Chinese idioms that help with coping with life
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 (normally a 成语 chéng yǔ) 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.
For background on the types and history of proverbs please see our guide.
This loosely knit group of proverbs all have something to do with handling a predicament. Many offer some help on how to deal with the problem while others just describe the situation.
臭不可当 [臭不可噹]
Worst ever smell
To give off an unbearable stink.
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.
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.
鸡犬不宁 [雞犬不宁]
Even the chicken and dog are disturbed. General commotion
All in turmoil and excitement.
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.
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.
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'.
鸣锣开道 [鳴鑼開道]
Beating the gong to clear the way for dignitaries
To publicize an event.
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.
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.
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.
山明水秀
Beautiful mountain scenery
Beautiful landscape.
少见多怪 [少見多怪]
Things look strange to the unfamiliar
Unsettled by a new environment.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
维妙维肖 [維妙維肖]
Weave skillfully life like images
Produce an image remarkably true to life; highly skilled.
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.
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.
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.
心花怒放
The flower of the heart in full bloom
Full flowering of joy.
心旷神怡,事事顺利 [心曠神怡事事順利]
Heart joyful, work profitable
Feeling happy and relaxed.
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.
易如反掌
As easy as turning over your hand
Simple. Very easy.
羽毛未丰
Not yet grown adult plumage. A fledgling bird - young and inexperienced
Still too young and immature.
左右为难 [左右為難]
Both alternatives are difficult
In a dilemma.
Roughly equivalent to: Be in a pickle.
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 brewery.
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 had developed a new device to attack cities. He was persuaded by the pacifist philosopher Mo Zi not to deploy it. Mo Zi was able to defend against any attack by Gongshu Ban leading to stalemate.
Roughly equivalent to: Fighting to a standstill.
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.
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.
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 horse expert was persuaded to give a mere glance at a horse that was for sale and by so doing its price rose enormously in value.
芒刺在背
A thorn in one's flesh
Someone or something is causing continuous irritation.
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.
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.
普天同庆 [普天同慶]
Everyone in celebration
The whole nation is rejoicing at some happy event.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 suspicious.
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.
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.
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.
步步高升
Step by step promotion
Congratulation on promotion or a new job.
冰天雪地
Ice in the sky and snow on the ground
Encountering adverse conditions.
Image by Kabacchi available under a Creative Commons license ➚
马到成功 [馬到成功]
Horse win easy victory
Gain immediate victory.