiom); practically every day, frequently |
| 三天打鱼，两天晒网 | [ sān tiān dǎ yú liǎng tiān shaì wǎng ] lit. to fish for three days and sun-dry the nets for two days (proverb), fig. not to persevere in doing sth, to do sth by fits and starts |
| 三字经 | [ sān zì jīng ] Three Character Classic, 13th century reading primer consisting of Confucian tenets in lines of 3 characters |
| 三字经 | [ sān zì jīng ] (slang) swearword, four-letter word |
| 三宝 | [ sān baǒ ] the Three Precious Treasures of Buddhism, namely: the Buddha 佛, the Dharma 法 (his teaching), and the Sangha 僧 (his monastic order) |
| 三宝太监 | [ sān baǒ taì jiàn ] Sanbao Eunuch, official title of Zheng He 鄭和|郑和[Zheng4 He2], also written 三保太監|三保太监 |
| 三宝鸟 | [ sān baǒ ] (bird species of China) oriental dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis) |
| 三寸不烂之舌 | [ sān cùn bù làn zhī shé ] to have a silver tongue, to have the gift of the gab |
| 三对三斗牛 | [ sān duì sān doù niú ] three-on-three basketball game |
| 三尖杉酯碱 | [ sān jiān shān zhǐ jiǎn ] harringtonine (chemistry) |
| 三屉桌 | [ sān tí zhuō ] three-drawer desk (traditional Chinese piece of furniture) |
| 三山区 | [ sān shān qū ] Sanshan district of Wuhu city 蕪湖市|芜湖市[Wu2 hu2 shi4], Anhui |
| 三岛由纪夫 | [ sān daǒ yoú jì fū ] Mishima Yukio (1925-1970), Japanese author, pen name of (平岡公威|平冈公威, Hiraoka Kimitake) |
| 三峡 | [ sān xiá ] Three Gorges on the Chang Jiang or Yangtze, namely: Qutang Gorge 瞿塘峽|瞿塘峡[Qu2 tang2 Xia2], Wuxia Gorge 巫峽|巫峡[Wu1 Xia2] and Xiling Gorge 西陵峽|西陵峡[Xi1 ling2 Xia2], Sanxia or Sanhsia town in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan |
| 三峡大坝 | [ sān xiá dà bà ] Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River |
| 三峡水库 | [ sān xiá shuǐ kù ] Three Gorges Reservoir on the Changjiang or Yangtze |
| 三峡镇 | [ sān xiá zhèn ] Sanxia or Sanhsia town in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan |
| 三厢 | [ sān xiāng ] sedan (automobile body type) |
| 三废 | [ sān feì ] three types of waste product, namely: waste water 廢水|废水[fei4 shui3], exhaust gas 廢氣|废气[fei4 qi4], industrial slag 廢渣|废渣[fei4 zha1] |
| 三从四德 | [ sān cóng sì dé ] Confucian moral injunctions for women, namely: obey in turn three men father, husband and son, plus the four virtues of morality 德[de2], physical charm 容, propriety in speech 言 and efficiency in needlework 功 |
| 三思而后行 | [ sān sī ér hoù xíng ] think again and again before acting (idiom); consider carefully in advance |
| 三拗汤 | [ sān aò tāng ] san'ao decoction (TCM) |
| 三文鱼 | [ sān wén yú ] salmon (loanword) |
| 三星乡 | [ sān xīng xiāng ] Sanxing or Sanhsing Township in Yilan County 宜蘭縣|宜兰县[Yi2 lan2 Xian4], Taiwan |
| 三星集团 | [ sān xīng jí tuán ] Samsung Group |
| 三柱门 | [ sān zhù mén ] (sports) (cricket) wicket (set of stumps and bails) |
| 三框栏 | [ sān kuàng lán ] radical 匚[fang1] (Kangxi radical 22) |
| 三条 | [ sān ] three of a kind (poker) |
| 三极管 | [ sān jí guǎn ] triode (vacuum tube or transistor) |
| 三权分立 | [ sān quán fēn lì ] separation of powers |
| 三权鼎立 | [ sān quán dǐng lì ] separation of powers |
| 三次幂 | [ sān cì mì ] cube (third power, math.) |
| 三次曲线 | [ sān cì qū xiàn ] cubic curve (geometry) |
| 三归依 | [ sān guī yī ] the Three Pillars of Faith (Buddha, dharma, sangha), see also 三寶|三宝[san1 bao3] |
| 三段论 | [ sān duàn lùn ] syllogism (deduction in logic) |
| 三毛猫 | [ sān maó maō ] tortoiseshell cat, calico cat |
| 三民主义 | [ sān mín zhǔ yì ] Dr Sun Yat-sen's 孫中山|孙中山 Three Principles of the People (late 1890s) |
| 三民区 | [ sān mín qū ] Sanmin district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[Gao1 xiong2 shi4], south Taiwan |
| 三民乡 | [ sān mín xiāng ] Sanmin district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[Gao1 xiong2 shi4], south Taiwan |
| 三氯化铁 | [ sān lǜ huà tiě ] ferric chloride FeCl3 |
| 三水区 | [ sān shuǐ qū ] Sanshui District of Foshan City 佛山市[Fo2 shan1 Shi4], Guangdong |
| 三水县 | [ sān shuǐ xiàn ] Sanshui county in Guangdong |
| 三江并流 | [ sān jiāng bìng liú ] Three Parallel Rivers National Park, in mountainous northwest Yunnan World Heritage protected area: the three rivers are Nujiang 怒江[Nu4 jiang1] or Salween, Jinsha 金沙江[Jin1 sha1 jiang1] or upper reaches of Changjiang and Lancang 瀾滄江|澜沧江[Lan2 cang1 Jiang1] or Mekong |
| 三江侗族自治县 | [ sān jiāng dòng zú zì zhì xiàn ] Sanjiang Dong autonomous county in Liuzhou 柳州[Liu3 zhou1], Guangxi |
| 三江生态旅游区 | [ sān jiāng shēng taì lǚ yoú qū ] Sanjiang Ecological Tourist Area in Wenchuan county 汶川縣|汶川县[Wen4 chuan1 xian4], northwest Sichuan |
| 三河县 | [ sān hé xiàn ] Sanhe county in Beijing |
| 三浦梅园 | [ sān pǔ meí yuán ] MIURA Baien (1723-1789), Japanese neo-Confucian philosopher and pioneer economist, author of The Origin of value 價原|价原[Jia4 yuan2] |
| 三温暖 | [ sān wēn nuǎn ] sauna (loanword) (Tw) |
| 三湾 | [ sān wān ] Sanwan township in Miaoli county 苗栗縣|苗栗县[Miao2 li4 xian4], northwest Taiwan |
| 三湾乡 | [ sān wān xiāng ] Sanwan township in Miaoli county 苗栗縣|苗栗县[Miao2 li4 xian4], northwest Taiwan |
| 三无 | [ sān wú ] lacking three key attributes (or at least one of them) |
| 三无人员 | [ sān wú rén yuán ] person without identification papers, a normal residence permit or a source of income |
| 三无企业 | [ sān wú qǐ yè ] enterprise with no premises, capital or regular staff |
| 三无产品 | [ sān wú chǎn pǐn ] product lacking one or more of three requirements such as production license, inspection certificate, and manufacturer's name and location |
| 三瓦两舍 | [ sān wǎ liǎng shè ] places of pleasure (like brothels, tea houses etc) |
| 三番两次 | [ sān fān liǎng cì ] repeatedly (idiom) |
| 三叠纪 | [ sān dié jì ] Triassic (geological period 250-205m years ago) |
| 三相点 | [ sān xiàng diǎn ] triple point (thermodynamics) |
| 三秒胶 | [ sān ] superglue |
| 三棱草 | [ sān léng caǒ ] sedge herb (Cyperus rotundus) |
| 三棱镜 | [ sān léng jìng ] (triangular) prism |
| 三穗县 | [ sān suì xiàn ] Sansui county in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture 黔東南州|黔东南州[Qian2 dong1 nan2 zhou1], Guizhou |
| 三节鞭 | [ sān jié biān ] three-section staff (old-style weapon) |
| 三级 | [ sān jí ] grade 3, third class, category C |
| 三级士官 | [ sān jí shì guān ] staff sergeant |
| 三级片 | [ sān jí piàn ] third category movie (containing sexual or violent content) |
| 三级跳 | [ sān jí ] triple jump (athletics), hop, skip and jump |
| 三级跳远 | [ sān jí yuǎn ] triple jump (athletics), hop, skip and jump |
| 三索锦蛇 | [ sān suǒ jǐn shé ] copperhead race (Elaphe radiata), kind of snake |
| 三维 | [ sān weí ] three-dimensional, 3D |
| 三维空间 | [ sān weí kōng jiān ] three-dimensional space, 3D |
| 三纲五常 | [ sān gāng wǔ cháng ] three principles and five virtues (idiom), the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信) |
| 三缄其口 | [ sān jiān qí koǔ ] (idiom) reluctant to speak about it, tight-lipped |
| 三义 | [ sān yì ] Sanyi township in Miaoli county 苗栗縣|苗栗县[Miao2 li4 xian4], northwest Taiwan |
| 三义乡 | [ sān yì xiāng ] Sanyi township in Miaoli county 苗栗縣|苗栗县[Miao2 li4 xian4], northwest Taiwan |
| 三聚体 | [ sān jù tǐ ] trimer (chemistry) |
| 三联书店 | [ sān lián shū diàn ] Joint Publishing, bookstore chain and publisher, founded in Hong Kong in 1948 |
| 三联管 | [ sān lián guǎn ] triplet |
| 三胚层动物 | [ sān peī céng dòng wù ] triploblastic animals (having three germ layers) |
| 三脚两步 | [ sān liǎng bù ] hurriedly, just a few steps away |
| 三脚架 | [ sān jià ] tripod, derrick crane |
| 三脚猫 | [ sān maō ] jack of all trades |
| 三自爱国教会 | [ sān zì aì guó huì ] Three-Self Patriotic Movement, PRC government-sanctioned Protestant church from 1949 |
| 三自教会 | [ sān zì huì ] Three-Self Patriotic Movement, PRC government-sanctioned Protestant church from 1949 |
| 三色紫罗兰 | [ sān sè zǐ luó lán ] pansy |
| 三色猫 | [ sān sè maō ] calico cat |
| 三芝乡 | [ sān zhī xiāng ] Sanzhi or Sanchih township in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan |
| 三茶六饭 | [ sān chá liù fàn ] lit. to offer three kinds of tea and six different dishes, to be extremely considerate towards guests (idiom) |
| 三叶星云 | [ sān yè xīng yún ] Trifid Nebula M20 |
| 三叶草 | [ sān yè caǒ ] clover, trefoil |
| 三叶虫 | [ sān yè chóng ] trilobite |
| 三藏法师 | [ sān zàng fǎ shī ] Tripitaka (602-664), Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator who traveled to India 629-645, same as 玄奘 |
| 三藩之乱 | [ sān fān zhī luàn ] Three feudatories rebellion against Qing 1673-1681 during the reign of Kangxi |
| 三藩叛乱 | [ sān fān pàn luàn ] rebellion against the Qing of 1670s, pacified by Kangxi |
| 三苏 | [ sān sū ] the Three Su father and sons (referring to Northern Song literati Su Xun 蘇洵|苏洵[Su1 Xun2], Su Shi 蘇軾|苏轼[Su1 Shi4] and Su Zhe 蘇轍|苏辙[Su1 Zhe2]) |
| 三号木杆 | [ sān haò mù gān ] spoon (golf) |
| 三号电池 | [ sān haò diàn chí ] C size battery (PRC), AA battery (Taiwan), see 二號電池|二号电池 (C battery in Taiwan) and 五號電池|五号电池 (AA battery in PRC) |
| 三亲六故 | [ sān qīn liù gù ] old friends and relatives |
| 三角债 | [ sān zhaì ] triangular debt |
| 三角函数 | [ sān hán shù ] trigonometric function |
| 三角学 | [ sān xué ] trigonometry |
| 三角恐龙 | [ sān kǒng lóng ] triceratops (dinosaur) |
| 三角恋爱 | [ sān liàn aì ] love triangle |
| 三角柱体 | [ sān zhù tǐ ] triangular prism (math.) |
| 三角测量法 | [ sān cè liáng fǎ ] triangulation (surveying) |
| 三角腹带 | [ sān fù daì ] athletic supporter |
| 三角裤 | [ sān kù ] briefs, panties |
| 三角裤衩 | [ sān kù chǎ ] briefs, panties |
| 三角锥 | [ sān zhuī ] triangular pyramid (math.) |
| 三角铁 | [ sān tiě ] triangle (musical instrument), angle iron |
| 三角关系 | [ sān guān xì ] triangle relationship, a love triangle |
| 三角龙 | [ sān lóng ] triceratops |
| 三言两句 | [ sān yán liǎng jù ] in a few words (idiom); expressed succinctly |
| 三言两语 | [ sān yán liǎng yǔ ] in a few words (idiom); expressed succinctly |
| 三论宗 | [ sān lùn zōng ] Three Treatise School (Buddhism) |
| 三贞九烈 | [ sān zhēn jiǔ liè ] (of a widow) faithful to the death to her husband's memory |
| 三资企业 | [ sān zī qǐ yè ] foreign, private and joint ventures |
| 三足乌 | [ sān zú wū ] three-legged Golden Crow that lives in the sun (in northeast Asian and Chinese mythology), Korean: samjog'o |
| 三足金乌 | [ sān zú jīn wū ] three-legged Golden Crow that lives in the sun (in northeast Asian and Chinese mythology), Korean: samjog'o |
| 三趾啄木鸟 | [ sān zhǐ zhuó mù ] (bird species of China) Eurasian three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) |
| 三趾滨鹬 | [ sān zhǐ bīn yù ] (bird species of China) sanderling (Calidris alba) |
| 三趾翠鸟 | [ sān zhǐ cuì ] (bird species of China) oriental dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx erithacus) |
| 三趾鸦雀 | [ sān zhǐ yā què ] (bird species of China) three-toed parrotbill (Cholornis paradoxa) |
| 三趾鸥 | [ sān zhǐ oū ] (bird species of China) black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) |
| 三军 | [ sān jūn ] (in former times) upper, middle and lower army, army of right, center and left, (in modern times) the three armed services: Army, Navy and Air Force |
| 三军用命 | [ sān jūn yòng mìng ] (of a team) to throw oneself into the battle |
| 三轮车 | [ sān lún chē ] pedicab, tricycle |
| 三轮车夫 | [ sān lún chē fū ] pedicab driver |
| 三农 | [ sān nóng ] see 三農問題|三农问题[san1 nong2 wen4 ti2] |
| 三农问题 | [ sān nóng wèn tí ] the three rural issues: agriculture, rural areas and peasants |
| 三迭纪 | [ sān dié jì ] Triassic (geological period 250-205m years ago), also written 三疊紀|三叠纪 |
| 三连胜 | [ sān lián shèng ] hat-trick (sports) |
| 三道眉草鹀 | [ sān daò meí caǒ wú ] (bird species of China) meadow bunting (Emberiza cioides) |
| 三边形 | [ sān biān xíng ] triangle |
| 三都水族自治县 | [ sān dū shuǐ zú zì zhì xiàn ] Sandu Shuizu autonomous county in Qiannan Buyei and Miao autonomous prefecture 黔南州[Qian2 nan2 zhou1], Guizhou |
| 三都县 | [ sān dū xiàn ] Sandu Shuizu autonomous county in Qiannan Buyei and Miao autonomous prefecture 黔南州[Qian2 nan2 zhou1], Guizhou |
| 三重县 | [ sān chóng xiàn ] Mi'e prefecture in central Japan |
| 三键 | [ sān jiàn ] triple bond (chemistry), triple link |
| 三铁 | [ sān tiě ] triathlon (Tw), (athletics) throwing events excluding the hammer throw (i.e. discus, javelin and shot put) |
| 三长两短 | [ sān cháng liǎng duǎn ] unexpected misfortune, unexpected accident, sudden death |
| 三门 | [ sān mén ] Sanmen county in Taizhou 台州[Tai1 zhou1], Zhejiang |
| 三门峡 | [ sān mén xiá ] Sanmenxia prefecture level city in Henan |
| 三门峡市 | [ sān mén xiá shì ] Sanmenxia prefecture level city in Henan |
| 三门县 | [ sān mén xiàn ] Sanmen county in Taizhou 台州[Tai1 zhou1], Zhejiang |
| 三只手 | [ sān zhī shoǔ ] pickpocket |
| 三项 | [ sān xiàng ] three items, three events, three terms, tri-, trinomial, ternary (math.), triathlon (abbr. for 三項全能|三项全能) |
| 三项全能 | [ sān xiàng quán néng ] triathlon |
| 三项式 | [ sān xiàng shì ] trinomial (math.) |
| 三头六臂 | [ sān toú liù bì ] lit. to have three heads and six arms (idiom), fig. to possess remarkable abilities, a being of formidable powers |
| 三头肌 | [ sān toú jī ] triceps muscle, triceps brachii |
| 三顾茅庐 | [ sān gù maó lú ] lit. three humble visits to a thatched cottage, cf famous episode in the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义 in which Liu Bei 劉備|刘备 recruits Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮|诸葛亮 (the Hidden Dragon 臥龍|卧龙) to his cause by visiting him three times |
| 三马同槽 | [ sān mǎ tóng caó ] three horses at the same trough (idiom, alluding to Sima Yi 司馬懿|司马懿[Si1 ma3 Yi4] and his two sons); conspirators under the same roof |
| 三驾马车 | [ sān jià mǎ chē ] troika |
| 三体 | [ sān tǐ ] trisomy |
| 三体问题 | [ sān tǐ wèn tí ] three-body problem (mechanics) |
| 三鲜 | [ sān xiān ] three fresh ingredients (in cooking) |
| 三鹿集团 | [ sān lù jí tuán ] Sanlu Group, Chinese state-owned dairy products company involved in the 2008 melamine poisoning scandal |
| 三点全露 | [ sān diǎn quán loù ] (slang) naked, nude |
| 三点水 | [ sān diǎn shuǐ ] name of "water" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 85), see also 氵[shui3] |
| ⇒ 21三体综合症 | [ èr shí yī sān tǐ zōng hé zhèng ] trisomy, Down's syndrome |
| ⇒ 一倡三叹 | [ yī chàng sān tàn ] (of literature, music) deeply moving (idiom) |
| ⇒ 一哭二闹三上吊 | [ yī kū èr naò sān shàng ] to make a terrible scene (idiom), to throw a tantrum |
| ⇒ 一唱三叹 | [ yī chàng sān tàn ] see 一倡三歎|一倡三叹[yi1 chang4 san1 tan4] |
| ⇒ 一问三不知 | [ yī wèn sān bù zhī ] lit. to reply "don't know" whatever the question (idiom), fig. absolutely no idea of what's going on, complete ignorance |
| ⇒ 一日不见，如隔三秋 | [ yī rì bù jiàn rú gé sān qiū ] one day apart seems like three years (idiom) |
| ⇒ 一亩三分地 | [ yī mǔ sān fēn dì ] a piece of land of 1.3 mu 畝|亩[mu3], (fig.) one's turf |
| ⇒ 三三两两 | [ sān sān liǎng liǎng ] in twos and threes |
| ⇒ 三十年河东，三十年河西 | [ sān shí nián hé dōng sān shí nián hé xī ] the river flows thirty years to the East, thirty years to the West (proverb), change is the only constant |
| ⇒ 三对三斗牛 | [ sān duì sān doù niú ] three-on-three basketball game |
| ⇒ 下三滥 | [ xià sān làn ] riffraff, scum, lowlife, despicable, inferior |
| ⇒ 下三烂 | [ xià sān làn ] variant of 下三濫|下三滥[xia4 san1 lan4] |
| ⇒ 不孝有三，无后为大 | [ bù yoǔ sān wú hoù weí dà ] There are three ways to be unfilial; having no sons is the worst. (citation from Mencius 孟子[Meng4 zi3]) |
| ⇒ 不等边三角形 | [ bù děng biān sān xíng ] scalene triangle |
| ⇒ 不规则三角形 | [ bù guī zé sān xíng ] scalene triangle (math.) |
| ⇒ 丢三落四 | [ diū sān là sì ] forgetful, empty-headed |
| ⇒ 九三学社 | [ jiǔ sān xué shè ] Jiusan Society, one of the eight political parties of the CCP |
| ⇒ 事不过三 | [ shì bù guò sān ] a thing should not be attempted more than three times (idiom), don't repeat the same mistake again and again, bad things don't happen more than three times |
| ⇒ 二氯异三聚氰酸钠 | [ èr lǜ yì sān jù qíng suān nà ] sodium dichloroisocyanurate |
| ⇒ 五讲四美三热爱 | [ wǔ jiǎng sì meǐ sān rè aì ] the five emphases, four beauties and three loves (PRC policy introduced in 1981, including emphasis on manners, beauty of language and love of socialism) |
| ⇒ 偏三轮 | [ piān sān lún ] old-style cycle with lateral third wheel and passenger seat |
| ⇒ 偏三轮摩托车 | [ piān sān lún mó tuō chē ] motorbike with sidecar |
| ⇒ 传三过四 | [ chuán sān guò sì ] to spread rumors, to gossip |
| ⇒ 两岸三地 | [ liǎng àn sān dì ] China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau (media term used esp. since 1997) |
| ⇒ 两面三刀 | [ liǎng miàn sān daō ] two-faced, three knives (idiom); double-cross, double dealing and back stabbing |
| ⇒ 八二三炮战 | [ bā èr sān paò zhàn ] bombardment of Kinmen by PRC forces that started August 23rd 1958, also called the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis |
| ⇒ 六韬三略 | [ liù taō sān lvè ] "Six Secret Strategic Teachings" 六韜|六韬[Liu4 tao1] and "Three Strategies of Huang Shigong" 三略[San1 lu:e4], two of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[Wu3 jing1 Qi1 shu1], attributed to Jiang Ziya 姜子牙[Jiang1 Zi3 ya2] |
| ⇒ 冰冻三尺，非一日之寒 | [ bīng dòng sān chǐ feī yī rì zhī hán ] three feet of ice does not form in a single day (idiom); Rome wasn't built in a day |
| ⇒ 十三张 | [ shí sān zhāng ] Chinese poker |
| ⇒ 十三经 | [ shí sān jīng ] the Thirteen Confucian Classics, namely: Book of Songs 詩經|诗经[Shi1 jing1], Book of History 尚書|尚书[Shang4 shu1], Rites of Zhou 周禮|周礼[Zhou1 li3], Rites and Ceremonies 儀禮|仪礼[Yi2 li3], Classic of Rites 禮記|礼记[Li3 ji4], Book of Changes 易經|易经[Yi4 jing1], Mr Zuo's Annals 左傳|左传[Zuo3 Zhuan4], Mr Gongyang's Annals 公羊傳|公羊传[Gong1 yang2 Zhuan4], Mr Guliang's Annals 穀梁傳|谷梁传[Gu3 liang2 Zhuan4], The Analects 論語|论语[Lun2 yu3], Erya 爾雅|尔雅[Er3 ya3], Classic of Filial Piety 孝經|孝经[Xiao4 jing1], Mencius 孟子[Meng4 zi3] |
| ⇒ 十三点 | [ shí sān diǎn ] half-witted, nitwit |
| ⇒ 吴三桂 | [ wú sān guì ] Wu Sangui (1612-1678), Chinese general who let the Manchus into China and helped them establish the Qing Dynasty, later leading a revolt against Qing in an effort to start his own dynasty |
| ⇒ 周三径一 | [ zhoū sān jìng yī ] circumference of a circle is proverbially three times its radius |
| ⇒ 唐诗三百首 | [ táng shī sān baǐ shoǔ ] Three Hundred Tang Poems, an anthology collected around 1763 by Sun Zhu 孫誅|孙诛[Sun1 Zhu1] |
| ⇒ 地三鲜 | [ dì sān xiān ] dish consisting of stir-fried potato, eggplant and green pepper |
| ⇒ 安倍晋三 | [ ān beì jìn sān ] Abe Shinzo (1954-), Japanese LDP politician, prime minister 2006-2007 and from 2012 |
| ⇒ 富不过三代 | [ fù bù guò sān daì ] wealth never survives three generations (idiom) |
| ⇒ 小三劝退师 | [ sān quàn tuì shī ] consultant who breaks up sb's extramarital relationship for a fee |
| ⇒ 小渊惠三 | [ yuān huì sān ] Obuchi Keizo (1937-2000), Japanese politician, prime minister 1998-2000 |
| ⇒ 巴三览四 | [ bā sān lǎn sì ] to talk about this and that (idiom); to ramble incoherently |
| ⇒ 几次三番 | [ jǐ cì sān fān ] lit. twice then three times (idiom); fig. repeatedly, over and over again |
| ⇒ 张三 | [ zhāng sān ] John Doe, Zhang San, name for an unspecified person, first of a series of three: 張三|张三, 李四[Li3 Si4], 王五[Wang2 Wu3] Tom, Dick and Harry |
| ⇒ 张三李四 | [ zhāng sān lǐ sì ] Zhang the Third and Li the Fourth (idiom), Tom, Dick and Harry |
| ⇒ 张三，李四，王五，赵六 | [ zhāng sān lǐ sì wáng wǔ zhaò liù ] four proverbial names, Tom, Dick and Harry |
| ⇒ 挑三拣四 | [ sān jiǎn sì ] to be picky, to be choosy |
| ⇒ 挑三窝四 | [ sān wō sì ] to sow discord everywhere |
| ⇒ 接二连三 | [ jiē èr lián sān ] one after another (idiom), in quick succession |
| ⇒ 抚远三角洲 | [ fǔ yuǎn sān zhoū ] Bolshoi Ussuriisk Island in the Heilongjiang or Amur river, at mouth of the Ussuri River opposite Khabarovsk, same as Heixiazi Island 黑瞎子島|黑瞎子岛[Hei1 xia1 zi5 Dao3] |
| ⇒ 春秋三传 | [ chūn qiū sān zhuàn ] Three Commentaries on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋[Chun1 qiu1], including Mr Gongyang's annals 公羊傳|公羊传[Gong1 yang2 Zhuan4], Mr Guliang's annals 穀梁傳|谷梁传[Gu3 liang2 Zhuan4] and Mr Zuo's annals or Zuo Zhuan 左傳|左传[Zuo3 Zhuan4] |
| ⇒ 是药三分毒 | [ shì yaò sān fēn dú ] every medicine has its side effect |
| ⇒ 木卫三 | [ mù weì sān ] Ganymede (moon of Jupiter), aka Jupiter III |
| ⇒ 东三省 | [ dōng sān shěng ] the three provinces of Northeast China, namely: Liaoning Province 遼寧省|辽宁省[Liao2 ning2 Sheng3], Jilin Province 吉林省[Ji2 lin2 Sheng3] and Heilongjiang Province 黑龍江省|黑龙江省[Hei1 long2 jiang1 Sheng3] |
| ⇒ 东方三博士 | [ dōng fāng sān bó shì ] the Magi, the Three Wise Kings from the East in the biblical nativity story |
| ⇒ 东华三院 | [ dōng huá sān yuàn ] Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (Hong Kong) |
| ⇒ 林三趾鹑 | [ lín sān zhǐ chún ] (bird species of China) common buttonquail (Turnix sylvaticus) |
| ⇒ 染色体三倍体症 | [ rǎn sè tǐ sān beì tǐ zhèng ] trisomy |
| ⇒ 桃园三结义 | [ taó yuán sān jié yì ] Oath of the Peach Garden, sworn by Liu Bei 劉備|刘备[Liu2 Bei4], Zhang Fei 張飛|张飞[Zhang1 Fei1] and Guan Yu 關羽|关羽[Guan1 Yu3] at the start of the Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义[San1 guo2 Yan3 yi4] |
| ⇒ 棕三趾鹑 | [ zōng sān zhǐ chún ] (bird species of China) barred buttonquail (Turnix suscitator) |
| ⇒ 横三竖四 | [ héng sān shù sì ] in disorder, in a tremendous mess |
| ⇒ 此地无银三百两 | [ cǐ dì wú yín sān baǐ liǎng ] lit. 300 silver taels not hidden here (idiom); fig. to reveal what one intends to hide |
| ⇒ 毁三观 | [ huǐ sān guān ] (Internet slang) (of a situation, video clip etc) to make one think "wtf!" |
| ⇒ 毛邓三 | [ maó dèng sān ] Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory & the Three Represents, abbr. for 毛澤東思想|毛泽东思想[Mao2 Ze2 dong1 Si1 xiang3], 鄧小平理論|邓小平理论[Deng4 Xiao3 ping2 Li3 lun4] and 三個代表|三个代表[San1 ge4 Dai4 biao3] |
| ⇒ 浙江三门县 | [ zhè jiāng sān mén xiàn ] Sanmen County in Zhejiang |
| ⇒ 无事不登三宝殿 | [ wú shì bù dēng sān baǒ diàn ] lit. One doesn't visit a temple without a cause. (idiom), fig. to visit sb with an ulterior motive (esp. to ask for sth), having a hidden agenda |
| ⇒ 无风三尺浪 | [ wú fēng sān chǐ làng ] lit. large waves in windless conditions (idiom), fig. trouble arising unexpectedly |
| ⇒ 狂三诈四 | [ kuáng sān zhà sì ] to deceive and swindle across the board (idiom) |
| ⇒ 瘪三 | [ biē sān ] (Wu dialect) bum, wretched-looking tramp who lives by begging or stealing |
| ⇒ 百胜难虑敌，三折乃良医 | [ baǐ shèng nán lǜ dí sān zhé naǐ liáng yī ] (a line from a poem by the Tang poet Liu Yuxi 劉禹錫|刘禹锡[Liu2 Yu3 xi1]) one gains very little insight into one's enemy from a hundred victories, but he who breaks his arm three times will be a good doctor, (fig.) one learns more from one's failures than from one's successes |
| ⇒ 礼拜三 | [ lǐ baì sān ] Wednesday |
| ⇒ 第三人称 | [ dì sān rén chēng ] third person (grammar) |
| ⇒ 第三国际 | [ dì sān guó jì ] see 共產國際|共产国际[Gong4 chan3 Guo2 ji4] |
| ⇒ 第三帝国 | [ dì sān dì guó ] Third Reich, Nazi regime (1933-1945) |
| ⇒ 第三状态 | [ dì sān zhuàng taì ] suboptimal health status |
| ⇒ 第三产业 | [ dì sān chǎn yè ] tertiary sector of industry |
| ⇒ 第三眼睑 | [ dì sān yǎn jiǎn ] nictitating membrane (zoology) |
| ⇒ 第三纪 | [ dì sān jì ] third period, tertiary (geological era since the extinction of the dinosaurs at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary 65 million years ago) |
| ⇒ 第三声 | [ dì sān shēng ] third tone in Mandarin, falling-rising tone |
| ⇒ 等边三角形 | [ děng biān sān xíng ] equilateral triangle |
| ⇒ 约法三章 | [ yuē fǎ sān zhāng ] to agree on three laws (idiom), three-point covenant, (fig.) preliminary agreement, basic rules |
| ⇒ 约翰三书 | [ yuē hàn sān shū ] Third epistle of St John |
| ⇒ 网开三面 | [ wǎng kaī sān miàn ] to leave the net open on three sides (idiom); let the caged bird fly, to give one's opponent a way out, lenient treatment |
| ⇒ 总会三明治 | [ zǒng huì sān míng zhì ] club sandwich |
| ⇒ 绕梁三日 | [ raò liáng sān rì ] reverberates around the rafters for three days (idiom); fig. sonorous and resounding (esp. of singing voice) |
| ⇒ 肱三头肌 | [ gōng sān toú jī ] triceps brachii (back of the upper arm) |
| ⇒ 举一反三 | [ jǔ yī fǎn sān ] to raise one and infer three, to deduce many things from one case (idiom) |
| ⇒ 英伦三岛 | [ yīng lún sān daǒ ] British Isles |
| ⇒ 莱齐耶三世 | [ laí qí yē sān shì ] Letsie III of Lesotho |
| ⇒ 着三不着两 | [ zhaó sān bù zhaó liǎng ] scatter-brained, thoughtless |
| ⇒ 话到嘴边留三分 | [ huà daò zuǐ biān liú sān fēn ] A still tongue makes a wise head. (idiom) |
| ⇒ 说三道四 | [ shuō sān daò sì ] to make thoughtless remarks (idiom), to criticize, gossip |
| ⇒ 调三窝四 | [ sān wō sì ] to sow the seeds of discord everywhere (idiom) |
| ⇒ 货问三家不吃亏 | [ huò wèn sān jiā bù chī kuī ] see 貨比三家不吃虧|货比三家不吃亏[huo4 bi3 san1 jia1 bu4 chi1 kui1] |
| ⇒ 货比三家 | [ huò bǐ sān jiā ] to shop around (idiom) |
| ⇒ 货比三家不吃亏 | [ huò bǐ sān jiā bù chī kuī ] shop around first and you won't get ripped off (idiom) |
| ⇒ 退避三舍 | [ tuì bì sān shè ] lit. to retreat three day's march (idiom); fig. to give way in the face of superior strength, a strategic withdrawal |
| ⇒ 连三并四 | [ lián sān bìng sì ] one after the other, in succession (idiom) |
| ⇒ 连中三元 | [ lián zhòng sān yuán ] (old) to rank first in the imperial examinations at the provincial capital, the national capital and the palace successively, (sports etc) to achieve three successes in a row (three matches in a row, three goals in a match etc) |
| ⇒ 周三 | [ zhoū sān ] Wednesday |
| ⇒ 金背三趾啄木鸟 | [ jīn beì sān zhǐ zhuó mù ] (bird species of China) common flameback (Dinopium javanense) |
| ⇒ 钱三强 | [ qián sān qiáng ] Qian Sanqiang |
| ⇒ 铁三 | [ tiě sān ] triathlon |
| ⇒ 铁人三项 | [ tiě rén sān xiàng ] triathlon |
| ⇒ 长三 | [ cháng sān ] (old) high-class prostitute |
| ⇒ 长三角 | [ cháng sān ] Yangtze River Delta (abbr. for 長江三角洲|长江三角洲[Chang2 jiang1 San1 jiao3 zhou1]) |
| ⇒ 长三角经济区 | [ cháng sān jīng jì qū ] Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone (economic region including Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu) |
| ⇒ 长江三峡 | [ cháng jiāng sān xiá ] Three Gorges or Yangtze Gorges, namely: Qutang Gorge 瞿塘峽|瞿塘峡[Qu2 tang2 Xia2], Wuxia Gorge 巫峽|巫峡[Wu1 Xia2] and Xiling Gorge 西陵峽|西陵峡[Xi1 ling2 Xia2] |
| ⇒ 长江三角洲 | [ cháng jiāng sān zhoū ] Yangtze River Delta |
| ⇒ 长江三角洲经济区 | [ cháng jiāng sān zhoū jīng jì qū ] Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone (economic region including Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu) |
| ⇒ 开三次方 | [ kaī sān cì fāng ] cube root, to extract a cube root |
| ⇒ 陆海空三军 | [ lù haǐ kōng sān jūn ] army, navy, air force |
| ⇒ 韦编三绝 | [ weí biān sān jué ] lit. the leather binding (of the bamboo scroll) has broken three times, fig. to study diligently |
| ⇒ 颠三倒四 | [ diān sān daǒ sì ] confused, disorderly, incoherent |
| ⇒ 马三家 | [ mǎ sān jiā ] Masanjia town in Yuhong District 于洪區|于洪区[Yu2 hong2 Qu1] in Liaoning, known for its labor camp where Falun Gong practitioners etc are believed to have been detained and tortured |
| ⇒ 马三立 | [ mǎ sān lì ] Ma Sanli (1914-2003), Chinese comedian |
| ⇒ 黄石公三略 | [ huáng shí gōng sān lvè ] "Three Strategies of Huang Shigong", one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China |
| ⇒ 黄脚三趾鹑 | [ huáng sān zhǐ chún ] (bird species of China) yellow-legged buttonquail (Turnix tanki) |
