Chinese idioms that help with coping with life
This loosely knit group of proverbs all have to do with dealing with a particular predicament. Some of these just describe the situation without offering advice on how to deal with it.
指鹿为马 [指鹿爲馬]
Making a deer out to be a horse
Lying to mislead others; a deliberate misrepresentation often to please someone important. The famous story goes back to the time of the second Qin Emperor (c. 209BCE) who was an infant and the effective ruler was the despotic Zhao Gao. He presented a stag to the Emperor proclaiming it to be a fine horse. The Imperial ministers were so fearful that when asked whether a stag was a stag or a horse many said a horse. Zhao Gao had all those who told the truth and said 'stag' executed as he wanted ministers who would so anything he said.
Roughly equivalent to: What a tangled web we weave.
香消玉损 [香消玉損]
Fragrance is dissipated; jade is broken
Spoken of on the death of a beautiful young woman.
Roughly equivalent to: Whom the Gods love die young.
水深火热 [水深火熱]
In deep water and fierce fire
In very deep trouble. A desperate situation with nowhere to turn.
Roughly equivalent to: In dire straits.
再作冯妇 [再作馮婦]
Becoming Feng Fu again
Returning to old ways and habits. Feng Fu was a renowned tiger hunter from the state of Jin in the Zhou dynasty. After a successful career he vowed never to hurt another living thing. However when he chanced upon a local hunt for a vicious tiger he could not resist temptation to go back to old ways and killed the tiger single handed.
Roughly equivalent to: A leopard cannot change its spots.
山明水秀
Beautiful mountain scenery
Beautiful landscape.
鸡犬不宁 [雞犬不宁]
Even the chicken and dog are disturbed. General commotion
All in turmoil and excitement.
河东狮吼 [河東獅吼]
The lioness from Hedong roars
A husband under the control of a domineering wife. The story is of Chen Zao of the Song dynasty who often had guests around in the evening. If his wife got to hear that there were other women with him she would knock on the wall and roar. A hen-pecked man.
Roughly equivalent to: She who must be obeyed.
羽毛未丰
Not yet grown adult plumage. A fledgling bird - young and inexperienced
Still too young and immature.
江郎才尽 [江郎才盡]
Master Jiang has exhausted his talent
Losing your creative spark. Jiang Yan was an official in the Southern Liang dynasty [502-557] achieved early repute as a poet and writer but in later years struggled to write anything of value. He dreamed that he owed his talent to the pen of Guo Pu who then reclaimed it.
Roughly equivalent to: Running out of steam.
争先恐后 [爭先恐後]
Striving to be first and fearing to be last
Striving for position. Over competitive.
Roughly equivalent to: Devil take the hindmost.
近水楼台先得月 [近水樓台先得月]
A waterfront pavilion sees the moonlight first
An allusion to the wisdom of having friends in high circles that often results in benefits.
Roughly equivalent to: Climbing the greasy poll.
唇亡齿寒 [唇亡齒寒]
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.
网开一面 [網開一面]
To leave one side of the net open
To give someone a chance of escape.
Roughly equivalent to: To let someone off the hook.
苛政猛于虎 [苛政猛於虎]
Tyranny is more terrible than tigers
The story is that Confucius met a woman near mount Taishan who was weeping bitterly. When asked, she said she had lost father-in-law, husband and son to marauding tigers. When Confucius asked why then she did not move to a safer village she replied that she was sheltering from a despotic government and would rather risk tigers than oppression. Evil government is the worst of evils.
瓜田李下
In a melon field and under a plum tree
Avoid circumstances that give rise to false suspicion, If someone is seen near ripe melons or under a plum tree they are open to suspicion of theft. A longer form of the saying makes it clear that you should not tie up your shoes in a melon field or out on a hat under a plum tree as these actions are.
维妙维肖 [維妙維肖]
Weave skillfully life like images
Produce an image remarkably true to life; highly skilled.
树欲静而风不止 [樹欲靜而風不止]
The trees prefer calm, but the wind does not stop
In spite of a wish for peace, trouble is brewing. Things develop regardless of how you might wish. Powerless to influence outcome.
弹冠相庆 [彈冠相慶]
Knocking the dust off your hat and congratulating each other
Presumptively celebrate promotion/appointment to a job ahead of time. Arrogantly assume a job is already in the bag. The story is of two officials Wang Ji and Gong Yu of the Han dynasty, Both were dismissed but on Emperor Yuan's enthronement Wang Ji was re-appointed, on hearing the news Gong Yu flicked the dust off his official hat assuming he would follow his friend into office.
易如反掌
As easy as turning over your hand
Simple. Very easy.
卷土重来 [捲土重來]
Sweeping off the dust and trying again
Making a comeback after a setback - determined to have another go. Like getting back on a horse after being thrown off.
Roughly equivalent to: Dust yourself off and start all over again.
说曹操,曹操到 [說曹操曹操到]
Speak of Cao Cao and he arrives
'Cao Cao ➚ of the Three Kingdoms is the embodiment of evil. Someone who you are talking about happens to appear unexpectedly.
Roughly equivalent to: Speak of the devil and he is sure to appear.
雷声大,雨点小 [雷聲大雨點小]
Thunder is loud but little rain falls
Overly portentous. Reality does not match expectations.
Roughly equivalent to: Empty vessels make the most noise.
穿新鞋,走老路 [穿新鞋走老路]
Wear new shoes but follow old paths
Stick to the old ways while appearing to follow the latest trends.
人琴俱亡
Both man and lute have perished
Deep mourning for a close friend. Seeing something that reminds you of someone who has died. The story is of two brothers, when one of them died after a serious illness the other was two heart-broken to play the lute anymore as it reminded him too much of his brother.
以卵击石 [以卵擊石]
Try to smash a stone with an egg
Overrating strength and being defeated. Defeat guaranteed.
Roughly equivalent to: Kicking a brick wall.
世外桃源
The land of peach blossoms
A mythical land of peace and harmony. The story is of a hidden land that a fisherman found while trying to escape turmoil and war in the Qin dynasty. Try as he might he never found the land again.
Roughly equivalent to: Land of milk and honey.
Image by Ozonefrance ➚ available under a Creative Commons license ➚
少见多怪 [少見多怪]
Things look strange to the unfamiliar
Unsettled by a new environment.
一顾之荣 [一顧之榮]
Honored from a single glance
Honored by a visit of someone distinguished who is showing an interest. A passport to getting on in social circles. The story is that a expert of horse was persuaded to give a mere glance at a horse that was for sale and by so doing its price rose enormously in value.
先斩后奏 [先斬後奏]
Execute first, report later
Taking the initiative; acting without orders. The story is of a newly appointed magistrate who was seeking a murderer. When she was found, the magistrate had her executed on the spot in spite of she being a servant to the Emperor's sister. An execution requires the Emperor's sanction and so the magistrate was in deep trouble,. In this case the magistrate managed to escape with his life.
Roughly equivalent to: Off you own bat.
万事俱备,只欠东风 [萬事俱備,只欠東風]
Everything is ready, except for the east wind
Lacking one small, but crucial item. It refers to the battle of Red Cliff in the Three Kingdoms period when Cao Cao's great army threatened to overcome his adversaries on the Yangzi River. The clever strategy advocated by Zhuge Liang was to send fire boats into Cao Cao's navy. Everything was prepared but for ages the wind was in the wrong direction. At last it changed to the east and Cao Cao was defeated.
Roughly equivalent to: For the want of a nail .,. the kingdom was lost.
大义灭亲 [大義滅親]
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.
芒刺在背
A thorn in one's flesh
Someone or something is causing continuous irritation.
完璧归赵 [完璧歸趙]
Returning the jade bi to Zhao
A jade bi is a large round piece with a hole in the middle. The story is of an ancient Imperial 'crown jewel' the 'He shi bi' that was stolen by the king of Qin. The ruler of the state of Zhao then managed to get it back. It has come to mean returning something (in good condition) to its rightful owner.
度日如年 [度日如年]
Each day passes as a year
Time seems to pass very slowly.
Roughly equivalent to: Time drags on.
舐犊之爱 [舐犢之愛]
The love of a cow licking her calf
An example of parental love and devotion. A biased assessment due to family ties - caring for one's own relatives.
Roughly equivalent to: The fruit does not fall far from the tree.
普天同庆 [普天同慶]
Everyone in celebration
The whole nation is rejoicing at some happy event.
骑虎难下 [騎虎難下]
When on a tiger's back, it is hard to dismount
When taking risks you have to live with the consequences, it is difficult to back out.
Roughly equivalent to: He who sups with the Devil should have a long spoon.
州官放火
The magistrate burns down the town
Bewailing pompous and incompetent officials. The story is that an official who did not want his name 'Deng' to be used in any official proclamation. The problem arose when the Lantern or 'Deng' festival was to be announced. Instead of 'Deng' he used the character for Fire instead and so announced the coming of Fire throughout the town - causing widespread alarm.
Roughly equivalent to: Couldn't organize a piss-up in a brewey.
刻舟求剑 [刻舟求劍]
Marking the boat to locate a sunken sword
A venture made pointless by changing circumstances. The story is of a man who accidentally dropped a sword in the lake while being ferried across it. He reasoned that if he made a notch in the side of the boat that would let him find the sword again,
Roughly equivalent to: Wild goose chase.
倾城倾国 [傾城傾國]
Triumph over city and country
Overwhelm the entire area. Usually applied to a woman of outstanding beauty.
Roughly equivalent to: The face that launched a thousand ships.
心旷神怡,事事顺利 [心曠神怡事事順利]
Heart joyful, work profitable
Feeling happy and relaxed.
逼上梁山
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.
Roughly equivalent to: Hobson's choice.
灭此朝食 [滅此朝食]
Wipe out the enemy before breakfast
Grasp current opportunity; anxious to do battle. Tackle the important problem first.
Roughly equivalent to: First catch your hare.
瑕不掩瑜
A speck on a jade stone can't obscure its brilliance
One small fault won't spoil the impression of an overall exceptional person.
木已成舟
The tree has been made into a boat
Too late to change anything.
Roughly equivalent to: What's done is done.
开天辟地 [開天闢地]
To separate heaven from earth
The beginning of a great task. In one creation myth Pangu set about his momentous work by first separating heaven (yang) from earth (yin). An epic undertaking.
Roughly equivalent to: To boldly go.
螳螂捕蝉 [螳螂捕蟬]
The mantis stalks the cicada
Seeking one target unaware of the bigger picture, in this case the mantis was being stalked by a bird. An appeal to heed advice against taking an easy target that would result in greater jeopardy.
叶公好龙 [葉公好龍]
Duke Ye's love of dragons
Pretending to be fond of something which is actually greatly feared. The story is of Duke Ye who decorated whole his house and clothes with dragon motifs. However when a real dragon flew over and landed near his house he trembled in fear. Said of someone hiding their true feelings.
Roughly equivalent to: Putting on a brave face.
郢书燕说 [郢書燕說]
Ying's letter interpreted by Yan
The message has been misunderstood. The story is that someone living in Ying in the Chu kingdom dictated a letter to a friend, the Prime Minister of Yan kingdom. Inadvertently the secretary wrote down 'Raise the lantern' thinking it was part of the letter. The recipient interpreted this to mean he should appoint praiseworthy people to the government. So in this case the misunderstanding gave rise to benefit.
Roughly equivalent to: Get hold of the wrong end of the stick.
箭在弦上,不得不发 [箭在弦上不得不發]
Once the arrow is on the bow string, it must be shot
Things have reached a point when its necessary for something to be done. No choice.
Roughly equivalent to: Lights, camera, action.
四面楚歌
On all four sides hear Chu kingdom songs.
Ambushed from all sides. Hopeless situation. In the battle of Gaixia ➚ troops surrounding the enemy sang songs of home, breaking their spirit. From the classic Shi Ji from 2,200 years ago. After the end of the Qin dynasty the Han general used this tactic against of the Chu kingdom. The Chu songs persuaded the surrounded Chu forces that the Han must have overrun much of the Chu kingdom already.
臭不可当 [臭不可噹]
Worst ever smell
To give off an unbearable stink.
王顾左右而言他 [王顧左右而言他]
The king looked left and right and then talked of other things
Evading making an uncomfortable reply by changing the topic of conversation. The story is of Mencius who asked three questions of the king of Qi, when the last question touched on the king's mismanagement of the kingdom, the king looked left and right to other guests to dodge making a response.
Roughly equivalent to: Avoiding the hot potato.
生米煮成熟饭 [生米煮成熟飯]
The rice has already been cooked
What has been done can not be undone.
Roughly equivalent to: What's done is done.
鸣锣开道 [鳴鑼開道]
Beating the gong to clear the way for dignitaries
To publicize an event.
马马虎虎 [馬馬虎虎]
So so; average; careless
Some people say it comes from an old story in which a horse and a tiger get into a fight. Neither animal could defeat the other. In time, mentioning the two animals together came to mean a fight with no definite winner - and ma ma hu hu came to mean 'so so.'. There is also a story that, a long time ago, an artist drew an animal. He asked other people what the animal he drew was. Some said it looked like a horse while others said it was a tiger. They said, 'ma ma hu hu' because the drawing was just 'so-so'.
输攻墨守 [輸攻墨守]
Shu attacks and Mo defends
Two opponents of equal skill. Back in the Spring and Autumn period the story goes that Gongshu Ban, a carpenter who had developed a new device to aid the attack of cities, was persuaded by the pacifist philosopher MoZi not to deploy it. Mozi was able to defend against any attack by Gongshu Ban giving stalemate.
Roughly equivalent to: Fighting to a standstill.
殃及池鱼 [殃及池魚]
Calamity has spread to the fish in the pond
Suffering collateral damage. Draining a fish pond to search for some treasure would kill off all the fish as a consequence. An action that creates unintended victims.
Roughly equivalent to: Cannon fodder.
心花怒放
The flower of the heart in full bloom
Full flowering of joy.
一叶障目 [一葉障目]
Covering your eyes with a leaf
Not seeing the full picture and so making a flawed analysis of the situation. A blinkered approach often through prejudice.
Roughly equivalent to: Can't see the wood for the trees.
无事不登三宝殿 [無事不登三寳殿]
No-one comes to pray at the Temple of Three Treasures unless in trouble
Often it is obvious when somebody is after something.
左右为难 [左右為難]
Both alternatives are difficult
In a dilemma.
Roughly equivalent to: Be in a pickle.
热锅上的蚂蚁 [熱鍋上的螞蟻]
As active as ants on a hot pan
In a state of feverish activity and excitement.
耳目一新
New sights and sounds
A change of place, everything fresh and new.
曾参杀人 [曾參殺人]
Zeng Shen committed murder
A false rumor. The story is that the mother of Zeng Shen was weaving cloth. Someone came in to tell her that her son had been found guilty of murder. She did not believe it saying he would not do such a thing. Another person came with the same report and she still would not believe it. Only when the third person gave the same story did she reacted and stopped her work. The story was in fact of another man called 'Zeng Shen' and not her son.
Roughly equivalent to: The word on the street.
画龙点睛 [畫龍點睛]
To add eyes to a painted dragon
Make the final vital addition to complete something. Add finishing touches. The story is of a great painter who painted four dragons without completing the eyes. When challenged he claimed that it was to ensure they did not come to life and fly away. When pressured he drew in the eyes of two dragons and they promptly came to life and flew away.
Roughly equivalent to: Dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's.
悬崖勒马 [懸崖勒馬]
Rein in the horse at the cliff edge
Realize danger at the last moment.
鸟尽弓藏 [鳥盡弓藏]
When the birds have all been killed, the bow is stored away
Having completed a job and then being out of employment. To get rid of someone once they have served their purpose. To have served your purpose.
疾风知劲草 [疾風知勁草]
A storm tests the strength of a blade of grass
Being put to the test in harsh circumstances. To show resolution under extreme stress. Remaining loyal to a cause when the going gets tough.
Roughly equivalent to: If you cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen.
巧取豪夺 [巧取豪奪]
Grab by trick or by force
Cheat others of their valuables by trickery or force.
Roughly equivalent to: Rip off.
强弩之末 [強弩之末]
An arrow at the end of its flight
A spent force. An person or impulse that has now lost all its initial energy just as a bolt from a cross-bow gradually loses its power with distance.
Roughly equivalent to: Burned out.
风马牛不相及 [風馬牛不相及]
Horses and cows keep themselves separate
People moving in different circles, different agendas. Having nothing in common.
Roughly equivalent to: Apples and oranges.
涸辙之鲋 [涸轍之鮒]
A carp in a dry rut
In a desperate situation. A fish stuck in a rut in the road will soon die if not moved. In need of immediate assistance.
Roughly equivalent to: In dire straits.
空前绝后 [空前絕后]
Neither seen in the future nor in the past
Something that is genuinely new.
步步高升
Step by step promotion
Congratulation on promotion or a new job.
漏洞百出
Leaking through one hundred holes
Full of mistakes and errors.
杯弓蛇影
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.
Roughly equivalent to: Afraid of your own shadow.
宾至如归 [賓至如歸]
Guests feel at home
Warmly welcoming guests to your home. Guests treated as part of the family.
Roughly equivalent to: Be my guest.
焦头烂额 [焦頭爛頟]
Head bruised and brow burned
In terrible trouble.
Roughly equivalent to: Beaten black and blue.
虎视眈眈 [虎眎眈眈]
A tiger's stare. To look covetously
To eye enviously.
司空见惯 [司空見慣]
Sikong is used to it
Sikong was the job title of a minister of works in China. In the Tang dynasty the poet Liu Yuxi was invited by a minister to a feast accompanied by entertainers. This was a common occurrence for the minister but greatly impressed the poet. An everyday occurrence; nothing out of the ordinary.
Roughly equivalent to: As common as muck.
弱不禁风 [弱不禁風]
Too weak to stand a gust of wind
Fragile, unable to withstand further setbacks.
裹足不前
Dithering about
Unable to move forward due to misgivings. To hesitate about getting on and doing something.
Roughly equivalent to: All of a dither.
困兽犹斗 [困獸猶鬥]
A cornered beast continues to struggle
Desperate measures to keep going. To fight like a cornered animal.
Roughly equivalent to: A drowning man will clutch at a straw.
合浦珠还 [合浦珠還]
The Hepu pearls return home
Something or someone returns to its original source. Often said of someone returning to their original home district after years of wandering. The story is from the Han dynasty of Hepu, Gunagxi which was a leading center for pearl fishing until a local official over exploited the beds of pearls leading to Vietnam taking over as the leading procedure. Only when the pearl beds were left for years to recover did the pearl industry return.
Roughly equivalent to: The wheel has come full circle.
旷日持久 [曠日持久]
Wasting a great deal of time
Spending a protracted length of time on a task. A waste of time.
Roughly equivalent to: A wild goose chase.
分道扬镳 [分道揚鑣]
Go separate ways and urge on the horses
Choosing to go separate ways due to different plans and ambitions.
草木皆兵
Every bush harbors an enemy
Being paranoid - believing everyone is out to get you. To be beleaguered.
非驴非马 [非驢非馬]
Neither a donkey nor a horse
A person or place that is neither one thing nor another. Indeterminate or strange combination.
Roughly equivalent to: Neither fish nor fowl.
煮豆燃萁
Burning bean-stalks to cook beans
To stir up family quarrels. The stalks supported the beans when they were growing so it seems disloyal for them to be used to cook the beans. To foment disorder which will harm the whole community including yourself.
噤若寒蝉 [噤若寒蟬]
As silent as a cicada in winter
Cicadas do not 'sing' in cold weather. To keep silent for fear of attracting unwanted attention or incriminating yourself.
Roughly equivalent to: Keeping mum.
别无长物 [別無長物]
Having nothing to spare
In great poverty, possessing nothing other than the bare essentials.
Roughly equivalent to: The cupboard is bare.
一身是胆 [一身是膽]
Full of courage
Fearless, intrepid. A heroic disposition.
Roughly equivalent to: As bold as brass.
束之高阁 [束之高閣]
Store away in the attic
Dismiss someone or something for the moment as currently unimportant. Designate something as low priority.
Roughly equivalent to: Put on the back-burner.
三顾茅庐 [三顧茅廬]
Calling three times at the thatched cottage
Committed to get best possible advice. The story is of Liu Bei in the Three Kingdoms Period who wanted the help of the master strategist Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang refused to answer the door on Liu's first two visits. When Liu made a third visit Zhuge was sufficiently convinced that Liu was genuinely desperate for his help.
成也萧何,败也萧何 [成也蕭何,敗也蕭何]
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,
余音绕梁 [餘音繞樑]
The music lingers around the roof beams
Music so beautiful it seems to reverberate around the roof. A pleasant musical performance and by analogy memory of a joyous occasion.
Roughly equivalent to: Transport of delight.
鸡犬升天 [雞犬升天]
Even chickens and dogs go to heaven
Riding high on someone else's success. When someone gets a plum job all his friends and family will also prosper. Alternatively can mean once a problem has been cracked anyone can solve it.
死灰复燃 [死灰復燃]
Ashes burn again
Resuming work after a long break. Taking up a previously held position of authority. Another flush of youthful energy in later life.
毛遂自荐 [毛遂自薦]
Mao Sui recommends himself
Volunteering your services for a difficult task. The story is of a servant named Mao Sui to negotiate with the king of Chu over a Qin attack on the kingdom of Zhao (Warring States era). Not enough people volunteered to go on the mission so Mao Sui volunteered against the wishes of his lord. When reluctantly allowed to go Mao Sui proved an able negotiator.
既往不咎
It is pointless to blame past events
What is done is done. It is pointless to live a life of regret for things that can't be changed.
Roughly equivalent to: Forgive and forget.
病入膏肓
The disease has penetrated the vitals
Beyond hope and cure. A hopeless situation.
Roughly equivalent to: Not the ghost of a chance.
妻离子散
Wife left; children scattered
A broken family.
盲人摸象
Blind people touch an elephant
Seeing only part of the situation. A Buddhist tale of how a group of blind men each felt a different part of an elephant and came to very different ideas of what it was. One felt a tusk (a huge carrot?), one a ear (a flat dish?), one a leg (a column?) and the fourth the tail (a rope?). None could agree as to what it was.
Roughly equivalent to: Not seeing the full picture.
越俎代庖
Laying down the sacrificial vessels and take over the kitchen
To move beyond current work and meddle in other's duties. To take things into your own hands. A back seat driver.
Roughly equivalent to: Poke your nose in someone else's business.
花花世界
Life full of experience. Dazzling world of excitement
World seething with life.
将欲取之,必先与之 [將欲取之,必先與之]
Give up in order to take back
A strategy to maintain possession. By giving up something in the hope that it will be rewarded. The story is of a dispute with a greedy neighboring kingdom. Rather than oppose a kingdom volunteered to give up land. When the greed y neighbor continued to take advantage all the neighbors united against it and all the lands were returned.
梁上君子
The gentleman on the roof beam
Euphemism for a thief. As traditional Chinese roof tiles were not tacked down it was very easy to access a house via the roof.
Roughly equivalent to: Caught with your hand in the cookie jar.
倒屣相迎
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.
Roughly equivalent to: Go weak at the knees.
一朝一夕
One morning and one evening
A short space of time. Something transient that will soon pass.
Roughly equivalent to: Over in a flash.
风吹草动 [風吹草動]
The wind causes the grass to move
A minor repercussion of a larger action. A trifling consequence.
染于苍则 染于黄则黄 [染於蒼則蒼,染於黃則黃]
Dyeing dark blue makes dark blue, dyeing yellow makes yellow
People behave differently according to circumstance. Taking on local conventions and customs.
Roughly equivalent to: When in Rome do as the Romans do.
推心置腹
Having full confidence
Put give someone your full support - body and soul. To trust someone implicitly.
如火如荼
Raging like a fire
Daunting and vigorous. An intimidating prospect.
Roughly equivalent to: Vim and vigour.
防微杜渐 [防微杜漸]
Prevent problems by early action
A stitch in time saves nine. Tackle problems when they are small and can be dealt with before they get out of hand.
Roughly equivalent to: Nipping it in the bud.
日以继夜 [日以繼夜]
Day and night continuously
Working without a break. Exhausted.
苟延残喘 [苟延殘喘]
Lingering at last gasp
In the throes of dying. Making a final desperate action prior to dying.
Roughly equivalent to: At death's door.
投鞭断流 [投鞭斷流]
Throwing in whips to stop the river
An immense number of people. If all the people carried whips that were thrown into the river Yangzi then they would be so numerous as to block its flow. Overwhelming odds.
门可罗雀 [門可羅雀]
The gate can catch birds
There are so few visitors that the door could be used to catch birds. Having very few visitors.
立锥之地 [立錐之地]
A place to stick an awl
A very small piece of property. Often said of someone who has fallen on hard times and has only a very small place to live or just to describe a very small space.
Roughly equivalent to: No space to swing a cat.
未能免俗
Bound up by conventions
Unable to do what you want because social conventions forbid it. Doing something just because it is expected.
Roughly equivalent to: Creature of habit.
闻风丧胆 [聞風喪膽]
Panic on hearing news
Panic stricken; terrified by news.
牛衣对泣 [牛衣對泣]
A couple sobbing in ox's capes
A couple who are destitute and miserable. They have no money for clothes so use a straw cape made for oxen. Usually used as an admonishment to get a grip and battle with difficulties rather than giving in to self pity.
鞭长莫及 [鞭長莫及]
Beyond the reach of the whip
Too far away to be able to help or beyond one's skill or influence.
一败涂地 [一敗塗地]
A crushing defeat
Defeat so total bodies will litter the ground. Beaten and in a hopeless situation. Suggest the enemy is in such a rage that no mercy will be shown.
冰天雪地
Ice in the sky and snow on the ground
Encountering adverse conditions.
返老还童 [返老還童]
Return to youthful vigour
Returning to youthful energy. Turning back the years. Often used as a compliment to someone sprightly in old age.
Roughly equivalent to: New lease of life.
此地无银三百两 [此地無銀三百兩]
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.
杀鸡焉用牛刀 [殺雞焉用牛刀]
Using an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken
Taking unnecessary effort to tackle a small problem. Using an inappropriately large tool for the job.
Roughly equivalent to: Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
含沙射影
Making insinuations
To spit sand at someone's shadow, in other words to attack someone indirectly by innuendo. There is a legend of a three-legged turtle that would spit out sand at anyone who passed. Its spittle was so noxious that it would infect someone even if it only hit their shadow.
吴牛喘月 [吳牛喘月]
The ox from Wu pants at the sight of the moon
Unnecessarily fearful of something. The story is of an ox from Wu that thought the moon was the sun and panted through the assumed heat it expected to experience.
Roughly equivalent to: Afraid of your own shadow.
满城风雨 [滿城風雨]
Everywhere is lashed by wind and rain
The whole community is awash with scandal or a sensational story.
Roughly equivalent to: On everyone's lips.
锦囊妙计 [錦囊妙計]
Excellent plans hidden in a brocade bag
To have wise plans in reserve. The story is that the brilliant strategist Zhuge Liang sent plans for a military campaign concealed in a brocade bag.
庆父不死,鲁难未已 [慶父不死,魯難未已]
The troubles of the state of Lu will continue until Qing Fu is removed
Take action to remove someone/something obstructing progress, In the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history Qing Fu rose to power in the state of Lu and ruled as a complete despot killing any opponents. Peace did not come until he had been removed from power.
Roughly equivalent to: Grasp the nettle.
望洋兴叹 [望洋興嘆]
Consider one's competence before the ocean
To feel inadequate to perform a great task. Feel misgivings before a big endeavor. The story is of the river god of the Huanghe caused a great flood that made the river a mile wide but when it met the sea it was overcome with relative inadequacy.
狼狈不堪 [狼狽不堪]
In a sorry plight
Facing total defeat. Left high and dry. The story is of Ma Chao in the Three Kingdoms Period who was out maneuvered by Cao Cao and faced total defeat.
Roughly equivalent to: In dire straits.
乐此不疲 [樂此不疲]
Pleasure takes away the fatigue
Said of a task that is enjoyable and so does not seem to be tiring. Can also be applied to a pleasurable task that you never get tired of doing.
刮目相看
Rubbing one's eyes when seeing someone
Noticing that someone has changed for the better. Show respect for improvement and progress. Changing a view of someone's abilities.
Roughly equivalent to: Seeing someone in a new light.
虎口余生 [虎口餘生]
Saved from the tiger's den
A narrow escape from a dangerous situation.
尔虞我诈 [爾虞我詐]
Cheating and deceiving each other
Mutual distrust and deception. A relationship without any trust.
Roughly equivalent to: Dog eat dog.
如鱼得水 [如魚得水]
Like a fish returned to water
Glad to be back in familiar surroundings. Applied to people returning home after a long absence or someone who has at last found their proper place in life.
Roughly equivalent to: In one's element.
侯门似海 [侯門似海]
A noble's house is as vast as the sea
A very tough task. A nobleman in ancient China would have a courtyard house with high walls and no easy entry. It was also hard to get any way to get an invite to visit such a noble. And so represents a high physical and social barrier.
Roughly equivalent to: Beyond your wildest dreams.
一发千钧 [一髮千鈞]
Single hair holding a heavy weight
At a critical point. A single hair holds back a heavy weight. A very dangerous situation.
Roughly equivalent to: Sticky situation.
众怒难犯 [眾怒難犯]
Avoid incurring the wrath of the crowd
It's a bad idea to stir up the anger of a large crowd.
风吹草动 [風吹草動]
The wind causes the grass to move
A minor repercussion of a larger action. A trifling consequence.
幸灾乐祸 [幸災樂禍]
Delighting in the misfortune of others
The story is of a king who delighted in the plight of the neighboring kingdom that was suffering from famine and would not help them even though he had received help when his people were suffering. So it means sadistic glee.
Roughly equivalent to: Schadenfreude.
实事求是 [實事求是]
Seek truth from facts
Base judgment on the true facts of the situation and not rumor or custom.
Roughly equivalent to: Know for a fact.
富丽堂皇 [富麗堂皇]
Prosperous and beautiful
To have the best of good fortune.
从容不迫 [從容不迫]
Calm and unhurried
Taking life calmly and in your stride. Untroubled.
Roughly equivalent to: Without a care in the world.
守口如瓶
To keep mouth shut, like a bottle
To avoid giving the game away; to not breathe a word.
Roughly equivalent to: See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
心腹之患
Major internal problems
Internal disorder causing crisis. Internal division preventing proper action.
言犹在耳 [言猶在耳]
Words still ringing in one's ears
Still fresh in the mind. Keeping hold of a recent command or argument. Staying true to purpose.
起死回生
Can bring the dead back to life
Amazing recovery from illness. Said of a doctor who has brought someone back from a terminal condition.
歧路亡羊
The sheep goes astray at the fork of a road
Taking a wrong decision and now hopelessly lost. Unable to work out a way forward because the true situation has not been appreciated,
乱七八糟 [亂七八糟]
Chaotic mess
To be in a terrible mess. Dirty and filthy.
人山人海
People everywhere
Huge crowds of people.
Image by Ariel Steiner available under a Creative Commons license ➚
身临其境 [身臨其境]
Present and observing
An eye witness to an event.
车载斗量 [車載斗量]
Cartloads and sackfuls
Huge quantity. A very large number. Overabundant.
飞禽走兽 [飛禽走獸]
Birds and beasts
Wildlife.
呆若木鸡 [呆若木雞]
As dumb as a wooden chicken
Dumbstruck, unable to move or say anything out of fear.
Roughly equivalent to: Caught like a rabbit in the headlights.
割肉自啖
Eating one's own flesh
A foolish, self defeating stratagem.
Roughly equivalent to: Cutting off your nose to spite your face.
十全十美
Completely whole and beautiful
Perfection; faultless.
胶柱鼓瑟 [膠柱鼓瑟]
Gluing the tuning pegs of a zither
Inflexible and stubborn. Gluing the tuning pegs of a musical instrument so it can not be tuned and brought into harmony.
Roughly equivalent to: As stubborn as a mule.
惊弓之鸟 [驚弓之鳥]
A bird startled even by the twang of a bow string
Someone who is easily frightened especially if triggered by a previous bad experience. The story is of a great archer who claimed he could shoot a goose out of the sky without releasing an arrow. He then twanged the bow and a goose did fall to the ground. The goose showed signs of a previous arrow injury and had died of fright.
捉襟见肘 [捉襟見肘]
Pulling the lapels only to expose the elbows
In poverty - wearing an old coat so threadbare that pulling it up exposes the elbows through holes. Unable to make ends meet. Up Queer street.
Roughly equivalent to: As poor as a church mouse.
贪小失大 [貪小失大]
Coveting small gains and incurring great losses
Paying attention to the unimportant details not the big picture. Concentration on trivia.
Roughly equivalent to: Penny wise, pound foolish.
一箭双雕 [一箭雙鵰]
Shooting two hawks with one arrow
Completing two (or more) tasks at the same time. A fortunate coincidence.
Roughly equivalent to: Killing two birds with one stone.
自由自在
Unrestricted freedom
To be carefree, peaceful and relaxed.
骨瘦如柴
Nothing but skin and bones
Emaciated.
余勇可贾 [餘勇可賈]
Surplus courage for sale
Enthusiastic to carry on after success. Full of energy.
Roughly equivalent to: Full of beans.
曲高和寡
Highbrow songs find few singers
A performance or speech that can only be appreciated by some of the audience. Something beyond the understanding of ordinary people.
Roughly equivalent to: An acquired taste.
多行不义必自毙 [多行不義必自斃]
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.
亡戟得矛
Losing a halberd but gaining a spear
Losing something but gaining something of similar value. A halberd is rather similar to a spear - having a different blade on the end of a pole. No overall impact - both losses and gains.
Roughly equivalent to: Swings and roundabounts.
如坐针毡 [如坐針氈]
Like sitting on a carpet of needles
To feel tense and uneasy.
天南地北
As distant as the heavens
Places or opinions that are very far apart.
举足轻重 [舉足輕重]
One step decides the outcome
Taking the decisive step; making the crucial decision. A situation where people are hesitant about moving forward and it needs someone to make the first move and the rest follow.
每况愈下 [每況愈下]
Steadily deteriorate
Getting gradually worse each time. Life in a decline.
Roughly equivalent to: A turn for the worse.
胯下之辱
Forced to crawl under someone's crotch
An act of great humiliation. It was considered unseemly to have to crawl between someone's legs.
Roughly equivalent to: A slap in the face.
心甘情愿 [心甘情願]
Delighted and helpful
Delighted to be able to help.
马到成功 [馬到成功]
Horse win easy victory
Gain immediate victory.
一笔勾销 [一筆勾銷]
To dismiss with one stroke of the pen
Taking tough, decisive action to solve a problem. The story is of a statesman who sacked a whole host of incompetent officials working for him with one stroke of the brush.
门庭若市 [門庭若市]
Front yard is like a market
The house is thronged with visitors. The place is all astir.
Roughly equivalent to: Hive of industry.
傍人门户 [傍人門戶]
Hanging on another's door
Someone dependent on a household without making much contribution. A hanger-on.
Roughly equivalent to: A sponger.
怀安丧志 [懷安喪志]
A contented life saps the will
Living a life of idleness and contentment can lead to idleness and laziness.
Roughly equivalent to: A Lotus eater.
有恃无恐 [有恃無恐]
Powerful backing dispels fear
Secure in the knowledge that influential people will back you up.
奇货可居 [奇貨可居]
Scarce goods worth hoarding
Something that people pay good money for in future. A market opportunity.
讳疾忌医 [諱疾忌醫]
Hiding sickness for fear of treatment
Keeping mistakes and shortcomings to yourself. Refuse to listen to advice.
Roughly equivalent to: Sweep it under the carpet.
退避三舍
Withdrawing three leagues
To retreat ahead of superior force, a tactical withdrawal. A 'she' is an ancient term for three day's march or 30 li. To sensibly avoid conflict.
得过且过 [得過且過]
Getting by
Muddling through life without great ambitions. Contended to just live from day to day.
Roughly equivalent to: Enough is as good as a feast.
城下之盟
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.
咄咄怪事
Something's strange
A matter or incident that is absurd, extraordinary or strange.
一鼓作气 [一鼓作氣]
Gathering courage from a single drum beat
A sudden burst of energy. Easily stimulated into action.
犬牙交错 [犬牙交錯]
Locked together like dog's teeth
Closely locked together like the two sets of teeth, Said of two opponents who are closely matched in skill who are locked in complex conflict.
胆大如斗 [膽大如斗]
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.
Roughly equivalent to: As bold as brass.
出尔反尔 [出爾反爾]
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.
Roughly equivalent to: What you sow, so shall you reap.
前倨后恭 [前倨後恭]
First scornful then respectful
Treating people in a two-faced manner according to people's perceived power and influence. A snobbish person who changes their manner according to who they are dealing with.
Roughly equivalent to: Two faced.
家喻户晓 [家喻戶曉]
Known in every household
A person or fact known to everybody. Something or somebody well known.
Roughly equivalent to: A household name.
一厢情愿 [一廂情願]
A private wish
Acting on a personal wish not shared by others.
Roughly equivalent to: Wishful thinking.
取而代之
Taking another person?s place
To act as a substitute or replacement for someone.
Roughly equivalent to: Step into someone's shoes.
英雄无用武之地 [英雄無用武之地]
A hero having no opportunity to display his talents
A situation where someone's undoubted talents can not be utilized.
众叛亲离 [眾叛親離]
Deserted by followers
Finding yourself isolated having lost support.
模棱两可 [模棱兩可]
To equivocate
Position is unclear or uncertain. Failing to make up your mind.
Roughly equivalent to: Sitting on the fence.
目瞪口呆
Staring eyes and mouth open
Dumb struck.
量体裁衣 [量體裁衣]
Choosing clothes to fit
Choose appropriate for circumstances. To live within one's means.
丧家之狗 [喪家之狗]
Fleeing from a wild dog
Fleeing in fear and panic due to unexpected visitor or situation.
孤注一掷 [孤注一擲]
Stake all on a single throw
Taking desperate measures to try to save a situation. Gambling everything on a change of fortune.
Roughly equivalent to: Last throw of the dice.
兼听则明,偏信则暗 [兼聽則明,偏信則暗]
Listen to several people and you will be enlightened; if only a few then you will be muddled
Take advice from all quarters not just a few people. Wise Emperors of China read the reports (memorials) from many senior officials before making policy decisions.
厉兵秣马 [厲兵秣馬]
Sharpening the weapons and feeding the horses
Making preparations for imminent battle. Committed to meet an enemy head-on.
Roughly equivalent to: Locked and loaded.
后顾之忧
Looking after troubles behind you
Worried about events back at home. Said of someone concerned about goings on at home rather than things immediately to hand.
如鸟兽散 [如鳥獸散]
Scattering like birds and beasts
To flee in all directions. Trying to escape from catastrophe - often used to describe fleeing from danger.
Roughly equivalent to: Run for the hills.
狗尾续貂 [狗尾續貂]
Use a dog's tail to replace a sable
A poor substitute for the original. Said of poor follow-up to promising earlier work. The story is of a usurper to the Jin dynasty throne who gave honors and titles to his whole family and household. There was insufficient sable tails to make the formal robes for all these people so dog tails were used instead.
从善如流 [從善如流]
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.
Roughly equivalent to: Following the flow.
擢发难数 [擢髮難數]
As countless as the hairs on the head
Countless. A very large number.
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 some of the characters have been simplified the traditional form 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.