HSK 7-9 Chinese Idioms (Chengyu)

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

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

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

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

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

Ubiquitous; can be found everywhere.

Absolutely necessary; indispensable.

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

Unpredictable; capricious; fickle.

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

To have a unique style; to be unconventional.

Refined and courteous; urbane.

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

Tip of the iceberg.

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

To leave without saying goodbye; to take French leave.

Cannot be known; will never know.

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

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

Absolutely necessary; indispensable; vital.

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

To agree without prior consultation; to coincide.

Too numerous to count; countless.

Not to mind taking the trouble; to be patient.

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

Extremely happy; inordinately joyful.

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

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

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

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

Unconsciously; unwittingly; without realizing.

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

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

To see enemies everywhere; extreme paranoia.

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

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

In groups and gangs; in large numbers.

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

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

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

To exceed expectations; unexpected.

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

Rising one after another; occurring continuously.

Calm and unhurried; composed.

Careless; negligent.

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

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

Intricate; complicated; complex.

Casual and careless; nonchalant.

Drastic and decisive; bold and resolute.

Completely impartial and selfless.

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

Famous; celebrated; well-known.

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

Having great potential; promising.

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

Fully deserving of the honor; worthy of the name.

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

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

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

Triumphantly; in high feather; bursting with pride.

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

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

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

Unique; unparalleled; one of a kind.

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

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

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

Well-known; often heard and easily recalled.

To develop and promote; to carry forward and enhance.

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

Earth-shattering; a world-overturning change.

Abuzz; rife; creating a great clamor.

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

Exposed to the elements; to undergo hardship and tribulation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Incompatible; out of tune with; not fitting in.

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

Ignorant and ill-informed; having little knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

Shocking; dreadful; scandalous.

Merit for distinguished service; contribution in war or work.

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

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

Hot and cold; fickle; inconsistent.

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

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

To turn danger into safety; to avert a crisis.

A completely new look; brand new.

Vivid and lively; lifelike; graphic.

More or less; somewhat.

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

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

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

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

Different people have different views; opinions differ.

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

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

Everyone is happy; a happy ending for all.

One after another; in quick succession.

Completely different; poles apart.

To economize on clothing and food; to live frugally.

Inviolable rules; golden rule.

Invaluable advice; golden words.

Splendid and diverse; full of brilliant highlights.

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

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

Lasting for a long time; unceasing.

Completely exhausted; utterly worn out.

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

Soul-stirring; deeply moving; extremely exciting.

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

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

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

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

Unable to make up one's mind; hesitant.

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

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

As one can imagine; it is conceivable; predictably.

Exciting; thrilling; gripping; heart-stirring.

Eloquent; to speak with a torrent of words.

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

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

To boast and brag; to talk bombastically.

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

Not easily obtained; hard-won.

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

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

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

Vividly remembered; still fresh in one's memory.

Reluctant to leave; unwilling to part.

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

Very few; hardly any.

Thoroughly; completely; to the fullest extent.

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

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

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

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

To volunteer one's services; to recommend oneself.

To beam with joy; to be all smiles.

Endless; without end; never-ending.

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

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

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

Flushed with anger or embarrassment; red in the face.

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

Changed beyond recognition; completely transformed.

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

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

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

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

To watch attentively without blinking; to stare fixedly.

Dumbfounded; stunned; agape.

To consider everyone else beneath one; arrogant.

Thought-provoking; worth pondering; intriguing.

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

To bear in mind constantly; to never forget.

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

To practice fraud; to fabricate; to cheat.

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

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.

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

To meet by chance; casual acquaintance.

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

To assault the senses; to come straight at one.

All talking at once; a hubbub of voices.

Appropriate; fitting; suitable.

Constantly changing; kaleidoscopic.

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

A large army; a vast crowd.

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

Unprecedented; never existed before.

Unprecedented; unparalleled; never before seen in history.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seek common ground while reserving differences; agree to disagree.

To replace someone or something; to supersede.

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

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

Day after day; day in and day out.

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

To be radiant; to glow with health and vigor.

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

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

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

Again and again; repeatedly; time and again.

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

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

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

To be overbearing; to be arrogant and domineering.

Irresistible; unstoppable.

Time slips quietly by.

Sometimes good, sometimes bad; fluctuating.

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

Unprecedented; never happened before in history.

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

To benefit greatly; to learn a lot.

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

Among the best; one of the top.

Constant dripping wears away the stone; perseverance achieves success.

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

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

Logical; naturally follows; be logical and well reasoned.

Let nature take its course; let things be.

Seemingly familiar; déjà vu.

A common sight; nothing new; often seen.

In all directions; all around; from all sides.

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

To think over and over; to consider carefully.

Specious; appearing right but actually wrong.

Extend in all directions; accessible from all sides.

Never met before; completely unacquainted.

Anytime and anywhere; at all times and places.

Do as one pleases; follow one's inclinations.

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

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

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

To enlighten someone; to awaken someone to the truth.

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

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

To describe something extravagantly or hyperbolically; to exaggerate wildly.

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

Flawless; perfect; seamless.

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

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

Clear and logical; well-arranged; methodical.

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

Native; locally born and bred.

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

To stand out from the crowd; to distinguish oneself.

Perfectly safe; foolproof; absolutely sure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boundless; limitless; vast and without boundaries.

Insignificant; unimportant; of no consequence.

all corners of the land; everywhere

Of all varieties; multifarious; a wide range of.

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

Of no help; to no avail; useless.

Homeless; without a home to return to.

Priceless treasure; invaluable.

Not to be censured too strictly; understandable; excusable.

Have no alternative; have no choice; helpless.

In any case; no matter what.

Idle; to have nothing to do; unoccupied.

Accomplish nothing; to have achieved nothing.

Birds of a feather flock together; like attracts like.

overjoyed; pleasantly surprised

joys, anger, sorrows, and pleasures; all feelings

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

bustling with activity; crowded

closely linked; intimately related

obvious; evident; clear

little known; rarely known

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

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

a piece of cake; a walk in the park

to feel at ease and justified; have a clear conscience

Burning with impatience; extremely anxious.

Clever and skillful; deft hands and a clever mind.

May all your wishes come true.

An understanding reached without words; a tacit agreement.

Of all shapes and colors; all kinds of.

Inseparable as form and shadow; always together.

Illiterate; uncultured; without learning.

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

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

Lifelike; true to life; vivid.

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

Learning enough to fill five carts of books.

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

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

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

Tottering; on the verge of collapse.

Day and night; around the clock.

Unchanging; static; set in stone.

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

To generalize; to lump everything together.

Completely; thoroughly; leaving nothing behind.

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

A special skill or talent.

Every action; each move.

With one voice; unanimously.

Unwilling to give up even a hair; extremely stingy.

Carefree and content; pleased with oneself.

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

Without uttering a word; not saying a thing.

To accomplish nothing; to be a failure.

A complete mess; in an awful state.

To have nothing at all; to be penniless.

To know nothing at all; to be completely ignorant.

Unexpected; unforeseen.

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

Wholeheartedly; with single-hearted devotion.

Not saying a word; remaining silent.

Every word and deed; all words and actions.

With cadence and varied tones; modulated (voice).

Unwilling to part; full of reluctance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

To attract attention; to be eye-catching.

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

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

To advance bravely; to march forward courageously.

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

Universally praised; enjoy a good reputation.

Vivid and lively; full of sound and color.

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

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

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

Someday; one day; sometime in the future.

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

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

To become more and more intense; to escalate.

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

Famous far and wide; well-known.

A steady flow; continuous; unceasing.

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

Authentic; genuine; original flavor.

Established by common practice; conventional.

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

Dizzy and disoriented; confused.

Disorganized; chaotic; in a mess.

Unavoidable; inevitable.

Full of praise; to praise incessantly.

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

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

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

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

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

armchair strategy; theoretical discussion divorced from practice

to gesticulate wildly; to boss around

unity is strength; many hearts build a city wall

the most important of the important; the top priority

and so on; things of that sort

Gone in the blink of an eye — fleeting.

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

Naturally; of its own accord.

From beginning to end; from start to finish.

To consider oneself always in the right; be opinionated.

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

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

Resourceful and full of stratagems; wise and resourceful.

The main culprit; the chief perpetrator.

To look around; to glance right and left.