AP Chinese idioms

兴高采烈

(xìng gāo cǎi liè) Happy & excited in high spirits

爱不释手

to be too fond of something to part with it; mainly used to describe things (ài bù shì shǒu)

爱憎分明

to be clear about whom or what to love or hate (ài zēng fēn míng)

安然无恙

to be in a good situation without any problems, usually pertaining to health refers to a person who has gone through an unforeseen event unscathed (ān rán wú yàng)

按部就班

in accordance with the prescribed order; the act of following a schedule (àn bù jiù bān); step by step

半途而废

to give up halfway; to leave something unfinished (bàn tú ér fèi)

本末倒置

to reverse the primary and secondary tasks (běn mò dào zhì)

必不可少

absolutely necessary (bì bù kě shǎo)

变化无常

irregular; capricious (biàn huà wú cháng)

别具一格

to have a unique style; describes literature, art, and architecture (bié jù yì gé)

不言而喻

obvious (bù yán ér yù)

不约而同

to do something synchronized without previous arrangement; a coincidence (bù yuē ér tóng)

不知所措

to not know what to do; refers to an awkward or confusing situation (bù zhī suǒ cuò)

参差不齐

non-uniformity; non-standard (cēn cī bù qí)

成千上万

a massive amount (chéng qiān shàng wàn)

寸步不离

very close; inseparable, usually refers to two or more people (cùn bù bù lí)

大吃一惊

to be surprised (dà chī yì jīng)

大海捞针

hard to find; like finding a needle in a haystack (dà hǎi lāo zhēn)

大失所望

extremely disappointing (dà shī suǒ wàng)

大同小异

similar in essential aspects, different in minor details (dà tóng xiǎo yì)

丟三落四

to be forgetful (duī sān là sì)

独一无二

unlike any other; to be unique; one of a kind (dú yī wú èr)

丰富多彩

diverse (fēng fù duō cǎi)

风和日丽

gentle breeze and beautiful sun; describes the weather (fēng hé rì lì)

各抒己见

a discussion where everyone has equal say (gè shū jǐ jiàn)

和蔼可亲

friendly and amicable; usually refers to an elderly person (hé ǎi kě qīn)

记忆犹新

to remain fresh in one's memory; remember vividly (jì yì yóu xīn)

今非昔比

to see an improvement in the present compared to the past; can be a fact or an opinion (jīn fēi xī bǐ)

口是心非

saying something that one does not mean (kǒu shì xīn fēi)

力不从心

describes one whose abilities or skills are not adequate to fulfill one's desires (lì bù cóng xīn)

两全其美

to the satisfaction of both parties (liǎng quán qí měi)

乱七八糟

messy; describes both concrete and abstract things (luàn qī bā zāo)

马到成功

to wish someone good luck (mǎ dào chéng gōng)

无精打彩

to be listless or apathetic (wú jīng dǎ cǎi)

美中不足

having only one small flaw (měi zhōng bù zú)

面目一新

to change for the better (miàn mù yì xīn)

千差万别

unlike any other; different (qiān chā wàn bié)

千言万语

having much to say (qiān yán wàn yǔ)

人山人海

large crowds of people (rén shān rén hǎi)

日新月异

to change very quickly (rì xīn yuè yì)

十拿九稳

very likely to happen; success within reach (shí ná jiǔ wěn)

十全十美

perfect; flawless (shí quán shí měi)

事半功倍

to achieve success with little effort (shì bàn gōng bèi)

数一数二

one of the best; outstanding (shǔ yī shǔ èr)

讨价还价

to haggle over a price (tǎo jià huán jià)

同舟共济

to get through a time of difficulty by settling one's differences and working together (tóng zhōu gòng jì)

无价之宝

an object that is priceless or an asset; can also refer to abstract things (wú jià zhī bǎo)

心直口快

outspoken (xīn zhí kǒu kuài)

一见钟情

to fall in love at first sight (yí jiàn zhōng qíng)

自食其果

to reap what one sows; karma (zì shí qí guǒ)

走马看花

to give a quick glance (zǒu mǎ kàn huā)

井底之蛙

(jǐng dǐ zhī wā) a frog in a weel; a person with a very limited outlook

画蛇添足

To draw a snake and add feet to it - to ruin the effect by adding something superfluous; to add something unnecessary (huà shé tiān zú)

不相上下

(bùxiāng-shàngxià;) About the same

不可思议

inconceivable (idiom); unimaginable, unfathomable (bù kě sī yì)

见仁见智

Different people, different views; Everyone has their own opinion (jiàn rén jiàn zhì)