Questions tagged [idioms]
Questions related to idioms, maxims, sayings, and other expressions consisting of a combination of words that has an indirect, figurative meaning. Use also the tag [chengyu] for questions about chengyu's.
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What is the meaning of 小成 in 道隱於小成?
There is a beautiful passage in the 齊物論 Qi Wu Lun chapter of the Zhuangzi about the indeterminancy of speech, especially in the context of disputes:
夫言非吹也。言者有言，其所言者特未定也。果有言邪？其未嘗有言邪？其以為異於鷇音，亦有辯乎，其無辯乎？...
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In what context can "半推半就" be used?
I came across this verse in a taiwanese rock band music, and I'm not entirely sure what it means:
我們半推半就的人生
Google translates 半推半就 as "The life we live half-heartedly" but it's the first ...
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Do you *always* say Chinese idioms the exact same way (unlike English)?
I got some idioms from ChatGPT, like 井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā): "frog in the bottom of the well". Here we have:
他从未离开过家乡，真是一个井底之蛙。
Literal Gloss:
他 (tā): He
从未 (cóng wèi): never
离开 (lí kāi): ...
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Can "没完没了" be used as an Adjective/形容词？What are some adjective to express describe someone that is "没完没了" or someone what won't stop?
I am wondering if there is a adjective that is similar to 没完没了, to describe someone that is won't stop at something.
An example would be someone what offended you but still won't stop making jokes.
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The meaning of 我看你呀
I had my tutor explain to me " 我看你呀" that is meant to sound sarcastic. But I just can not wrap my hand around what it means in the context of these sentences:
我看你呀，还是早点儿洗洗睡吧。
我看你呀,还是别去吧 。
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Looking for an English equivalent of : 勿以恶小而为之，勿以善小而不为
context: meeting btwn Chinese and American Foreign affairs bosses.
original:
双方就开展人文交流，便利人员往来交换了意见。王毅敦促美方停止无端滋扰盘查中国公民，多做有利于增进两国人民相互了解的事情，并送美方一句古话：“勿以恶小而为之，勿以善小而不为。” During their exchange of views on ...
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Interested in idioms similar to the theme of 集腋成裘
I'm interested in learning idioms that are related to small parts or actions eventually adding up to something bigger, or like idioms related to emergent property, kind of like 集腋成裘 (jíyè-chéngqiú).
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expressions (idioms, proverbs etc) with two or more homophonic characters
This is a follow-up question from
Other than 秘密，are there two-syllable words in Chinese where each syllable is a different character with the same pronunciation?.
What are the notable or remarkable ...
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Is 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' used as an idiom in Chinese? If so, how is it grammatically structured?
The film title Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (臥虎藏龍/卧虎藏龙) apparently is an idiom describing a place or situation that is full of unnoticed masters. Is this phrase actually used in speech, and if so, ...
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The use of 就 in a sentence from a drama
For listening immersion purposes, I supplement the other elements of my Mandarin study with an episode of a C-drama each day. In the first moments of the first episode of the series "Begin Again&...
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Does Chinese have idiomatic equivalents of "a regular" and "the usual"?
In English there is an idiomatic noun sense of "regular" for a regular customer. Somebody who regularly dines/drinks/etc at the same café/restaurant/bar/etc:
That guy is a regular, he comes ...
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How can I read 你让我做什么我就做什么?
我今天听你的安排,你让我做什么我就做什么。
For today, I will listen(obey) to your arrangement(s). I'll do whatever what you let me do.
The above English translation was made by me.
I've been stuggling to understand the ...
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Keeping up with the Joneses
What is the best Chinese proverb or translation that would best capture the meaning of the English idiom "Keeping up with the Joneses"?
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Which is the most common chengyu (idiom)?
I was discussing a linguistics paper about chengyu in one of my YouTube videos and wondered what is the most common chengyu. It's the kind of question someone like me would like to know off the top ...
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Is 风光不再 correct in 广州恒大风光不再?
I think it is a misspelling, which should have been 风光不在.
不再 is no more, or not any more
不在 is absent, unavailable
Comparing the two, I think only the latter makes sense, for the former there has to ...
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Mandarin translation of "hidden gem"
Is there an equivalent to something being called a "hidden gem" in Mandarin, particularly referring to a travel destination, restaurant or an experience?
For example: "This trail is a ...
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Is the saying/idiom 天生我才必有用 religious?
I recently learned of the idiom "天生我才必有用," which if you translate it directly in google translate, is "everybody is good for something." However, I am curious about the origin of ...
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"Set the priority straight" in Chinese?
What is Chinese for "Set the priority straight" ?
Or is there any Chinese fable or ancient story that relates to the idea of setting the priority straight?
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Understanding 落实政策
I've often read about 给 XXX 落实政策。This thing seems to be very flexible.
For example, 落实疫情防控政策 and 给烈士子女落实政策。
How to contextually translate this phrase into English?
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English idiom of "想入非非"
There is a chinese idiom called 想入非非:
to indulge in fantasy
Is there is an english idiom that is similar to this?
Searching gave me this strange "idiom":
allow one's fancy to run wild
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Chinese version of "beat around the bush"
Most people know the famous english idiom:
beat around the bush
How should I write this in Chinese?
Cambridge dictionary gives:
Don't beat around the bush - get to the point! 别兜圈子了——有话直说！
But I ...
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Chinese version of "action speaks louder than words"
What is the chinese version of the common idiom:
Action speaks louder than words
Google translate gives this:
行动胜于雄辩
Is this correct? And what other alternatives are there?
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What is the colloquial meaning of 小祖宗 ？
I've heard someone saying 小祖宗 to a little kid (literally: little ancestor).
I assumed it was some sort of general exclamation or lament, like 我的天呢！as the mood was of slight annoyance. However after ...
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What's the deeper meaning behind 不吃饭则饥，不读书则愚?
I'm loving learning some of these wise sayings, but I'm having a little trouble getting the deeper meaning.
It seems like it basically is "don't eat the hungry, don't read the stupid".
Does ...
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What literary device would we associate with the aforementioned Chinese old fashioned way of greeting? ( (Chī le ma) ? )
Credit Reference: http://blog.tutorming.com/mandarin-chinese-learning-tips/why-do-chinese-people-ask-have-you-eaten
"吃了吗 (Chī le ma)?" (also "吃饭了吗 (chī fàn le ma)"
Many ...
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Why do people say “你死了这条心吧” instead of “这颗心”?
I thought the classifier of "心" is always "颗" or "个"?
But why here is more common to use "条"?
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What are the meanings of 三分顏色上大紅?
According to https://www.easyatm.com.tw/wiki/%E4%B8%89%E5%88%86%E9%A1%8F%E8%89%B2%E4%B8%8A%E5%A4%A7%E7%B4%85 it is stated as:
字面意思：給三分顏色你就可以上大紅色，就等於不自量力，自大。明明做不到這事情都說可以做到，人家給三分顏色就想染大紅色，染得到嗎？
後來形容：...
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Is there a idiom or term to describe someone who don't see you as the same level as them?
The best I can think of are the combination of:
讽刺意味 (to have the "smell" of irony on you) and
很偏激 (very extreme or biased)。
举个例子/For example：
Everything you say or do is viewed as ignorant（...
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Precise meaning of 马到成功
So I just happened to watch a youtube video that has displayed in the background an artwork with horses and the phrase 马到成功.
Google Translate offered these: It's a success. Gain an immediate victory....
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What is the meaning of 及义?
One of Confucius sayings contains the construction 言不及义. It carries the meaning "unable to talk on serious topics", from what a dictionary gave me. However, I was interested in the per-...
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Chinese Idiom puzzle 21 (中文填字遊戲)
A new puzzle for July 2021
The hunter doesn't know he is being hunted
extremely foolish
在水滸傳中的梁山泊排第一百零七位，綽號鼓上蚤的人物
If you want to deliberately frame others, you can always find excuses
Busy ...
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Chinese Idiom puzzle 20 (中文填字遊戲)
Puzzle for June 2021
「病從口入」下句
Lengthy article (or speech)
Asking a tiger for its skin (Make deal with dangerous people)
Busily run around or move around for a certain purpose
Bragging without ...
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Literal meaning of 無奇不有
The correct meaning of 無奇不有 would be: full of extraordinary/bizarre things. But why don't the individual characters not add up to the intended meaning?
This is not the only idiom that I found ...
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Chinese Idiom puzzle 19 (中文填字遊戲)
Another puzzle for May-2021
One of the three dynasties in the Three Kingdoms period ruled by the 曹 family
A poem that was written by Cao Zhi (曹植). Fictionalized the author's encounter with a goddess ...
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What is the origin of the word 鬻?
The word 鬻 (yù) appears to originate as a joint pictogram from:
粥 depicting the rice and two whirls of steam on the sides
鬲 (pronounced lì?) a cooking vessel
Later 粥 alone came in use to express the ...
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Chinese Idiom puzzle 18 (中文填字遊戲)
A new puzzle for May-2021
All or nothing
Bathe
A modern metaphor for a person’s life with extreme luxury and indulgence, without restraint (有關紂王的典故)
Everyone wants to get to a higher position
...
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What does 出人头地 mean?
The idiom 出人头地 chūréntóudì means “stand out among one’s fellows”. How to mix the above four words and arrive at the above meaning?
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What does 按部就班 mean?
I have checked the dictionary, the following are the meanings for Idiom and its components. could not get how ‘keep conventional ways’ was the meaning derived. can share more light on this? thanks
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Idioms Quiz of 23
Idioms Quiz of 23Q for Idiom lovers
Q1. 小华的爸爸是围棋高手，你在他面前夸耀自己的棋技，不是____吗？
Q2. 自从那次火灾后，村民一听到孩子的惊叫就_____以为又是哪一家失火了。
Q3. 世界上没有_____的事情，要成功就应该付出努力。
Q4. 这个电视剧向人们提出一个 _____的问题：中学生应该追求什么？
Q5. 小女孩由于找不到妈妈，...
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Chinese Idiom puzzle 17 (中文填字遊戲)
A New puzzle for April 2021
Launch a direct attack on the enemy’s headquarters
Makes people happy and satisfied (especially when someone gets the deserved punishment)
Notorious
Extremely urgent
...
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Is there an explicit/crude saying for bravery in Chinese?
I am looking for something similar to the english 'having big balls' as an indication of bravery.
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成语 and 俗语 emphasizing adaptation
I would like to know what chinese 成语 or 俗语 can be used to emphasize the need of people or generations to adapt to the given situation or environment.
Thanks.
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Does 没有办法 have the same idiomatic meaning in Chinese that "No way" does in English?
"No way" in English has a couple of meanings.
Like, it can be used to express surprise. Does 没有办法 also carry some idiomatic meanings?
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Why 看 is used in 我看得目瞪口呆?
Going through this sentence.
我看得目瞪口呆。I was stunned/dumbfounded.
看 means see, why see in this sentence?
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Chinese Idiom puzzle 16 (中文填字遊戲)
A new puzzle for March 2021
Steal the bell while covering your ears (deceiving yourself that you are deceiving the others)
Revenge one's personal vengeance in the name of official business
...
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Four-character idioms that contain an allusive pair
I am interested in finding some examples of four-character idioms that contain exactly a pair of allusions, different in source but similar in nature, that were often compiled by a specific literary ...
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Chinese Idiom puzzle 15 (中文填字遊戲)
A new puzzle for Feb 2021
It’s better to see it with your own eyes than hear it hundreds of times.
It often takes many twists and turns to get what you want
Good for others and oneself
Boxing
...
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Up close and personal equivalent
How do you express something similar to “up close and personal”?
Like this sentence: She likes to get up close and personal.
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Attack them when they are unready, take them by surprise ： 这个成语有多少方法可以说？
Could you please let me know which of these sound right and why the other ones sound wrong? I'm not sure about the difference between 不 and 无.
出其不意，攻其不备
攻其不备，出其不意
攻其无备，出其无意
攻其不备，出其无意
攻其无备，出其不意
都可以用吗
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