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IDIOMS · HSK 7-9

HSK 7-9 Chinese Idioms (Chengyu)

Advanced chengyu from the HSK 3.0 band-three list — the wide tail of classical idioms native speakers and graduate-level learners draw from.

bǎihundredhuāflowerstogetherfàngbloom

Let a hundred flowers bloom; let diverse forms develop; let a hundred schools of thought contend.

bànhalfxìnbelievebànhalfdoubt

To be half-believing, half-doubting; dubious.

bàoviolentfēngwindzhòusuddenrain

Violent wind and sudden rain; a fierce storm; a tempest.

bāoencompassluócollectwànten thousandxiàngphenomena

To be all-embracing; to cover a wide range of things; encyclopedic.

bēisorrowhuānjoyseparationreunion

Joys and sorrows, partings and reunions; the vicissitudes of life.

comparecomparejiēallshìis

Ubiquitous; can be found everywhere.

mustnotcanshǎolack

Absolutely necessary; indispensable.

side-by-sidewingshuāngpairfēifly

Wing to wing in pair-flight — a devoted couple inseparable in life.

biànchangehuànshiftnotfathom

Unpredictable; capricious; fickle.

biéotherpossessjiàngartisanxīningenuity

To have an original and ingenious design; to show great originality.

biédifferentpossessonestyle

To have a unique style; to be unconventional.

bīnrefinedbīnrefinedyǒuhavecourtesy

Refined and courteous; urbane.

bīngiceqīngclearjadejiépure

Of noble character and integrity; pure as ice and jade.

bīngiceshānmountainonejiǎocorner

Tip of the iceberg.

bīngicetiānskyxuěsnowearth

A world of ice and snow; a snow-covered landscape.

notsay goodbyeérandbiédepart

To leave without saying goodbye; to take French leave.

notobtainérandzhīknow

Cannot be known; will never know.

notháncoldérbutshiver

To shudder despite not being cold; to be frightened or terrified.

notjiǎneedthinksuǒponder

Without thinking; without hesitation; off the top of one's head.

notcanhuòperhapsquēlack

Absolutely necessary; indispensable; vital.

notliǎoendliǎoendzhīit

To leave something unfinished; to fizzle out; to drop the matter.

notmóuplanérandcoincide

To agree without prior consultation; to coincide.

notshèngable to finishméienumeratecite

Too numerous to count; countless.

notyàntireitsfántroublesome

Not to mind taking the trouble; to be patient.

notwingsérandfēifly

To disappear without a trace; to vanish into thin air.

notalsohappyexclamatory particle

Extremely happy; inordinately joyful.

nottakewéiasránso

To disapprove of; to think little of; to not take seriously.

notyóufromselfzhǔcontrol

Involuntarily; can't help but; against one's will.

notyuēagreeérandtóngsame

To do the same thing without prior consultation; to coincide.

notzhédiscountnotkòudeduct

One hundred percent; without any discount; genuine; thorough.

notzhīknownotjuéperceive

Unconsciously; unwittingly; without realizing.

notzhīknowsuǒwhatcuòdo

To not know what to do; to be at a loss; to be at one's wits' end.

cáitalentgāohigheightdǒupeck

Talent measuring eight pecks — exceptionally gifted (especially in writing).

cǎograsswoodjiēallbīngsoldiers

To see enemies everywhere; extreme paranoia.

chéngestablishjiāfamilyestablishcareer

To get married and start a career; to settle down.

chéngcityméngateshīlosehuǒfire

When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer; one suffers as a result of others' troubles.

chéngformqúngroupsjiéformduìteams

In groups and gangs; in large numbers.

chīeatdrinkwánplayenjoy

To eat, drink, and be merry; to indulge in pleasure.

chóuworriedméieyebrowsbitterliǎnface

To have a worried and unhappy look; to wear a distressed expression.

chùtoucheyejīngstartlexīnheart

A shocking sight; a scene that shocks the eye and alarms the heart.

chūexceedrénpeopleexpectationliàoanticipate

To exceed expectations; unexpected.

chuídrooptóuheadsànglosespirit

To be dejected; to be in low spirits; crestfallen.

thisrisethatfall

Rising one after another; occurring continuously.

cóngleisurelyróngcomposednothurried

Calm and unhurried; composed.

coarsexīnheart/mindbigmeaning/intention

Careless; negligent.

cùninchstepnotleave

Not to leave for even an inch; to stay very close.

cuòarrangeshǒuhandnotreach

To be caught off guard; to be taken by surprise.

cuòinterwovenzōngtangledcomplexcomplicated

Intricate; complicated; complex.

bigdabigliēcarefreeliēcarefree

Casual and careless; nonchalant.

bigdāoknifekuòwideaxe

Drastic and decisive; bold and resolute.

greatgōngimpartialitywithoutselfishness

Completely impartial and selfless.

greatjīngsurprisexiǎosmallguàistrange

To make a fuss over nothing; to be alarmed at the slightest provocation.

greatmíngnamedǐngtripoddǐngtripod

Famous; celebrated; well-known.

bigtóngsamexiǎosmalldifferent

Similar in essentials but different in minor details; largely the same but with minor differences.

bigyǒuhavecanwéido

Having great potential; promising.

dāngatopportunityimmediatelyduàndecide

To make a prompt decision; to decide on the spur of the moment.

dāngdeserveszhīitwithoutkuìshame

Fully deserving of the honor; worthy of the name.

dàoway/doctrinemàoappearanceànloftyránsolemn

Sanctimonious; having an air of virtue but lacking true morality.

moralitycáitalentjiānbothbèipossess

Having both integrity and ability; possessing both virtue and talent.

obtainxīnheartyìngrespondshǒuhand

To do something skillfully and easily; to be able to handle the task with ease.

obtainintentionyángelatedyángelated

Triumphantly; in high feather; bursting with pride.

diānoverturndǎoinverthēiblackbáiwhite

To distort the facts; to turn black into white; to invert right and wrong.

dōngeastbēnrun西westzǒuwalk

To run here and there; to be constantly on the move.

aloneshùplantonezhìbanner

To develop a unique style; to stand out from the crowd.

onlyonewithoutèrtwo

Unique; unparalleled; one of a kind.

duàncutzhāngchaptertakemeaning

To quote out of context; to take something out of context.

duìtozhèngsymptomxiàadministeryàomedicine

To prescribe the right remedy for the illness; to suit the remedy to the case.

ěreareyeonexīnnew

A refreshing change; a feast for the eyes and ears.

ěrearshúfamiliarnéngcanxiángdetailed

Well-known; often heard and easily recalled.

developyángpromoteguāngshinebig

To develop and promote; to carry forward and enhance.

fānturnláicometurngo

To toss and turn; to think something over and over.

fānoverturntiānheavenoverturnearth

Earth-shattering; a world-overturning change.

fèibubblingfèibubblingyángrisingyángrising

Abuzz; rife; creating a great clamor.

fēngwindcāneatdew宿lodge

Exposed to the wind as one's meal and dew as one's bed; to endure the hardships of traveling and living outdoors.

fēngwindchuīblowrainbeat

Exposed to the elements; to undergo hardship and tribulation.

fēngpeakhuíturnroadzhuǎnturn

A turn in the path reveals new vistas; a change for the better after a setback.

fèngphoenixmáofeatherlínqilinjiǎohorn

As rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns; extremely rare and precious.

fēngwindrainwithoutobstruct

Rain or shine; regardless of the weather; to let nothing stand in the way.

potbottomchōudrawxīnfirewood

To take drastic measures to resolve a problem; to remove the fuel from under the pot.

gǎichangexiéevilguīreturnzhèngrighteous

To turn over a new leaf; to abandon evil and return to the right path.

gāohighzhānlookyuǎnfarzhǔsee

To stand high and see far; to have a broad and long-term perspective; farsighted.

acrossànbankguānwatchhuǒfire

To watch the fire from the other side of the river; to sit by and watch other people fight.

squaresquarenotenter

Incompatible; out of tune with; not fitting in.

gōngachievementkuīfailonekuìbasket

To fall short of success for lack of a final effort; to fail within an inch of success.

isolatedlòushallowguǎfewwénhear

Ignorant and ill-informed; having little knowledge.

lookmíngnamethinkmeaning

As the name implies; the meaning is evident from the name.

considerquánwholebigsituation

To take the big picture into consideration; to put the overall interest first.

singlezhǎngpalmnándifficultmíngsound

A single hand cannot clap; it's difficult to achieve anything alone.

guāscrapeeyexiāngeach otherkànlook

To treat someone with new respect; to look at someone with new eyes.

guāngbrightmíngbrightlěiopenluòfrank

Open and aboveboard; perfectly honest; having nothing to hide.

hàishockrénpeopletīnghearwénhear

Shocking; dreadful; scandalous.

hànsweathorsegōngachievementláomerit

Merit for distinguished service; contribution in war or work.

cranestandchickenqúngroup

A crane standing among chickens; head and shoulders above others; standing out from the crowd.

hōngwholetánghallbigxiàolaugh

The whole room roars with laughter; a burst of laughter from everyone present.

suddenlylěngcoldsuddenlyhot

Hot and cold; fickle; inconsistent.

recklesslythinkluàndisorderlyxiǎngthink

To let one's imagination run wild; to have fanciful ideas; to indulge in wishful thinking.

huàdrawlóngdragondiǎndotjīngeye

To add the finishing touch; to paint the dragon and dot in the eyes.

huàtransformxiǎndangerwéiintosafe

To turn danger into safety; to avert a crisis.

huànbrightránlike thatonexīnnew

A completely new look; brand new.

huìdepictshēngsoundhuìdepictcolor

Vivid and lively; lifelike; graphic.

huòperhapsduōmuchhuòperhapsshǎolittle

More or less; somewhat.

collectthoughtsguǎng广widenbenefit

To pool wisdom for mutual benefit; to draw on collective wisdom.

remembermemoryyóustillxīnfresh

To remain fresh in one's memory; to remember vividly.

urgentzhōngmidstshēngproducezhìwisdom

To hit upon an idea in desperation; to rise to an emergency.

jiànseeprofitwàngforgetrighteousness

To forget morality at the sight of profit; to be blinded by greed.

jiànseerénbenevolencejiànseezhìwisdom

Different people have different views; opinions differ.

jiǎofootstepshísolidground

To be down-to-earth; to be practical and realistic.

jiāocrosstóuheadjiēconnectěrear

To whisper to each other; to huddle together and talk in whispers.

jiēallbighuānhappyhappy

Everyone is happy; a happy ending for all.

jiēconnectèrtwoliánconnectsānthree

One after another; in quick succession.

jiédistinctránlike thisnottóngsame

Completely different; poles apart.

jiéeconomizeclothingsuōreduceshífood

To economize on clothing and food; to live frugally.

jīngoldenrulejadelaw

Inviolable rules; golden rule.

jīngoldjadeliánggoodyánwords

Invaluable advice; golden words.

jīngbrilliantcǎicolorfulfēnabundantchéngpresent

Splendid and diverse; full of brilliant highlights.

jìngrespectérandyuǎnkeep distantzhīit

To keep someone at a distance out of respect; to respect but avoid.

jīngalarmedhuāngflusteredshīlosecuòcomposure

To be alarmed and at a loss; panic-stricken.

jīngpassjiǔlongnotstop

Lasting for a long time; unceasing.

jīngessencewearystrengthjiéexhausted

Completely exhausted; utterly worn out.

jīngshocktiānheavendòngmoveearth

Earth-shattering; world-shaking; of great significance.

jīngshockxīnheartdòngmovesoul

Soul-stirring; deeply moving; extremely exciting.

jiùrescuedeathsupportshānginjured

To heal the wounded and rescue the dying; to practice medicine.

jiùblameyóufromselftake

To have only oneself to blame; to stew in one's own juice.

raiseàntraylevel withméieyebrow

Raising the food tray to eyebrow level — exemplary marital respect.

residegāohighnotxiàdescend

To remain high; to stay at a high level (price, temperature, etc.).

liftchess piecenotdìngdecide

Unable to make up one's mind; hesitant.

kāiopentiānheavencreateearth

To create the heavens and the earth; to start something unprecedented; epoch-making.

canchéngtake advantage ofzhīofopportunity

An opportunity to exploit; a chance to take advantage of.

canxiǎngimagineérandzhīknow

As one can imagine; it is conceivable; predictably.

kòupluckrénpeoplexīnheartxiánstring

Exciting; thrilling; gripping; heart-stirring.

kǒumouthruòlikexuánhangriver

Eloquent; to speak with a torrent of words.

bitterkǒumouthold womanxīnheart

To advise earnestly and repeatedly; to give earnest and well-meaning advice.

cryxiàolaughnotcan

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry; to be in an awkward situation.

kuāboastkuāboasthis/her/itstántalk

To boast and brag; to talk bombastically.

láicomelóngdragongomàivein

Origin and development; cause and effect; the whole story.

láicomezhīitnoteasy

Not easily obtained; hard-won.

happynotthink ofshǔShu

To be so happy that one forgets one's home or origins; to be content in exile.

happythisnottired

To enjoy something and never tire of it; to be happy to do something again and again.

strengthnotcóngfollowxīnheart

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak; not having the ability to do what one wants to do.

clearlyclearlyzàiateye

Vividly remembered; still fresh in one's memory.

liànyearnliànyearnnotshěwilling to part

Reluctant to leave; unwilling to part.

liǎngtwoxiǎoyoungnocāisuspicion

Two children with no guardedness between them — innocent childhood companions.

liáofewliáofewnonefew

Very few; hardly any.

líndrippingdrippingjìnexhaustzhìarrive

Thoroughly; completely; to the fullest extent.

língcleveropportunityoncedòngmove

A bright idea suddenly occurs to one; to have a flash of inspiration.

lóngdragonhorsejīngrefinedshenspirit

Dragon-horse spirit — vigorous, energetic, full of life.

luànmessyseveneightzāodregs

In a mess; in utter disorder; everything is mixed up.

máiburytóuheadbittergànwork

To immerse oneself in hard work; to bury oneself in one's work.

máoMaosuíSuiselfjiànrecommend

To volunteer one's services; to recommend oneself.

méieyebrowskāiopenyǎneyesxiàosmile

To beam with joy; to be all smiles.

méinotwánendméinotliǎofinish

Endless; without end; never-ending.

měibeautyzhōngmiddlenotsufficient

A fly in the ointment; a blemish in perfection; a minor flaw.

méngatetíngcourtyardruòlikeshìmarket

A household as crowded as a marketplace; a very popular or influential household.

mèngdreammèisleepwithqiúseek

To long for something day and night; to yearn for something even in one's dreams.

miànfacehóngreděrearschìred

Flushed with anger or embarrassment; red in the face.

miànfacemiànfacealldàoarrive

To attend to each and every aspect; to be meticulous and comprehensive.

miànfaceappearancequánentirelyfēinot

Changed beyond recognition; completely transformed.

míngnamechuíhang downqīnggreenshǐhistory

Name handed down in history — to leave a lasting legacy.

míngwisezhéprudentbǎoprotectshēnself

To look after one's own safety by avoiding involvement in contentious issues; to play it safe.

silentsilentnowénfame

Unknown to the public; obscure; without fame or recognition.

notcontraryzhīofjiāofriend

Friends who never cross each other — bosom friends in perfect accord.

eyenotzhuǎnturnjīngpupil

To watch attentively without blinking; to stare fixedly.

eyesdèngstarekǒumouthdāiagape

Dumbfounded; stunned; agape.

eyeszhōnginnorénperson

To consider everyone else beneath one; arrogant.

nàiablerénpeoplexúnseekwèiflavor

Thought-provoking; worth pondering; intriguing.

nǎovexedxiūshamechéngturn intoanger

To fly into a rage out of humiliation; to be shamefully angry.

niànthinkniànthinknotwàngforget

To bear in mind constantly; to never forget.

nòngplayqiǎocleverchéngbecomezhuōclumsy

To try to be clever but end up making a mess of things; oversmarting oneself.

nòngmakefalsezuòdojiǎfake

To practice fraud; to fabricate; to cheat.

angerhairchōngsurgeguānhat

To be so angry that one's hair lifts one's hat; to be in a towering rage.

pāothrowzhuānbrickyǐnattractjade

To throw a brick to attract jade; to offer a humble opinion to elicit a valuable response; to offer a modest contribution as a stimulus for others to contribute more valuable ones.

péngPeng-birdchéngjourneywànten-thousandli

A Peng bird's flight of ten thousand miles — limitless future.

píngduckweedshuǐwaterxiāngmutualféngmeet

To meet by chance; casual acquaintance.

breakpotchénsinkzhōuboat

To cut off all means of retreat; to burn one's bridges; to commit oneself fully to a task.

rushmiànfaceérandláicome

To assault the senses; to come straight at one.

sevenzuǐmouthseightshétongues

All talking at once; a hubbub of voices.

qiàjustlikeitsfènshare/portion

Appropriate; fitting; suitable.

qiānthousandbiànchangewànten thousandhuàchange

Constantly changing; kaleidoscopic.

qiánfrontgohòubackcontinue

Advance wave upon wave; one falls, another steps into the breach.

qiānthousandjūnarmywànten thousandhorses

A large army; a vast crowd.

qiānthousandjūn钧, ancient weight unitjunonehair

A hair's breadth; in imminent peril; a critical moment.

qiánbeforesuǒplacewèinotyǒuhave

Unprecedented; never existed before.

qiánbeforenoancientrénpeople

Unprecedented; unparalleled; never before seen in history.

qiānthousand姿posturebǎihundredtàiform

In thousands of poses; in all manner of shapes and forms.

qíngfeelingnotselfjīnrestrain

Unable to restrain one's emotions; to be overcome with emotion; to be unable to control oneself.

qīngbluechūcome outfromlánindigo

The student surpasses the teacher; the younger generation excels the older.

qīnglightérandeasylift

Easy to do; with no difficulty; a piece of cake.

qīngemptyjiāfamilydàngsquanderchǎnproperty

To lose everything; to be reduced to poverty; to be cleaned out.

qīngdragonflytíngdragonflydiǎntouchshuǐwater

To touch on a subject lightly; to skim the surface; superficial.

qiúseektóngcommoncúnpreservedifferences

Seek common ground while reserving differences; agree to disagree.

takeéranddàireplacezhīit

To replace someone or something; to supersede.

quánwholexīnheartquánwholeintention

With all one's heart and soul; wholeheartedly; devotedly.

rénhumanmiànfaceshòubeastxīnheart

A beast in human form; a cruel and treacherous person.

dayrepeatoneday

Day after day; day in and day out.

sunyuèmoonlikesuōshuttle

Sun and moon like a weaving shuttle — time darts past.

róngappearanceguānglighthuànradiateemit

To be radiant; to glow with health and vigor.

likechīinfatuatedlikezuìdrunk

As if drunk and stupefied; lost in rapture; completely absorbed.

likehuǒfirelikewhite-flowered grass

Like a raging fire; in full swing; in a blaze of glory.

asyuànwishwithchángfulfilled

To have one's wish fulfilled; to get what one wanted.

sānthreefāntimesfivetimes

Again and again; repeatedly; time and again.

shānginjurefēngcustombàiruincustom

Offensive to public morals; harmful to social customs; immoral.

shēnbodynotyóufromself

Against one's will; involuntarily; cannot help oneself.

shēndeeplyenterrénpeople'sxīnheart

Deeply impressed upon people's minds; to have a strong impact on people.

shèngflourishingairlíngto bullyrénpeople

To be overbearing; to be arrogant and domineering.

shìmomentumnotcandāngresist

Irresistible; unstoppable.

shítimeguānglightrěnsliprǎngentle

Time slips quietly by.

shísometimeshǎogoodshísometimeshuàibad

Sometimes good, sometimes bad; fluctuating.

shítruehuàwordsshítrueshuōspeak

To speak the truth; to tell it like it is.

shǐhistorywithoutqiánbeforeprecedent

Unprecedented; never happened before in history.

shòureceivechǒngfavorruòas ifjīngstartled

To be overwhelmed by favor from superiors; to be flattered by an unexpected honor.

shòureceivebenefitfěinotqiǎnshallow

To benefit greatly; to learn a lot.

shùbindshǒuhandswithoutplan

To be at one's wit's end; to be helpless.

shǔcountoneshǔcountèrtwo

Among the best; one of the top.

shuǐwaterdropshístonechuān穿pierce

Constant dripping wears away the stone; perseverance achieves success.

shuǐwaterluòrecedeshístonechūemerge

The truth will come out; the whole thing comes to light.

shuǐwaterzhǎngrisechuánboatgāohigh

As the water rises, the boat floats higher; to rise with the tide.

shùnaccordprinciplechéngbecomezhāngchapter

Logical; naturally follows; be logical and well reasoned.

shùnobeyitsselfránthus

Let nature take its course; let things be.

seemcéngoncexiāngmutuallyshíknow

Seemingly familiar; déjà vu.

Ministerkōngof Public Worksjiànseeguànaccustomed

A common sight; nothing new; often seen.

fourmiànsideseightfāngdirections

In all directions; all around; from all sides.

fourmiànsideschǔChusong

To be surrounded by enemies; to be isolated and without help.

thinkqiánbeforexiǎngthinkhòuafter

To think over and over; to consider carefully.

seemshìiséryetfēinot

Specious; appearing right but actually wrong.

fourtōngconnecteightreach

Extend in all directions; accessible from all sides.

originallynotxiāngmutuallyshíknow

Never met before; completely unacquainted.

suífollowshítimesuífollowplace

Anytime and anywhere; at all times and places.

suífollowxīnheartsuǒwhatdesire

Do as one pleases; follow one's inclinations.

sǔnharmrénothersbenefitoneself

Harm others to benefit oneself; benefit oneself at the expense of others.

tánepiphyllumhuāfloweronexiànappear

A flash in the pan; a short-lived glory.

tángmantisarmdāngblockchēchariot

To overrate one's strength and attempt the impossible; to kick against the pricks.

clarified butterto pourguànto pourdǐngcrown of head

To enlighten someone; to awaken someone to the truth.

raisexīnheartdiàosuspenddǎngallbladder

To be in suspense; to have one's heart in one's mouth; to be very scared or apprehensive.

tiānheavenchánglongearthjiǔlasting

As eternal and unchanging as the universe; everlasting; forever.

tiānheavenhuāflowersluàndisorderlyzhuìfall

To describe something extravagantly or hyperbolically; to exaggerate wildly.

tiānheavenjīngscriptureearthrighteousness

Absolutely right and proper; principles of heaven and earth; a matter of course.

tiānheavenclothesnofèngseam

Flawless; perfect; seamless.

tóngsamedayérandspeak

To speak of on the same day; to mention in the same breath; to equate.

tóngsamezhōuboatgòngtogethercross

To cross a river in the same boat; to be in the same boat; to stick together in difficulties; to share weal and woe.

tóuheadtóuheadshìisdàoway

Clear and logical; well-arranged; methodical.

suddenlylikeitsláicome

To arise suddenly; to come unexpectedly; out of the blue.

soilshēngbornsoilzhǎnggrow

Native; locally born and bred.

tuōslipkǒumouthérandchūexit

To blurt out; to let slip; to speak without thinking.

tuōescapeyǐngawlérandchūexit

To stand out from the crowd; to distinguish oneself.

wànten thousandnooneshīmistake

Perfectly safe; foolproof; absolutely sure.

wànglookchéndustnotreach

Too far behind to catch up; to be far inferior.

wànglookméiplumzhǐstopthirst

To quench one's thirst by thinking of plums; to console oneself with illusions; to feed on fancies.

wànggazeyángoceanxīngraisetànsigh

To feel powerless in the face of an overwhelming task; to sigh in despair at one's own inadequacy.

wéibesiegeWèiWeijiùrescueZhàoZhao

Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao — attack the enemy's weak point to force them to retreat.

wēidangerousyánwordssǒngalarmtīnghearing

To exaggerate to mislead or scare people; to raise a false alarm; sensationalize.

wēnwarmwénrefineděrandelegant

Gentle, refined, and cultivated; possessing a mild and elegant demeanor.

nobiānbordernolimit

Boundless; limitless; vast and without boundaries.

noguānrelationjǐntightyàoimportant

Insignificant; unimportant; of no consequence.

fivelakesfourhǎiseas

all corners of the land; everywhere

fivehuāflowereightméndoor

Of all varieties; multifarious; a wide range of.

nohuàwordscanshuōsay

To have nothing to say; to be speechless; to be at a loss for words.

nohelptoshìmatter

Of no help; to no avail; useless.

nojiāhomecanguīreturn

Homeless; without a home to return to.

nojiàpricezhīofbǎotreasure

Priceless treasure; invaluable.

nocanhòuthickfēicriticize

Not to be censured too strictly; understandable; excusable.

nocannàiendurewhat

Have no alternative; have no choice; helpless.

nolùndiscusslikewhat

In any case; no matter what.

nosuǒwhatshìdoshìdo

Idle; to have nothing to do; unoccupied.

nosuǒwhatzuòdowéiachievement

Accomplish nothing; to have achieved nothing.

thingsbylèikindgather

Birds of a feather flock together; like attracts like.

joychūexceedwàngexpectationwàioutside

overjoyed; pleasantly surprised

joyangerāisorrowhappiness

joys, anger, sorrows, and pleasures; all feelings

stopshìaffairníngpacifyrénpeople

To patch things up; to smooth things over; to pour oil on troubled waters.

bustlingbustlingrǎngjostlingrǎngjostling

bustling with activity; crowded

breathbreathxiāngmutuallyguānrelated

closely linked; intimately related

xiǎnobviousérandeasyjiànsee

obvious; evident; clear

xiǎnrarewéiberénpeoplezhīknow

little known; rarely known

xiānfirstzhǎnbeheadhòuafterzòureport

To first act and then report; to act without prior authorization but seek approval afterwards.

xiāngmutuallymentionbìngtogetherlùndiscuss

to mention in the same breath; to place on a par

xiǎosmallcàidishonediéplate

a piece of cake; a walk in the park

xīnheartānpeacefulreasonobtain

to feel at ease and justified; have a clear conscience

xīnheartanxiouslikefénburning

Burning with impatience; extremely anxious.

xīnheartlíngclevershǒuhandqiǎoskillful

Clever and skillful; deft hands and a clever mind.

xīnheartxiǎngthinkshìmatterchéngachieve

May all your wishes come true.

xīnheartzhàounderstandnotxuānannounce

An understanding reached without words; a tacit agreement.

xíngshapexíngshapecolorcolor

Of all shapes and colors; all kinds of.

xíngformyǐngshadownotseparate

Inseparable as form and shadow; always together.

xiōngchestnodiǎndropink

Illiterate; uncultured; without learning.

xiōngchestyǒuhavechéngcompletezhúbamboo

To have a well-thought-out plan; to have something up one's sleeve.

xiùsleeveshǒuhandpángbesideguānwatch

To stand by idly; to look on without lifting a finger.

vividvividlikeshēngalive

Lifelike; true to life; vivid.

xuánhangingcliffreinhorse

To rein in the horse at the edge of a precipice; to come to a sudden realization before it's too late.

xuélearningwealthfivechēcarts

Learning enough to fill five carts of books.

xùnfollowprivatedancecorruption

To practice graft; to bend the law for personal gain.

pull upmiáoseedlingzhùhelpzhǎnggrow

To spoil things by excessive enthusiasm; to try to help seedlings grow by pulling them up.

yánwordszhīof itzáosolidzáosolid

Speaking with absolute certainty — as if it's chiselled in stone.

yáoshakeyáoshakeabout tozhuìfall

Tottering; on the verge of collapse.

nightwithcontinueday

Day and night; around the clock.

onechéngbecomenotbiànchange

Unchanging; static; set in stone.

onechóuplannotzhǎnunfold

At wit's end; unable to find a solution.

onegàiallérandlùndiscuss

To generalize; to lump everything together.

onegāndryèrtwojìngclean

Completely; thoroughly; leaving nothing behind.

onedrumzuòmakespirit

To do something in one vigorous effort; to press on to the finish without letup.

oneskillzhīofchángstrength

A special skill or talent.

oneliftonedòngmove

Every action; each move.

differentkǒumouthstóngsameshēngvoice

With one voice; unanimously.

onemáohairnotpluck

Unwilling to give up even a hair; extremely stingy.

pleasedránlike thisselfcontent

Carefree and content; pleased with oneself.

useshēnbodyzuòmakeexample

To lead by example; to set an example with one's own conduct.

oneshēngsoundnotkēngutter

Without uttering a word; not saying a thing.

oneshìthingnochéngsuccess

To accomplish nothing; to be a failure.

onecollapsepastemuddled

A complete mess; in an awful state.

onenonesuǒwhatyǒuhave

To have nothing at all; to be penniless.

onenonesuǒwhatzhīknow

To know nothing at all; to be completely ignorant.

thoughtxiǎngthinknotdàoarrive

Unexpected; unforeseen.

differentxiǎngthinktiānskykāiopen

To have a wild fantasy; to indulge in the wildest fancies; to be impractical.

onexīnheartonemind

Wholeheartedly; with single-hearted devotion.

oneyánwordnotspeak

Not saying a word; remaining silent.

oneyánwordonexíngaction

Every word and deed; all words and actions.

suppressyángraisedùnpausecuòstop

With cadence and varied tones; modulated (voice).

reluctantreluctantnotshěwilling to part

Unwilling to part; full of reluctance.

oneyìngallcompletequánwhole

To be complete in every respect; to have everything that one needs.

onezhēnneedlejiànseexiěblood

To hit the nail on the head; to get straight to the point.

yīnaccording toplacezhìmakesuitable

To adapt to local conditions; to act according to circumstances.

yǐncitejīngclassicsrely ondiǎnallusions

To quote classics and cite authority; to support an argument with classical references.

yīnaccording torénpersonéranddifferent

To vary from person to person; to differ depending on the individual.

yǐnleadrénpeopleentershèngwonderful

To be captivating; to be fascinating; to draw people in.

yǐnleadrénpeoplezhùfixeyes

To attract attention; to be eye-catching.

yǐndrinkzhènpoisonzhǐstopthirst

To quench one's thirst with poison; to adopt a stopgap measure that brings about disastrous results.

yīngshouldyǒuhavejìnallyǒuhave

To have everything that one could wish for; to have all one needs.

yǒngbravewǎnggozhístraightqiánforward

To advance bravely; to march forward courageously.

yǒuhavetargetfàngreleaseshǐarrow

To shoot an arrow at a target; to have a definite object in view; to be purposeful.

yǒuhavekǒumouthjiēallbēistele

Universally praised; enjoy a good reputation.

yǒuhaveshēngsoundyǒuhavecolor

Vivid and lively; full of sound and color.

yǒuhaveshìreliancenokǒngfear

To have nothing to fear because one has strong backing; fearless because of reliance on someone or something.

yǒuhaveyǎneyesnozhūpearl

To be blind to talent or worth; not to know a good thing when one sees it.

yóudoubthesitatenotjuédecide

To hesitate and be unable to make up one's mind; to be indecisive.

yǒuhavezhāomorningoneday

Someday; one day; sometime in the future.

wantgàicovermorezhāngobvious

The more one tries to conceal, the more obvious it becomes.

withshítimetogetherjìnadvance

To keep up with the times; to advance with the times.

moreyǎndevelopmorelièintense

To become more and more intense; to escalate.

withzhòngcrowdnottóngsame

Different from the rest; unique; out of the ordinary.

yuǎnfarjìnnearwénhearmíngfamous

Famous far and wide; well-known.

yuánsourceyuánsourcenotduànstop

A steady flow; continuous; unceasing.

yuánsourceyuǎndistantliúflowchánglong

Of long standing; having a long history; deep-rooted.

yuánoriginalzhījuiceyuánoriginalwèitaste

Authentic; genuine; original flavor.

yuēagreeddìngdecidedcustomchéngbecome

Established by common practice; conventional.

yùnplanchóustrategywéitenthold

To devise strategies within a command tent; to plan and direct affairs from behind the scenes; masterminding.

yūndizzytóuheadzhuànturnxiàngdirection

Dizzy and disoriented; confused.

mixedluàndisorderednozhāngorder

Disorganized; chaotic; in a mess.

zàiatsuǒplacenánhardmiǎnavoid

Unavoidable; inevitable.

zànpraisenotjuéstopkǒumouth

Full of praise; to praise incessantly.

zhānghangdēnglanternsjiétiecǎicolorful silk

to hang up lanterns and colored streamers; to decorate for a festive occasion

zhāomorningeveningxiāngeach otherchǔbe together

to be together from morning till night; to spend a lot of time together

zhēnneedlefēngpointxiāngeach otherduìoppose

to oppose each other point-to-point; to be at loggerheads

zhēngcompetefēnminuteduóseizemiǎosecond

to fight for every minute and second; to race against time

zhǐpoint鹿deerwéiashorse

To deliberately misrepresent something; to call a spade a spade.

zhǐpapershàngontándiscussbīngmilitary

armchair strategy; theoretical discussion divorced from practice

zhǐpointshǒuhandhuàdrawjiǎofoot

to gesticulate wildly; to boss around

zhòngmanyzhìwillchéngbuildchéngcity wall

unity is strength; many hearts build a city wall

zhòngheavyzhōngamongzhīofzhòngheavy

the most important of the important; the top priority

zhūvariouslikethislèikind

and so on; things of that sort

zhuǎnturnshùninstantimmediatelyshìgone

Gone in the blink of an eye — fleeting.

sonchénginheritfatherwork

The son carries on the father's work — family business / craft passed to the next generation.

selfránthusérandránthus

Naturally; of its own accord.

fromshǐbeginningzhìtozhōngend

From beginning to end; from start to finish.

selftakewéiasshìright

To consider oneself always in the right; be opinionated.

zǒuwalktóuroadnoroad

To have no way out; to be in a hopeless situation.

footnotchūexitdoor

Not to step out of doors; to remain at home.

sufficientzhìwisdomduōmanymóuplans

Resourceful and full of stratagems; wise and resourceful.

zuìcrimekuíchiefhuòdisastershǒuhead

The main culprit; the chief perpetrator.

zuǒleftlookyòurightpànlook

To look around; to glance right and left.

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