Chengyu Dictionary
100 common Chinese idioms (成语) with literal translations, real meanings, example sentences and audio.
- Literally:
- horse horse tiger tiger
- Meaning:
- so-so; careless
- Usage:
- Describing something mediocre or someone sloppy
His Chinese is so-so.
- Literally:
- messy seven eight rotten
- Meaning:
- in a complete mess; chaotic
- Usage:
- Describing a messy room, situation, or piece of work
Your room is a total mess.
- Literally:
- one mold one appearance
- Meaning:
- exactly the same; identical
- Usage:
- Saying two things or people look exactly alike
These two pieces of clothing are exactly the same.
- Literally:
- each kind each type
- Meaning:
- all kinds of; a great variety of
- Usage:
- Describing a wide variety of things
The shop has all kinds of things.
- Literally:
- four sides eight directions
- Meaning:
- from all directions; everywhere
- Usage:
- Describing people or things coming from or spreading to every direction
People rushed here from all directions.
- Literally:
- five colors six hues
- Meaning:
- colorful; multicolored
- Usage:
- Describing brightly colored things like flowers or clothes
Colorful flowers are blooming in the park.
- Literally:
- people mountain people sea
- Meaning:
- huge crowds of people
- Usage:
- Describing an extremely crowded place
On holidays the square is packed with people.
- Literally:
- one heart one mind
- Meaning:
- wholeheartedly; with single-minded devotion
- Usage:
- Describing doing something with full dedication
She studies Chinese wholeheartedly.
- Literally:
- no matter how
- Meaning:
- in any case; no matter what
- Usage:
- Emphasizing that something will happen regardless of circumstances
No matter what, I must finish my homework today.
- Literally:
- ten thousand things as you wish
- Meaning:
- may everything go as you wish
- Usage:
- A common blessing used at New Year and on birthdays
Happy New Year, may all your wishes come true!
- Literally:
- whole road peace
- Meaning:
- have a safe journey
- Usage:
- Said to someone setting off on a trip
Have a safe trip!
- Literally:
- self speak self talk
- Meaning:
- to talk to oneself
- Usage:
- Describing someone muttering to themselves
He often talks to himself.
- Literally:
- one move two gains
- Meaning:
- to kill two birds with one stone
- Usage:
- Describing an action that brings two benefits at once
Biking to work saves money and is good exercise — killing two birds with one stone.
- Literally:
- half road then quit
- Meaning:
- to give up halfway
- Usage:
- Warning against abandoning something before it is finished
You can't give up halfway when learning a language.
- Literally:
- enter village follow customs
- Meaning:
- when in Rome, do as the Romans do
- Usage:
- Advising someone to adapt to local customs
Now that we are in China, we should follow local customs.
- Literally:
- self mutually spear shield
- Meaning:
- self-contradictory
- Usage:
- Pointing out that someone's words or actions contradict themselves
What he says contradicts itself.
- Literally:
- draw snake add feet
- Meaning:
- to ruin something by adding what is unnecessary
- Usage:
- Criticizing a superfluous addition that spoils the result
The last paragraph completely gilds the lily.
- Literally:
- frog at the bottom of a well
- Meaning:
- a narrow-minded person with limited outlook
- Usage:
- Describing someone who has seen little of the world
Go out and see more of the world; don't be a frog at the bottom of a well.
- Literally:
- play the zither to a cow
- Meaning:
- to waste words on an unappreciative audience
- Usage:
- Describing explaining something to someone who cannot understand it
Talking to him about art is like playing the lute to a cow.
- Literally:
- no one can explain its mystery
- Meaning:
- baffling; without rhyme or reason
- Usage:
- Describing something inexplicable or someone's puzzling behavior
He got angry for no apparent reason.
Chengyu (成语) are four-character idioms distilled from classical stories and literature — the Chinese equivalent of proverbs, but used constantly in modern speech, writing and news. Drop one correctly into conversation and native speakers light up.
This dictionary collects 100 chengyu that learners actually meet, searchable by meaning, character or pinyin. Each entry gives the literal image, the real meaning, when to use it, an example sentence with pinyin, its approximate HSK level — and audio, because four-syllable tone runs like mǎmǎhūhū are excellent tone practice.
What is a chengyu?
A fixed four-character idiom, usually from a classical story: 画蛇添足 "draw a snake and add feet" = ruin something by overdoing it. There are tens of thousands; a few hundred cover everyday usage.
How many chengyu should a learner know?
Around 20–50 makes your Chinese noticeably more native; HSK 5–6 expects a few hundred. Start with high-frequency ones like 马马虎虎 (so-so) and 乱七八糟 (a mess).
Are chengyu good for pronunciation practice?
Excellent — each is a fixed four-tone sequence, so drilling them builds tone-pair fluency. Play the audio here, then test yourself in the TonePerfect app.
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