Chinese Idioms
Explore over 1,000 Chinese idioms (Chengyu) and their corresponding historical narratives. Each entry details the origins, cultural context, and profound wisdom behind these timeless phrases, offering deep insight into the heritage that shaped the Chinese language.
Table of contents
结草衔环 (Tie Grass and Hold the Ring)
绝口不提 (Never a Word)
羿射九日 (Yi Shoots the Nine Suns)
壶中天地 (A World Within a Pot)
起死回生 (Raising the Dead to Life)
唇亡齿寒 (Lips Gone, Teeth Cold)
厝火积薪 (Sleeping on a Powder Keg)
夏日可畏 (Summer Sun Feared)
载酒问字 (Bringing Wine to Learn Characters)
素不相识 (Total Strangers)
素车白马 (White Carriage, White Horse)
素面朝天 (Natural Face Before the Emperor)
秦晋之好 (The Alliance of Qin and Jin)
秦镜高悬 (Qin's Mirror Hangs High)
秦庭之哭 (Weeping at the Qin Court)
泰山压卵 (Crushing an Egg with Mount Tai)
泰然自若 (Calm and Composed)
桔化为枳 (Oranges Become Trifoliate)
栩栩如生 (Lifelike and Vivid)
桃李满天下 (Peaches and Plums Fill the World)
桃李不言，下自成蹊 (The Peach and Plum Tree Speaks for Itself)
捕风捉影 (Catching Wind and Shadows)
损人利己 (Harming Others for Self-Gain)
损本逐末 (Sacrifice the Root for the Branch)
捐躯报国 (Sacrifice for the Nation)
振臂一呼 (Raise an Arm and Shout)
捉刀代笔 (Writing by Proxy)
捉襟见肘 (Pulling at the Collar, Exposing the Elbow)
顾曲周郎 (Looking Back at Zhou Yu)
顾名思义 (As the Name Suggests)
顾左右而言他 (Looking the Other Way)
班门弄斧 (Showing Off Before the Master)
班荆道故 (Sitting on Thorn Twigs Recalling Old Times)
莼羹鲈脍 (Water Shield and Perch Delicacy)
莫须有 (A Groundless Charge)
莫测高深 (Unfathomable Depths)
砥节奉公 (Upholding Integrity and Serving the Public)
破釜沉舟 (Breaking the Cauldrons, Sinking the Boats)
破镜重圆 (A Broken Mirror Rejoined)
破壁飞去 (Breaking Through the Wall to Fly)
党同伐异 (Siding with Allies, Attacking Outsiders)
晏开之警 (The Warning of Yan Kai)
峻阪盐车 (A Salt Cart on a Steep Slope)
柴毁骨立 (Emaciated from Grief)
监守自盗 (Custodian Turned Thief)
鸱目虎吻 (Owl Eyes and Tiger Jaws)
舐犊之爱 (The Love of Licking the Calf)
笔走龙蛇 (Brush Like Dragon-Serpent)
笑比河清 (A Smile Rarer Than a Clear River)
笑里藏刀 (A Dagger Hidden in a Smile)
笑面夜叉 (Smiling Yaksha)
笑骂从汝 (Laugh or Scold, as You Please)
笑容可掬 (Beaming with Smiles)
桀犬吠尧 (Jie's Dog Barks at Yao)
豹死留皮 (A Leopard Leaves Its Skin)
豺狼当道 (Jackals Block the Path)
脍炙人口 (On Everyone's Lips)
胶柱鼓瑟 (Glue the Peg, Play the Zither)
胸有成竹 (Bamboo in the Heart)
射石饮羽 (Shoot Stone, Drink Feather)
徐娘半老 (Xu Niang in Her Prime)
逢人说项 (Praising Xiang to Everyone)
狼子野心 (Wolf Cub Ambition)
狼狈不堪 (In Dire Straits)
狼狈为奸 (The Wolf and the Jackal in Cahoots)
铁石心肠 (Heart of Iron and Stone)
铁砚磨穿 (Wearing Through the Iron Inkstone)
乘人之危 (Taking Advantage of Others' Crisis)
乘车戴笠 (Ride in Carriages, Wear Bamboo Hats)
乘风破浪 (Riding the Wind and Waves)
乘龙快婿 (Riding the Dragon Son-in-Law)
乘兴而来 (Come on a Whim)
乘坚驱良 (Riding Fine Steeds)
乘肥衣轻 (Riding Fat Steeds, Wearing Fine Furs)
乘胜逐北 (Riding Victory, Chasing Defeat)
乘虚而入 (Exploit a Weakness)
爱才若渴 (Thirsting for Talent)
爱屋及乌 (Love Me, Love My Dog)
爱鹤失众 (Loving Cranes, Losing the Crowd)
债台高筑 (Debt Mountain High)
借箸代筹 (Borrowing Chopsticks to Scheme)
倚门倚闾 (Leaning by the Gate)
倾国倾城 (Beauty That Topples Kingdoms)
倒行逆施 (Acting Against Reason)
倒屣相迎 (Putting on Slippers Backwards)
积不相能 (Long-Standing Discord)
积甲山齐 (Armor Piled Mountain High)
积羽沉舟 (Feathers Sink a Ship)
席不暇暖 (No Time to Warm the Seat)
席地而坐 (Sitting on the Ground)
剖腹藏珠 (Cutting Open the Belly to Hide a Pearl)
羞与哙伍 (Ashamed to Be Ranked with Kuai)
兼听则明，偏信则暗 (Listen to Both Sides, Trust One Blind)
冥顽不灵 (Dense and Unyielding)
离心离德 (Divided Hearts and Minds)
离群索居 (Living Apart from the Crowd)
料敌如神 (Predicting the Enemy Like a God)
悔之无及 (Too Late for Regret)
悔过自新 (Repent and Reform)
旁观者清 (The Onlooker Sees Clearly)