翅膀（长）硬了 Grow strong wings
【注音】chì bǎng (zhǎng) yìng le
【解释】小鸟儿的翅膀长硬了，就要离开父母独自觅食了，人长大了，就要离开父母，独自闯生活了，徒弟学会了手艺，就要离开师傅去闯营生了。当然父母有权利抱怨儿女们长大了就不要爹娘了；师傅们也有权利发“教会了徒弟饿死了师傅”这样的牢骚。
When little birds grow strong wings, they’ll leave their parents to seek food on their own, the same with human being. When children grow up, they’ll leave home to build up their own life independently. When apprentice grasp the skill, they will leave their master to establish their own business or career. It’s certainly understandable that parents grumble about kids growing up and they are not in need anymore; and that masters complain with “apprentice taught, master starved”.
【例子】
例1：
爸爸：小虎，你今年已经28岁了，该考虑考虑个人的事情了。
儿子：爸爸，您就别操这个心了，我自己的事情我会考虑的。
爸爸：你老说会考虑会考虑，现在都28岁了，还要等到什么时候再考虑呀？
儿子：总之，我现在还不想考虑。
爸爸：好好好，你不想考虑，你现在翅膀硬了。
Ex1.：
Dad：Xiaohu, you are already 28. It’s really time for you to think about your marriage.
Son：Dad, just don’t bother your head over this. I’ll consider it by myself.
Dad：You always say so. Now you’re 28, when on earth will you think about it.
Son：In one word, not now.
Dad：O.K., O.K., you don’t want to listen to my nag, you’re grown up now.

                     
穿小鞋
Give people hard time
【注音】chuān xiǎo xié
【解释】穿一双尺寸太小的鞋，自然不会舒服。所以“给人穿小鞋”就比喻为暗地里报复人，刁难别人。
Too small shoes will definitely make people suffer. It means retaliating someone secretly, or giving him a hard time.
【例子】
例：
A：你这么说领导的直话，不怕他给你穿小鞋吗？
B：我才不管呢。
Ex.：
A：You talk to your boss so bluntly, aren’t you afraid that he will give you hard time?
B：I don’t care.