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.
耳目一新
ear eye one new
New sights and sounds
A change of place, everything fresh and new
捉襟见肘 [捉襟見肘]
clutch lapel see elbow
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.
As poor as a church mouse
厉兵秣马 [厲兵秣馬]
sharpen weapons feed horse
Sharpening the weapons and feeding the horses
Making preparations for imminent battle. Committed to meet an enemy head-on
Locked and loaded
幸灾乐祸 [幸災樂禍]
lucky calamity laugh misfortune
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.
Schadenfreude
身临其境 [身臨其境]
body face its border
Present and observing
An eye witness to an event
郢书燕说 [郢書燕說]
Ying letter Yan explain
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.
Get hold of the wrong end of the stick
风吹草动 [風吹草動]
wind blow grass move
The wind causes the grass to move
A minor repercussion of a larger action. A trifling consequence
门可罗雀 [門可羅雀]
gate can net bird
The gate can catch birds
There are so few visitors that the door could be used to catch birds. Having very few visitors
守口如瓶
guard mouth like bottle
To keep mouth shut, like a bottle
To avoid giving the game away; to not breathe a word
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil
少见多怪 [少見多怪]
less look many odd
Things look strange to the unfamiliar
Unsettled by a new environment
漏洞百出
leak hole hundred get out
Leaking through one hundred holes
Full of mistakes and errors
冰天雪地
ice sky snow ground
Ice in the sky and snow on the ground
Encountering adverse conditions
说曹操,曹操到 [說曹操曹操到]
speak Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrives
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
Speak of the devil and he is sure to appear
苛政猛于虎 [苛政猛於虎]
severe government fierce tiger
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.
毛遂自荐 [毛遂自薦]
Mao Sui self recommend
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.
开天辟地 [開天闢地]
start heaven repel earth
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
To boldly go
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
焦头烂额 [焦頭爛頟]
beaten head burnt brow
Head bruised and brow burned
In terrible trouble
Beaten black and blue
满城风雨 [滿城風雨]
full town wind rain
Everywhere is lashed by wind and rain
The whole community is awash with scandal or a sensational story.
On everyone's lips
Nanjing skyline. September 2012.
Image by Ozonefrance ➚ available under a Creative Commons license ➚
生米煮成熟饭 [生米煮成熟飯]
produce rice cook accomplish well-cooked food
The rice has already been cooked
What has been done can not be undone
What's done is done
左右为难 [左右為難]
left right pride difficult
Both alternatives are difficult
In a dilemma
Be in a pickle
易如反掌
easy as turn over palm
As easy as turning over your hand
Simple. Very easy
四面楚歌
four side Chu song
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
悬崖勒马 [懸崖勒馬]
precipice rein in horse
Rein in the horse at the cliff edge
Realize danger at the last moment
普天同庆 [普天同慶]
universal heaven together celebrate
Everyone in celebration
The whole nation is rejoicing at some happy event
灭此朝食 [滅此朝食]
wipe out this morning eat
Wipe out the enemy before breakfast
Grasp current opportunity; anxious to do battle. Tackle the important problem first.
First catch your hare
世外桃源
world foreign peach source
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.
Land of milk and honey
弱不禁风 [弱不禁風]
weak not restrict wind
Too weak to stand a gust of wind
Fragile, unable to withstand further setbacks
后顾之忧
back attend worries
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.
羽毛未丰
feather not yet mature
Not yet grown adult plumage. A fledgling bird - young and inexperienced
Still too young and immature
雷声大,雨点小 [雷聲大雨點小]
thunder sound big, rain drop small
Thunder is loud but little rain falls
Overly portentous. Reality does not match expectations
Empty vessels make the most noise
心甘情愿 [心甘情願]
feeling sweet fine wish
Delighted and helpful
Delighted to be able to help
妻离子散
wife leave child break-up
Wife left; children scattered
A broken family
日以继夜 [日以繼夜]
day take continue
Day and night continuously
Working without a break. Exhausted
模棱两可 [模棱兩可]
pattern edge both permit
To equivocate
Position is unclear or uncertain. Failing to make up your mind.
Sitting on the fence
维妙维肖 [維妙維肖]
tie clever tie resemble
Weave skillfully life like images
Produce an image remarkably true to life; highly skilled
飞禽走兽 [飛禽走獸]
flying bird walking animal
Birds and beasts
Wildlife
王顾左右而言他 [王顧左右而言他]
king attend to left right and talk other
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
Avoiding the hot potato
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.
十全十美
ten complete ten beautiful
Completely whole and beautiful
Perfection; faultless
以卵击石 [以卵擊石]
use egg strike stone
Try to smash a stone with an egg
Overrating strength and being defeated. Defeat guaranteed.
Kicking a brick wall
香消玉损 [香消玉損]
fragrant vanish jade broken
Fragrance is dissipated; jade is broken
Spoken of on the death of a beautiful young woman
Whom the Gods love die young
瑕不掩瑜
defect not conceal jewel
A speck on a jade stone can't obscure its brilliance
One small fault won't spoil the impression of an overall exceptional person
树欲静而风不止 [樹欲靜而風不止]
tree desire quiet but wind not still
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
门庭若市 [門庭若市]
door hall like market
Front yard is like a market
The house is thronged with visitors. The place is all astir
Hive of industry
狼狈不堪 [狼狽不堪]
wolf distressed not endure
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.
In dire straits
热锅上的蚂蚁 [熱鍋上的螞蟻]
heat pot up of ants
As active as ants on a hot pan
In a state of feverish activity and excitement
乱七八糟 [亂七八糟]
chaos seven eight dregs
Chaotic mess
To be in a terrible mess. Dirty and filthy
木已成舟
tree cease make boat
The tree has been made into a boat
Too late to change anything
What's done is done
心旷神怡,事事顺利 [心曠神怡事事順利]
heart broad spirit joy, matter matter obey profit
Heart joyful, work profitable
Feeling happy and relaxed
天南地北
heaven south land north
As distant as the heavens
Places or opinions that are very far apart
自由自在
freedom unrestrained
Unrestricted freedom
To be carefree, peaceful and relaxed
弹冠相庆 [彈冠相慶]
flick hat mutually celebrate
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
非驴非马 [非驢非馬]
not donkey not horse
Neither a donkey nor a horse
A person or place that is neither one thing nor another. Indeterminate or strange combination.
Neither fish nor fowl
芒刺在背
tip thorn exist back
A thorn in one?s flesh
Someone or something is causing continuous irritation.
割肉自啖
cut flesh oneself eat
Eating one's own flesh
A foolish, self defeating stratagem.
Cutting off your nose to spite your face
骑虎难下 [騎虎難下]
ride tiger difficult down
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
He who sups with the Devil should have a long spoon
Buddhist temple gate in Guangdong, China; including stone lions. Image by Chauchunyin available under a Creative Commons license ➚.
如坐针毡 [如坐針氈]
like sit needle carpet
Like sitting on a carpet of needles
To feel tense and uneasy
含沙射影
keep sand shoot shadow
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.
水深火热 [水深火熱]
water deep fire hot
In deep water and fierce fire
In very deep trouble. A desperate situation with nowhere to turn.
In dire straits
既往不咎
already past not to blame
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.
Forgive and forget
锦囊妙计 [錦囊妙計]
brocade purse wonderful plan
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.
风吹草动 [風吹草動]
wind blow grass move
The wind causes the grass to move
A minor repercussion of a larger action. A trifling consequence
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.
花花世界
flower flower lifespan limit
Life full of experience. Dazzling world of excitement
World seething with life
虎视眈眈 [虎眎眈眈]
tiger look at stare stare
A tiger's stare. To look covetously
To eye enviously
家喻户晓 [家喻戶曉]
home as household know
Known in every household
A person or fact known to everybody. Something or somebody well known
A household name
州官放火
prefecture to be set on fire
The magistrate burns down the town
Bewailing pompous and incompetent officials. The story is that an official refused that his name 'Deng' should be used in any official proclamation. A problem arose when the Lantern or 'Deng' festival was to be announced. Instead of 'Deng' he used the character for Fire instead announcing the coming of Fire throughout the town
Couldn't organize a piss-up in a brewey
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
卷土重来 [捲土重來]
sweep dust again come
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.
Dust yourself off and start all over again
一败涂地 [一敗塗地]
whole defeat smear ground
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.
步步高升
step step tall ascend
Step by step promotion
Congratulation on promotion or a new job
人山人海
person mountain person sea
People everywhere
Huge crowds of people
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
无事不登三宝殿 [無事不登三寳殿]
nothing matter no climb three treasure hall
No-one comes to pray at the Temple of Three Treasures unless in trouble
Often it is obvious when somebody is after something
网开一面 [網開一面]
net open one side
To leave one side of the net open
To give someone a chance of escape
To let someone off the hook
Bronze temple door knobs
心花怒放
heart flower in full bloom
The flower of the heart in full bloom
Full flowering of joy
丧家之狗 [喪家之狗]
to flee home own dog
Fleeing from a wild dog
Fleeing in fear and panic due to unexpected visitor or situation
众怒难犯 [眾怒難犯]
crowd fury disaster to offend
Avoid incurring the wrath of the crowd
It's a bad idea to stir up the anger of a large crowd
富丽堂皇 [富麗堂皇]
good fortune beautiful hall emperor
Prosperous and beautiful
To have the best of good fortune
马马虎虎 [馬馬虎虎]
horse horse tiger tiger
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'.
马到成功 [馬到成功]
horse arrive accomplish merit
Horse win easy victory
Gain immediate victory
闻风丧胆 [聞風喪膽]
hear news lose courage
Panic on hearing news
Panic stricken; terrified by news
骨瘦如柴
bone thin as lath
Nothing but skin and bones
Emaciated
箭在弦上,不得不发 [箭在弦上不得不發]
arrow exist string on, not get no deliver
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
Lights, camera, action
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
司空见惯 [司空見慣]
Sikong see usual
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
As common as muck
输攻墨守 [輸攻墨守]
Shu to attack surname Mo to defend
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.
Fighting to a standstill
起死回生
raise death return life
Can bring the dead back to life
Amazing recovery from illness. Said of a doctor who has brought someone back from a terminal condition.
旷日持久 [曠日持久]
waste day protracted
Wasting a great deal of time
Spending a protracted length of time on a task. A waste of time.
A wild goose chase
目瞪口呆
eye stare mouth blank
Staring eyes and mouth open
Dumb struck
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.
侯门似海 [侯門似海]
nobleman house appear sea
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.
Beyond your wildest dreams
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
空前绝后 [空前絕后]
empty before terminate behind
Neither seen in the future nor in the past
Something that is genuinely new
Building new flats in Xi'an 2012
山明水秀
mountain bright water elegant
Beautiful mountain scenery
Beautiful landscape
鸡犬不宁 [雞犬不宁]
chicken dog not stand
Even the chicken and dog are disturbed. General commotion
All in turmoil and excitement
鸣锣开道 [鳴鑼開道]
beat gong start road
Beating the gong to clear the way for dignitaries
To publicize an event
一顾之荣 [一顧之榮]
one attend honor
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.
臭不可当 [臭不可噹]
smelly not can equal
Worst ever smell
To give off an unbearable stink
Our proverbs come with full information. The modern Chinese characters are given first with links that give information on the character. If the phrase uses traditional characters these are shown in brackets and gray text. As proverbs are so old you will often see them written in the old form. 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 included at the end.
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.
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