Chinese Idiom: 杞人忧天 (Qi Ren You Tian) English Translation: The man from Qi worries about the sky pīn yīn: qǐ rén yōu tiān Idiom Meaning: This idiom refers to unnecessary or unfounded worries. Historical Source: The idiom originates from the text Liezi: Tian Rui (列子 ·天瑞). Idiom Story: In ancient times, there was a man […]
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Chinese Idiom: 囫囵吞枣 (Hu Lun Tun Zao) English Translation: Swallowing jujubes whole pīn yīn: hú lún tūn zǎo Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes the act of consuming something without careful consideration or analysis. It suggests a lack of discernment or thoughtfulness in understanding a situation or concept. Historical Source: Zhu Xi’s Response to Xu Shun
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Chinese Idiom: 鸡犬不宁 (Ji Quan Bu Ning) English Translation: Chickens and dogs are not at peace pīn yīn: jī quǎn bù níng Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes a state of chaos or disturbance where even the chickens and dogs cannot find peace. It implies that the situation is extremely noisy or disruptive. Historical Source: The
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Chinese Idiom: 鸡犬升天 (Ji Quan Sheng Tian) English Translation: Chickens and dogs ascend to heaven pīn yīn: jī quǎn shēng tiān Idiom Meaning: This idiom metaphorically describes a situation where a person rises to a high position, and those connected to them also gain power or benefits. Historical Source: Shen Xian Zhuan (《神仙传·刘安》) by Ge
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Chinese Idiom: 此地无银三百两 (Ci Di Wu Yin San Bai Liang) English Translation: There are no three hundred taels of silver here pīn yīn: cǐ dì wú yín sān bǎi liǎng Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes the act of trying to conceal something, which ironically draws more attention to it, leading to greater exposure. Historical Source:
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Chinese Idiom: 讳疾忌医 (Hui Ji Ji Yi) English Translation: Avoid discussing illness for fear of medical treatment pīn yīn: huì jí jì yī Idiom Meaning: To cover up one’s flaws or mistakes and refuse to correct them. Historical Source: “Han Feizi” (《韩非子·喻老》) Idiom Story: Bian Que was a renowned physician during the Warring States period,
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Chinese Idiom: 争先恐后 (Zheng Xian Kong Hou) English Translation: Competing to be first, fearing to fall behind pīn yīn: zhēng xiān kǒng hòu Idiom Meaning: This idiom originally referred to the need to focus entirely on a task without distraction. It is now often used to describe a situation where everyone is eager to take the
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Chinese Idiom: 当头棒喝 (Dang Tou Bang He) English Translation: A sudden blow to the head with a stick pīn yīn: dāng tóu bàng hè Idiom Meaning: Originally, it referred to a strong reprimand that jolted someone awake from confusion. It is now commonly used to denote methods that are relatively harsh or forceful, leading people to
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Chinese Idiom: 任人唯贤 (Ren Ren Wei Xian) English Translation: Appoint people based on their merits. pīn yīn: rèn rén wéi xián Idiom Meaning: This idiom signifies the principle of selecting and appointing individuals solely based on their virtues and abilities, regardless of personal relationships or connections. Historical Source: “Han Feizi” (《韩非子 ·外储说左下》) Idiom Story: In 686
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Chinese Idiom: 自惭形秽 (Zi Can Xing Hui) English Translation: Ashamed of one’s own ugliness pīn yīn: zì cán xíng huì Idiom Meaning: This idiom expresses a feeling of shame or inferiority in comparison to others, particularly in terms of appearance or capabilities. Historical Source: Shishuo Xinyu” (《世说新语·容止》) Idiom Story: During the Jin Dynasty, there was a
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