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IDIOMS · WISDOM

Chinese Idioms about Wisdom & Learning (Chengyu)

Classical Chinese chengyu about wisdom, learning, and intellectual growth — 学无止境, 温故知新, 学而不思则罔 — with literal meaning, English gloss, and usage.

xuéstudynozhǐstopjìngboundary

Learning has no end. There's no limit to how much you can keep learning.

wēnreviewoldzhīknowxīnnew

Revisit the old to understand the new.

xuéstudyérandnotthinkthenwǎngbewildered

Studying without reflecting on what you study leaves you confused.

notchǐashamedxiàbelowwènask

Not too proud to ask people of lower rank for help.

wénhearonezhīknowshíten

To grasp ten things from being told one — quick on the uptake.

raiseonefǎnreturnsānthree

From one example, infer three more — generalise from a single case.

róngmelthuìmeetguànpiercetōngthrough

Master a subject thoroughly — the parts melt into a connected whole.

broadxuélearningduōmanycáitalents

Broadly learned and multi-talented.

xuélearningwealthfivechēcarts

Learning enough to fill five carts of books.

cáitalentgāohigheightdǒupeck

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

záoborewalltōustealguānglight

Boring a hole in the wall to steal lamplight — studying despite poverty.

bǎihundredhuāflowerstogetherfàngbloom

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

bànhalfjīncattyeightliǎngtael

Six of one, half a dozen of the other; much the same.

bànhalfxìnbelievebànhalfdoubt

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

bǎofulljīngexperiencecāngbluesāngmulberry

To have experienced the vicissitudes of life; to have gone through many changes.

bāoencompassluócollectwànten thousandxiàngphenomena

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

comparecomparejiēallshìis

Ubiquitous; can be found everywhere.

mustnotcanshǎolack

Absolutely necessary; indispensable.

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.

broadbigjīngrefinedshēnprofound

Broad and profound; vast and deep.

notobtainérandzhīknow

Cannot be known; will never know.

notjiǎneedthinksuǒponder

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

notcanthinkimagine

Inconceivable; unimaginable; incredible.

notmóuplanérandcoincide

To agree without prior consultation; to coincide.

notshèngable to finishméienumeratecite

Too numerous to count; countless.

notyánspeakérandunderstand

It goes without saying; self-evident; obvious.

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.

notenoughwéito bestrange

Not at all surprising; nothing to be surprised about.

cóngleisurelyróngcomposednothurried

Calm and unhurried; composed.

greatgōngimpartialitywithoutselfishness

Completely impartial and selfless.

bigtóngsamexiǎosmalldifferent

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

dāngatopportunityimmediatelyduàndecide

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

dāngshouldaffairzhīofurgent

The most pressing matter of the moment; the top priority.

dàoway/doctrinemàoappearanceànloftyránsolemn

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

gainnotchángcompensateshīloss

The gain does not make up for the loss; more trouble than it's worth.

moralitycáitalentjiānbothbèipossess

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

aloneshùplantonezhìbanner

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

duìtozhèngsymptomxiàadministeryàomedicine

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

ěrearmoisteneyerǎndye

To be influenced by what one frequently hears and sees; to be influenced unconsciously.

fèiabandonqǐnsleepwàngforgetshífood

To forget to eat and sleep; to be completely engrossed in one's work.

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.

eachshūexpressselfjiànopinion

Everyone airs their own views; each expresses their opinion.

gēnrootshēndeepstemfirm

Deep-rooted; firmly established; ingrained.

gōngsupplynotyìngmeetqiúdemand

Supply falls short of demand; demand exceeds supply.

isolatedlòushallowguǎfewwénhear

Ignorant and ill-informed; having little knowledge.

considerquánwholebigsituation

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

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.

guīreturngēnrootdàotobottom

In the final analysis; ultimately; in the last analysis.

huǎngdimlyránthusgreatlyunderstand

To suddenly realize; to wake up to the truth.

collectthoughtsguǎng广widenbenefit

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

urgentzhōngmidstshēngproducezhìwisdom

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

jiànseeduōmuchshíknowledgeguǎng广broad

Experienced and knowledgeable; well-informed.

jiànseerénbenevolencejiànseezhìwisdom

Different people have different views; opinions differ.

jiédistinctránlike thisnottóngsame

Completely different; poles apart.

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.

jǐngwelljǐngwellyǒuhavetiáoorder

In perfect order; neat and tidy; methodical.

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.

gatherjīngessencehuìmeetshénspirit

To concentrate one's attention; to focus one's energies.

liftchess piecenotdìngdecide

Unable to make up one's mind; hesitant.

canxiǎngimagineérandzhīknow

As one can imagine; it is conceivable; predictably.

bitterjìnendgānsweetláicome

After suffering comes happiness; sweet comes after bitterness.

bitterkǒumouthold womanxīnheart

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

láicomelóngdragongomàivein

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

lǎooldhorseshírecognizeroad

An old horse knows the way; experienced people know the ropes.

lǎooldshēngscholarchángoftentántalk

A cliché; a commonplace remark; a truism.

strengthnotcóngfollowxīnheart

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

reasonsuǒbydāngshouldránso

As a matter of course; inevitable and right; taken for granted.

strengthsuǒbynéngcanreach

Within one's power; as far as one's capabilities extend.

reasonzhístraightspiritzhuàngstrong

To be in the right and confident; to have justice on one's side.

língcleveropportunityoncedòngmove

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

máothatchblockagedùnsuddenlykāiopen

To be suddenly enlightened; to have a sudden flash of understanding.

míngnameaccorditsshíreality

Worthy of the name; a true reflection of the name; the name matches the reality.

notmíngnameitsmiàosubtle

Baffling; inexplicable; odd; without rhyme or reason.

eyenotzhuǎnturnjīngpupil

To watch attentively without blinking; to stare fixedly.

nàiablerénpeoplexúnseekwèiflavor

Thought-provoking; worth pondering; intriguing.

nánsouthyuáncarriage shaftběinorthzhéwheel track

To act in a way that defeats one's purpose; to go south by driving the chariot north; to run in the opposite direction.

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.

qiàexactlydàoarrivehǎogoodchùplace

just right; perfect

qiàjustlikeitsfènshare/portion

Appropriate; fitting; suitable.

qiánhiddenmovesilenthuàchange

to influence secretly; to be gradually affected

qiúseektóngcommoncúnpreservedifferences

Seek common ground while reserving differences; agree to disagree.

rénpersonjìnexhausttheircáitalent

To make the best use of people's talents; everyone gives full play to their abilities.

shānginjurefēngcustombàiruincustom

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

shēndeeplyenterrénpeople'sxīnheart

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

shìeffortbèidoublegōngresultbànhalf

Twice the effort, half the result; inefficient.

shírealshìthingsqiúseekshìtruth

to seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic

shòureceivebenefitfěinotqiǎnshallow

To benefit greatly; to learn a lot.

shuǐwaterluòrecedeshístonechūemerge

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

shùnaccordprinciplechéngbecomezhāngchapter

Logical; naturally follows; be logical and well reasoned.

shùnobeyitsselfránthus

Let nature take its course; let things be.

Ministerkōngof Public Worksjiànseeguànaccustomed

A common sight; nothing new; often seen.

thinkqiánbeforexiǎngthinkhòuafter

To think over and over; to consider carefully.

seemshìiséryetfēinot

Specious; appearing right but actually wrong.

suífollowwaveszhúchaseliúflow

To drift with the tide; to go with the flow; to follow the crowd without one's own opinion.

suífollowxīnheartsuǒwhatdesire

Do as one pleases; follow one's inclinations.

clarified butterto pourguànto pourdǐngcrown of head

To enlighten someone; to awaken someone to the truth.

tiānheavenjīngscriptureearthrighteousness

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

tiānheavenclothesnofèngseam

Flawless; perfect; seamless.

tǒngoverallchóuplanjiānconcurrentlyconsider

to plan as a whole and take all factors into consideration

tóngsamedayérandspeak

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

tóuheadtóuheadshìisdàoway

Clear and logical; well-arranged; methodical.

wànglookchéndustnotreach

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

wànggazeyángoceanxīngraisetànsigh

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

wēismallnotenoughdàomention

negligible; insignificant; not worth mentioning

wēnwarmwénrefineděrandelegant

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

noguānrelationjǐntightyàoimportant

Insignificant; unimportant; of no consequence.

fivehuāflowereightméndoor

Of all varieties; multifarious; a wide range of.

nohelptoshìmatter

Of no help; to no avail; useless.

nojiàpricezhīofbǎotreasure

Priceless treasure; invaluable.

nocanhòuthickfēicriticize

Not to be censured too strictly; understandable; excusable.

nocannàiendurewhat

Have no alternative; have no choice; helpless.

nosuǒwhatzuòdowéiachievement

Accomplish nothing; to have achieved nothing.

xiǎnobviousérandeasyjiànsee

obvious; evident; clear

xiāngmutuallyassistxiāngmutuallychéngcomplete

To complement each other; to supplement and complement.

xiāngmutuallymentionbìngtogetherlùndiscuss

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

xīnheartānpeacefulreasonobtain

to feel at ease and justified; have a clear conscience

xīnheartlíngclevershǒuhandqiǎoskillful

Clever and skillful; deft hands and a clever mind.

xíngshapexíngshapecolorcolor

Of all shapes and colors; all kinds of.

xiōngchestnodiǎndropink

Illiterate; uncultured; without learning.

xiōngchestyǒuhavechéngcompletezhúbamboo

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

xuánhangingcliffreinhorse

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

xùnfollowprivatedancecorruption

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

xúnfolloworderjiàngraduallyjìnadvance

To proceed step by step; to advance gradually in due order.

pull upmiáoseedlingzhùhelpzhǎnggrow

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

oneglanceliǎounderstandránclearly

Clear at a glance; obvious.

useshēnbodyzuòmakeexample

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

onenonesuǒwhatzhīknow

To know nothing at all; to be completely ignorant.

differentxiǎngthinktiānskykāiopen

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

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.

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.

yǒuhavetargetfàngreleaseshǐarrow

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

yǒuhaveyǎneyesnozhūpearl

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

wantgàicovermorezhāngobvious

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

withshítimetogetherjìnadvance

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

withzhòngcrowdnottóngsame

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

yuánoriginalzhījuiceyuánoriginalwèitaste

Authentic; genuine; original flavor.

yuēagreeddìngdecidedcustomchéngbecome

Established by common practice; conventional.

zàiatsuǒplacenánhardmiǎnavoid

Unavoidable; inevitable.

zhǐpoint鹿deerwéiashorse

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

zhīknowenoughchángalwayshappy

Contentment brings happiness; happy is he who is content.

zhūvariouslikethislèikind

and so on; things of that sort

sufficientzhìwisdomduōmanymóuplans

Resourceful and full of stratagems; wise and resourceful.

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