Chinese idioms A to D
A list of Chinese proverbs ordered by pinyin spelling.
哀兵必胜 [哀兵必勝]
grief weapons certainly victory
A vengeful army will certainly win
Strong emotion galvanizes effort
安步当车 [安步當車]
content walk replace vehicle
Choosing to walk rather than take the limousine
Turn down luxury and high office for a simpler life. The story is of a scholar from the Warring States period who was offered great wealth and his own carriage to serve the King of Qi.
安居乐业 [安居樂業]
peace reside happy enterprise
Live and work in peace and contentment
Wishing you well in a new home
爱不释手 [愛不釋手]
love not let go hand
Locked in love's clutches
爱屋及乌 [愛屋及烏]
love house reach crow
Strong love that encompasses all, including the crow sitting on the roof
In love with everything in the world
Love is blind
按图索骥 [按圖索驥]
according to picture search thoroughbred horse
Choosing a fine horse using only a picture
Following a rigid framework to carry out a task. Using standard rules to achieve something or discover something. Knowing and following the basic principles.
暗渡陈仓 [暗渡陳倉]
secret pass through Chencang
Secretly cross at the Chencang Road
A feigned maneuver designed to outwit. After the fall of the Qin dynasty Liu Bei sent out troops to repair a plank road presumably to mount an attack, but he actually moved his troops across the Wei River at Chencang and so surprised his enemy.
八仙过海,各显神通 [八仙過海各顯神通]
eight immortal past sea each show god knowledge
The Eight Immortals crossing the sea all have there own particular skills
Everyone has their own special skills to contribute
八字没一撇 [八字沒一撇]
eight character not one neglect
The character for eight takes two strokes to write not just one
You can't do everything on your own
It takes two to Tango
班门弄斧 [班門弄斧]
Ban door use hatchet
Demonstrating the axe at Ban?s door
Lu Ban (c. 500BCE) was a master engineer inventor and carpenter. So trying to show off you skills with an axe (or adze in those days) at his door was being rather pretentious. So the phrase means to show off your feeble skills in front of a real expert.
Teaching your grandmother to suck eggs
包藏祸心 [包藏禍心]
cover conceal misfortune mind
Harboring evil intentions
Having evil intent; concealing malice.
In league with the devil
白手起家
clear hand make house
Empty hand make house
To build up something from nothing
百发百中 [百發百中]
hundred arrows hundred middles
One hundred arrows, one hundred bullseyes
A superb marksman; showing great skill. Yang Youji and Houyi were archers of great renown.
A dab hand
Image by Zihanzor ➚ available under a Creative Commons license ➚
百闻不如一见 [百聞不如一見]
hundred hear not like one see
Hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once
Delighted to meet you in person at last. Seeing at first hand gives valuable information. The story is of a Han dynasty veteran general Zhao Chongguo who went to see the situation for himself at the frontier rather than relying on secondhand reports. His wise analysis quickly solved the problem with the incursions of northern tribes
Seeing is believing
百折不挠 [百折不撓]
hundred bend not scratch
Not to falter despite many setbacks
Persistence pays off in the end
Patience is a virtue
百足之虫死而不僵 [百足之蟲死而不僵]
hundred foot insect dead but not motionless
A centipede with a hundred legs does not lose its life after one blow
An evil is not easily disposed of; old institutions take a long time to renew
半斤八两 [半斤八兩]
half catty eight taels
Two equivalent measures
Nothing to choose between two alternatives
Six of one, and half a dozen of the other
半途而废 [半途而廢]
half way but give-up
Give up half way through
To abandon work half done. Lacking determination to see the job through
Stick to your guns
傍人门户 [傍人門戶]
near person door
Hanging on another?s door
Someone dependent on a household without making much contribution. A hanger-on.
A sponger
抱薪救火
hold firewood rescue fire
Using wood to put out a fire
Not choosing an appropriate solution to a problem. Making matters worse
杯弓蛇影
cup bow snake image
Seeing a bow?s reflection in a cup as a snake
Suspicious and frightened; plagued by fearful imagination. The story is of a man who was terrified by the sight of what he thought was a snake swimming in the cup of tea he was drinking. The experience made him ill and only when it was demonstrated that it was just the reflection of a bow left hanging on the wall did he recover.
Afraid of your own shadow
杯水车薪 [杯水車薪]
cup water vehicle firewood
A glass of water won't put out a car on fire
Not putting in enough effort to solve a problem
笨鸟先飞早入林 [笨鳥先飛早入林]
stupid bird first fly early enter forest
A clumsy bird that flies first will get to the forest earlier
Starting early helps achieve success
The tortoise beats the hare. The early bird catches the worm
鞭长莫及 [鞭長莫及]
whip length not reach
Beyond the reach of the whip
Too far away to be able to help or beyond one's skill or influence.
别别具一格 [別別具一格]
classify tool one pattern
Possessing a unique style
Doing things your own way
别无长物 [別無長物]
leave nothing surplus
Having nothing to spare
In great poverty, possessing nothing other than the bare essentials.
The cupboard is bare
逼上梁山
compel get into Liang mountain
Compelled to become a Liangshan rebel
Forced to take an undesirable action. The story is of Lin Chong who was hounded down by Chao Gai because he wanted Lin's wife. After being falsely accused of attempted murder Lin was further victimized by Chao Gai until he was left with no choice but to join the rebels. So it means left with no choice at all.
Hobson's choice
宾至如归 [賓至如歸]
guest arrive as if belong
Guests feel at home
Warmly welcoming guests to your home. Guests treated as part of the family.
Be my guest
兵不厌诈 [兵不厭詐]
weapon not detest cheat
In conflict cheating is permitted
In warfare nothing is too dishonest
All is fair in love and war
冰冻三尺,非一日之寒 [冰凍三尺非一日之寒]
ice freeze three foot, wrong one day single cold
Three feet of ice is not formed in a single day
It takes time to achieve satisfactory results
Rome was not built in a day
冰天雪地
ice sky snow ground
Ice in the sky and snow on the ground
Encountering adverse conditions
避坑落井
evade pit drop well
Avoid falling into a pit to fall into a well
Avoid one obstacle only to hit another
髀肉复生 [髀肉復生]
thigh flesh return life
The thigh muscles have recovered
To get fit and become reinvigorated. The story is from the end of the Han dynasty after the battle of Guandu Zhi Zhan when Cao Cao beat Liu Bei. Liu Bei then fled t o Henan and took things easy. One day he noticed that he had become flabby particularly in his thighs so he realized he had to get fit again. He did so and eventually beat Cao Cao in battle.
Get fighting fit
病入膏肓
disease enter moisten vitals
The disease has penetrated the vitals
Beyond hope and cure. A hopeless situation.
Not the ghost of a chance
伯乐识马 [伯樂識馬]
Bo Le know horse
Bo Le, the horse expert
A person of good judgment. Someone who can quickly appreciate skill. The idiom refers to Bo Le from the Warring States period who was an acclaimed judge of horses. It is said that he came upon an old horse trudging along. Only Bo Le could see that this was once a great horse of strength and stamina.
不耻下问 [不恥下問]
not shame under question
There is no shame in asking help from those less fortunate or senior than yourself.
A cat may look at a king
不到黄河不死心 [不到黃河不死心]
not arrive Yellow River not die heart
Not giving up until one reaches the Yellow River
Keep going until you hit an insurmountable obstacle
He who hesitates is lost
不告而别 [不告而別]
not tell but leave
No words spoken when leave
Leave without saying goodbye
不寒而栗 [不寒而慄]
not cold but trembling
Shivering yet not cold
Shudder with fear and dread. There is a story of a sadistic official of the Han dynasty who arbitrarily sentenced to death. When their relatives and friends came to protest he had them executed too. Everyone was quaking with fear when they saw the official.
Shake like a leaf
不觉技痒 [不覺技癢]
no sleep skill itch
Itching to show off a skill
Eagerness to impress people with a skill.
不怕路长只怕志短 [不怕路長只怕志短]
not fear road long only fear aspire short
Not fear a long road; fear aspiration to start
Do not be afraid of a long road to success only be afraid of a shortage of ambition
Rome was not built in a day
不怕慢就怕站
not fear slow come-near fear halt
Not fear slowing down; fear coming to a halt
Do not be afraid of slowing down as long as you keep going
A rolling stone gathers no moss
不破不立
not destroy not stand
If do not destroy will not stand
The old needs to be demolished before building the new
Starting again from scratch
不入虎穴焉得虎子
not enter tiger den how get tiger cub
Without entering a tiger's den how can you hope to capture a tiger cub?
Great rewards require a great risk.
Fortune favors the brave. Nothing ventured, nothing gained
不撒大网不得大鱼 [不撒大網不得大魚]
not cast large net not get large fish
Without casting a big net how can a big fish be caught
Need to think big if to succeed
不善始者不善终 [不善始者不善終]
not good beginning not good end
A bad beginning leads to a bad ending
Need to plan everything from the beginning
Don't put the cart before the horse
不为五斗米折腰 [不爲五斗米折腰]
not act five peck rice bend waist
Refuse to bow for the sake of five measures of rice
Refusing inducements to betray a principles. Incorruptible. The story is of a man who refused to work for a corrupt and arrogant official even though he lost out on a generous salary.
不知肉味
not know meat smell
Not notice the smell of meat
Totally entranced and distracted. The story is from the Analects of Confucius. The great sage was walking in woodland and heard someone performing Shao music. He was so entranced by the blissful sound that he could not be distracted even by the smell of roasting meat (then a rare treat).
Lost touch with reality
不自量力
not self capacity strength
Overrating your own strength
Overreaching yourself, not taking account of true capabilities. Exaggerate level of skill.
By no stretch of the imagination
步步高升
step step tall ascend
Step by step promotion
Congratulation on promotion or a new job
藏龙卧虎 [藏龍臥虎]
hide dragon lie tiger
Hidden dragon, crouching tiger
There are often people around with great power and skill
草木皆兵
vegetation all warlike
Every bush harbors an enemy
Being paranoid - believing everyone is out to get you. To be beleaguered
差强人意 [差強人意]
difference slightly better person idea
Just passable
Just about good enough an effort. Someone showing minimum of commitment to meet a goal. Barely satisfactory.
Swinging the lead
常将有日思无日,莫将无时想有时 [常將有日思無日莫將無旹想有旹]
normal support has day think nothing day, noone support nothing time think has time
When rich there is time to think all day, when poor there is no time to think
When rich, you have time to dream, but do not dream of riches when you are poor
常在河边走,哪能不湿鞋 [常在河邊走哪能不溼鞋]
normal located river side walk, there can not wet shoes
You cannot routinely walk along a river without sometimes getting your shoes wet
You can't ignore the local conditions
车载斗量 [車載斗量]
vehicle carry peck capacity
Cartloads and sackfuls
Huge quantity. A very large number. Overabundant.
乘风破浪 [乘風破浪]
ride wind break wave
Ride the winds and break the waves
To have high ambitions. The story is Zong Que who lived in southern China around 450CE. On his wedding day at the age of 14 (as was the tradition then) a group of bandits attacked the village. Zong Que fought them off almost single-handed. He was asked what was his future ambition and he replied that he wanted to 'ride the wind and break the waves'. He went on to be a leading general who helped maintain the peace in the region.
Man with a plan
城门失火,殃及池鱼 [城門失火殃及池魚]
city gate destroy fire , calamity reach moat fish
Burning a city gate kills the fish in the moat
A drastic action may unintentionally affect other people. Show consideration for all
城下之盟
city walls down oath
Only under duress
It literally means an embittered agreement at a city wall when a city has surrendered to besieging forces. So it is a reluctant and bitter deal forced by circumstance.
成也萧何,败也萧何 [成也蕭何,敗也蕭何]
complete also Xiao He defeat also Xiao He
Accomplished by Xiao He but also lost by Xiao He
Success and failure of your own making. The story is of Liu Bang before he became Emperor had Xiao He as Prime Minister. Xiao recommended Han Xin for a military command. However Han Xin fell from favor and then plotted a revolt. Xiao He lured him to a meeting at the place and killed him. So Xiao He both launched the career and ended the career of Han Xin,
程门立雪 [程門立雪]
Cheng door stand snow
Standing at Cheng?s door in the snow
Showing great respect for someone - usually a teacher or scholar. The story is that a great scholar accidentally left two students waiting for him for hours out in the snow.
吃软不吃硬 [吃軟不吃硬]
eat soft not eat hard
Only able to chew tender food, not the tough
Unable to withstand harsh criticism
吃一堑,长一智 [吃一塹長一智]
eat one chasm long one wise
Fall into a pit but learn from the experience
Gain wisdom from experience of set backs
Learn from your mistakes
痴人说梦 [痴人說夢]
stupid man speak dream
A fool describing his dream
Talking irrelevant nonsense. Ravings of no possible interest.
A load of codswallop
迟开的花未必不香 [遲開的花未必不香]
slow opening flower did not certainly not smell
A late-blooming flower is not necessarily lacking in fragrance
It's never too late to try something new
重蹈覆辙 [重蹈覆轍]
repeat tread overturn rut
Following the track of an overturned cart
To repeat a disastrous strategy. Not learning from previous mistakes - slavishly following previous practice. The story is of a virtuous official who risked Han emperor Huan's displeasure by pointing out that he was repeating the mistakes of the second Qin emperor.
Once bitten, twice shy
臭不可当 [臭不可噹]
smelly not can equal
Worst ever smell
To give off an unbearable stink
穿新鞋,走老路 [穿新鞋走老路]
put on new shoes, walk old road
Wear new shoes but follow old paths
Stick to the old ways while appearing to follow the latest trends
出尔反尔 [出爾反爾]
go out thus return thus
Getting just reward
Do as you would be done to. Repay past behavior appropriately. In modern times this has changed meaning to be more to with inconsistency and self contradictory behavior than justice.
What you sow, so shall you reap
出奇制勋 [出奇制勛]
extraordinary system medal
Using an ingenious, unexpected ploy
Using a surprise or ingenious scheme to achieve success.
As cunning as a fox
出生入死
be born enter death
To risk one's life
Offer unquestioning support
Through thick and thin
初生之犊不怕虎 [初生之犢不怕虎]
early bear this calf not fear tiger
A baby calf does not fear a tiger
Innocence about the dangers involved
唇亡齿寒 [唇亡齒寒]
lips gone tooth cold
Without lips the teeth feel the cold
Two interdependent things or people. The story of is of an attack on two kingdoms, as they were so mutually dependent the fall of one led directly to the fall of the other.
此地无银三百两 [此地無銀三百兩]
this ground not silver 3 hundred tael
Three hundred silver taels are not buried here
Accidentally giving away the hidden truth in an explanation. The story is of a man who buried 300 pieces of stolen silver. Strangely he put up a sign to say that the 300 pieces were not buried on top of his horde. Someone a little more clever dug up the cash and replaced the sign to say he had not dug up the cash buried there.
赐子千金不如教子一艺 [賜子千金不如教子一藝]
grant child thousand cash not like teach child one skill
Better to teach a child a skill than give money
Learning a new skill will pay dividends in the future
从容不迫 [從容不迫]
unhurried not urgent
Calm and unhurried
Taking life calmly and in your stride. Untroubled.
Without a care in the world
从善如流 [從善如流]
follow well-disposed as flow
Following good advice just as water flows
Willing to accept other people's advice just as all water in a stream follows the flow. Readily following good leadership.
Following the flow
粗茶淡饭 [粗茶淡飯]
coarse tea bland food
On a starvation diet
Eat simple home-made food and yet be healthy
Image by X. Zhou ➚ available under a Creative Commons license ➚
粗枝大叶
thick branch big leaf
A large branch with large leaves. Unable to draw in fine detail
Lack of attention to detail
胆大如斗 [膽大如斗]
gall big as peck
A gall bladder as big as a football
Someone who is immensely bold and courageous. In traditional medicine the gall bladder was considered the controller of aggression and courage, so someone with a huge gall bladder was expected to be very courageous.
As bold as brass
大器晚成
large utensil late complete
Large vessels take longer to complete
It takes a long time and great care to make something worthwhile. An admonishment to persevere in studies or work. Often used to describe late developing talent.
Rome was not built in a day
倒绷孩儿 [倒繃孩兒]
invert bind child
Wrap up a baby upside down
Accidentally wrapping a new-born baby the wrong way round. Said of someone who though skilled can sometimes make mistakes. An occasional error out of character.
倒戈相向
fall spear mutual direction
Attack own party
Betray one's own side
呆若木鸡 [呆若木雞]
stupid like wood chicken
As dumb as a wooden chicken
Dumbstruck, unable to move or say anything out of fear.
Caught like a rabbit in the headlights
单枪匹马 [單槍匹馬]
single spear horse
A single spear and a single horse
Taking on a difficult task on your own
当局者迷,旁观者清 [噹局者迷旁觀者清]
equal game other be confused, side observe other clear
Spectators get a better appreciation of the game than the players
If too closely involved may not see all the issues involved
刀山火海
knife mountain fire sea
A mountain of knives; a sea of fires
An extremely difficult and dangerous situation
打草惊蛇 [打草驚蛇]
strike grass startled snake
Striking the grass alerts the snake
It is unwise to alert an enemy of your presence
Let sleeping dogs lie
打人不打脸 [打人不打臉]
strike person not strike 'face'
Better to hit a person than their reputation. Losing 'face' is a major consideration for Chinese people
Be diplomatic and tactful when being critical
To err is human; to forgive divine
大材小用
big ability tiny use
Big ability barely used
Wasting talent on trivial things. Using someone talented for a menial task
All dressed up and nowhere to go
大发雷霆 [大發雷霆]
big develop thunder
Develop large thunderstorm
Fly into a furious rage
To spit nails
大公无私 [大公無私]
large just not selfish
Selflessness
Helping everyone else. Not motivated by self-interest.
大手大脚 [大手大腳]
big hand big foot
Large hands and feet
Lavish and grandiose expenditure on tasteless trifles
A fool and his money are soon parted
大义灭亲 [大義滅親]
great justice wipe out relative
Uphold justice by killing one?s own family
Prepared to kill one's own family to keep to the law. Back in the Spring and Autumn Period a father, Shi Que, uncovered the murder of the king of Wei was done by a treasonous group which included his own son Shi Hou. Believing he could not show him special treatment he had him executed.
大智若愚
big wisdom seem foolish
A wise person may seem silent as often remains silent
A wise person holds his counsel
Still waters run deep
倒屣相迎
backwards slippers mutually welcome
Putting on shoes the wrong way aroung when greeting a guest
So keen to meet a guest that shoes are put on the wrong way around. Excitement about meeting someone idolized.
Go weak at the knees
道高一尺,魔高一丈 [道高一尺魔高一丈]
virtue tall one foot, devil tall ten foot
Where good flourishes, evil can flourish even more
There is always opportunity for evil to take root
道听途说 [道聽途說]
road listen road speak
Paying heed to gossip
Listening to roadside gossip or tittle-tattle.
得过且过 [得過且過]
contented get along yet live
Getting by
Muddling through life without great ambitions. Contended to just live from day to day.
Enough is as good as a feast
得心应手 [得心應手]
permit mind/heart respond hand
Hand and mind in harmony
Things moving smoothly and naturally. Heart and mind working together with hands to achieve a task.
得意洋洋
complacent self-satisfied
Smug and self-satisfied
To be very pleased with oneself. Giving an air of sublime complacency.
I'm all right Jack
得鱼忘筌 [得魚忘筌]
catch fish forget trap
After catching a fish forget the trap
Ungrateful behavior, ignoring help given to make things possible
Don't bite the hand that feeds you
点石成金 [點石成金]
touch stone accomplish gold
Turn stone into gold
To turn something of little worth into something of great value
Improve beyond recognition
调虎离山 [調虎离山]
move tiger leave mountain
Lure a tiger down from its mountain. This is one of the age old strategms of war.
Lure an enemy out of its home territory in order to attack it
滴水穿石
drip water penetrate stone
Dripping water can bore into stone
Long perseverance will win in the end, even stone wears away. Nothing is permanent
Keep on keeping on
东奔西走 [東奔西走]
east hasten west walk
Busy everywhere
Be busy; bustling about
东窗事发 [東窗事發]
east window matter expose
The plot at the east window has been exposed
The game is up. Generally said of villains whose evil plans have been thwarted. The story is of Qin Hui of the Song dynasty who hatched a plot under the east window of his house to tell lies about General Yue Fei. Qin Hui and his son died shortly after Yue Fei was executed. Qin's wife Wang used a necromancer who discovered the truth and was told by Qin's spirit that the East window plot had been exposed.
The chickens havee come home to roost
东山再起 [東山再起]
east mountain again rise
To rise again from the east mountain
Coming back after voluntary retirement into public life. Particularly for taking on high office after a long break away from all the action.
To make a comeback
东施效颦 [東施效顰]
Dong Shi imitate knit eyebrows
Ludicrous self conceit
The story is of Dong Shi, an ugly person imitating the posture of famous beautiful woman Xi Shi ➚ by knitting his eyebrows
Mutton dressed as lamb
东食西宿 [東食西宿]
east food west night
Eating in the east and sleeping in the west
Taking fully advantage of kindly offers - accepting hospitality in a selfish way. The story is of a girl who was asked to choose whether to live with a family in the east or west side of a village. She chose to eat with the rich family of one suitor on the east side but also sleep with the poor but good looking suitor on the west side.
Butter one's bread on both sides
对牛弹琴 [對牛彈琴]
face ox play musical qin
To play a lute to a cow
Wasting your time on pointless efforts. The 'lute' in this case is the qin, a traditional musical instrument. To address an inappropriate and unappreciative audience. A story from the Han dynasty when Mouzi Lihuolun, a Confucian scholar, who failed to describe Buddhist teaching because his audience had no basic understanding of it
Pearls before swine
对症下药 [對症下葯]
answer illness down medicine
Suiting the right medicine for an illness
Take the right measures to solve a problem to achieve the desired result
咄咄怪事
tut-tut odd matter
Something's strange
A matter or incident that is absurd, extraordinary or strange.
多多益善
many many benefit improve
The more, the better
Safety in numbers. Wanting to invite as many people as possible to improve chances of success
Many hands make light work
多难兴邦 [多難興邦]
many difficulty flourish nation
Many hardships can rejuvenate a nation
A calamity that may prompt a resurgence. An encouragement to continue striving in the hope that things will improve.
Hope springs eternal
多行不义必自毙 [多行不義必自斃]
much series not justice must self destroy
Persisting in evil leads to self-destruction
Turning to bad deeds will ultimately bring ruin. This is a form of Karma - divine justice which catch up with you one day
独木不成林,单弦不成音 [獨木不成林單弦不成音]
only tree no accomplish forest , single string no accomplish sound
A single tree does not make a forest; a single string can not make music
Many things require people to work together to achieve an end
All pull together
独木难支 [獨木難支]
only timber difficult prop up
A single stick will not prop up a whole building
It often requires more than one person to resolve problems
Two heads are better than one
读万卷书不如行万里路 [讀万卷書不如行万里路]
read 10000 roll up book no like walk 10000 mile road
Reading ten thousand books is not the same as walking a thousand miles
Learn from practical experience not from books
度日如年 [度日如年]
pass day as year
Each day passes as a year
Time seems to pass very slowly
Time drags on
Our proverbs come with full information. The modern Chinese characters are given first with links that give information on the character. As proverbs are so old you will often see them written using the traditional form of characters; so if of the characters have been simplified the phrase is shown in brackets and gray text. . The characters are followed by the proverb (Chengyu) in pinyin. Next, there is a crude character by character transliteration into English, followed by a more accurate English translation. If this is a Chinese proverb alluding to history the meaning may still not be clear in English, so the general meaning follows. Finally some proverbs have fairly direct English equivalents, if so the English proverb is shown.
Our translations are in need of improvement, so please let us know your ideas. For background on the types and history of proverbs please see our guide.