Idioms 1

Chinese idioms reviewer

瓜田李下

A suspicious situation (literally: melon field and beneath a plum tree; pinyin: guā tián lǐ xià)

九牛一毛

A tiny part of a huge quantity (literally: one hair from nine oxen; pinyin: jiǔ niú yī máo)

寓言守株待兔

Waiting for opportunities without effort (literally: waiting by the tree stump for a rabbit; pinyin: yù yán shǒu zhū dài tù)

望梅止渴

An empty consolation (literally: quenching thirst by looking at plums; pinyin: wàng méi zhǐ kě)

眉飞色舞

Excited, happy (literally: eyebrows flying and face dancing; pinyin: méi fēi sè wǔ)

德高望重

Highly respected (literally: virtuous and esteemed; pinyin: dé gāo wàng zhòng)

近水楼台

A favorable position (literally: a pavilion by the water; pinyin: jìn shuǐ lóu tái)

世外桃源

A paradise or ideal world (literally: a peach blossom land outside the world; pinyin: shì wài táo yuán)

一丘之貉

Birds of a feather (literally: the same species of animals in one hill; pinyin: yī qiū zhī hé)

重整旗鼓

Regroup and reorganize (literally: to reform the banner and drum; pinyin: zhòng zhěng qí gǔ)

初露锋芒

The first sign of brilliance (literally: the first sign of sharpness; pinyin: chū lù fēng máng)

饱经风霜

Experienced hardships (literally: weathered frost and wind; pinyin: bǎo jīng fēng shuāng)

光复旧物

Restore the old (literally: revive old things; pinyin: guāng fù jiù wù)

塞翁失马

A change in fortune (literally: the old man from the frontier loses his horse; pinyin: sāi wēng shī mǎ)

夜郎自大

Arrogant (literally: the people of Yelang think highly of themselves; pinyin: yè láng zì dà)

毛遂自荐

Volunteering (literally: Mao Sui recommends himself; pinyin: máo suì zì jiàn)

枯木逢春

Revival after a hard time (literally: a withered tree meets spring; pinyin: kū mù féng chūn)

不破不立

No progress without breaking (literally: cannot establish without breaking; pinyin: bù pò bù lì)

一触即发

Immediate reaction (literally: a touch triggers an explosion; pinyin: yī chù jí fā)

一尘不染

Immaculate (literally: not a speck of dust; pinyin: yī chén bù rǎn)

一蹴而就

Instant success (literally: one step and done; pinyin: yī cù ér jiù)

华而不实

Flashy but impractical (literally: gorgeous but not solid; pinyin: huá ér bù shí)

穷则思变

Change when in distress (literally: poverty leads to change; pinyin: qióng zé sī biàn)

不速之客

Uninvited guest (literally: an unexpected guest; pinyin: bù sù zhī kè)

赴汤蹈火

Brave and determined (literally: going through boiling water and fire; pinyin: fù tāng dǎo huǒ)

克勤克俭

Diligent and frugal (literally: diligent and thrifty; pinyin: kè qín kè jiǎn)

不刊之论

Irrefutable theory (literally: a theory that cannot be altered; pinyin: bù kān zhī lùn)

光明磊落

Blatantly honest (literally: bright and upright; pinyin: guāng míng lěi luò)

百折不挠

Unyielding (literally: not bending after a hundred setbacks; pinyin: bǎi zhé bù náo)

负隅顽抗

Stubborn resistance (literally: stubbornly resisting; pinyin: fù yú wán kàng)

无与伦比

Unparalleled (literally: beyond comparison; pinyin: wú yǔ lún bǐ)

唇齿相依

Closely related (literally: lips and teeth depend on each other; pinyin: chún chǐ xiāng yī)

一笔勾销

Completely wiped out (literally: to strike through with one stroke; pinyin: yī bǐ gōu xiāo)

东山再起

Make a comeback (literally: rise again from the East Mountain; pinyin: dōng shān zài qǐ)

呆若木鸡

Stunned, dumbfounded (literally: as dumb as a wooden chicken; pinyin: dāi ruò mù jī)