flog a dead horse

Red and rotten - hóng fǔ guàn xiǔ

Holding the jade and cherishing the jade - wò yú huái yù

Reform and Reform - gé jiù wéi xīn

pecking order - zhǎng yòu zūn bēi

stately - táng ér huáng zhī

chase the wind and lightning - zhuī fēng zhú diàn

All things are perfect - bǎi xià bǎi quán

focus on only one aspect and neglect all the others - jǔ yī fèi bǎi

More and less - duō xǔ shǎo yǔ

To seize and invade - yú duó qīn móu