成语和俗语

成语与俗语 成语 chéngyǔ are idioms. They are commonly used in both speech and writing. Unlike in English, however, where the use of cliches is considered an indication of ones inability to express oneself using ones own words, in Chinese it is an indication that you are well educated and know the stories that the idioms come from. 俗语 súyǔ are common or folk sayings, and can be very instructive in understanding Chinese culture.

Here are some of the more commonly heard 成语.

Here is the list 成语 of students are expected to know through the four levels of the HSK 汉语水平考试. Here are some fun 俗语.
 * 与此同时 [yǔ cǐ tóng shí] || at the same time; moreover ||
 * 无论如何 [wú lùn rú hé] || in any case; no matter what ||
 * 前所未有 [qián suǒ wèi yǒu] || unprecedented ||
 * 小心翼翼 [xiǎo xīn yì yì] || cautiously ||
 * 不知不觉 [bù zhī bù jué] || unconciously ||
 * 引人注目 [yǐn rén zhù mù] || conspicuous; spectacular ||
 * 众所周知 [zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī] || as everyone knows ||
 * 无可奈何[wú kě nài hé] || have no alternative ||
 * 由此可见[yóu cǐ kě jiàn] || thus it can be seen ||
 * 自言自语[zì yán zì yǔ] || talk to oneself ||
 * 可想而知[kě xiǎng ér zhī] || one can well imagine ||
 * 斩草除根[zhǎn cǎo chú gēn] || destroy root and branch; eliminate the cause of the trouble ||
 * 实事求是[shí shì qiú shì] || seek the truth from facts; be practical and realistic ||
 * 千方百计[qiān fāng bǎi jì] || by hook or by crook ||
 * 无能为力[wú néng wéi lì] || powerless ||
 * 全力以赴[quán lì yǐ fù] || spare no effort ||
 * 成千上万[chéng qiān shàng wàn] || thousands upon thousands ||
 * 层出不穷[céng chū bù qióng] || emerge one after another ||
 * 供不应求[gōng bú yìng qiú] || demand exceeds supply ||
 * 显而易见[xiǎn ér yì jiàn] || obviously ||
 * 名副其实[míng fù qí shí] || name matches reality; be worthy of the name ||
 * 或多或少[huò duō huò shǎo] || more or less ||
 * 轰轰烈烈[hōng hōng liè liè] || vigorous; on a grand scale ||
 * 讨价还价[tǎo jià huán jià] || bargain, haggle ||
 * 想方设法[xiǎng fāng shè fǎ] || do everything possible ||
 * 新陈代谢[xīn chén dài xiè] || the new superceding the old ||
 * 恰到好处[qià dào hǎo chù] || It's perfect~ ||
 * 各行各业[gè háng gè yè] || all professions/trades ||
 * 循序渐进[xún xù jiàn jìn] || proceed step by step ||
 * 微不足道[wēi bù zú dào] || not worth mentioning ||
 * 不言而喻[bù yán ér yù] || it goes w/o saying ||
 * 有声有色[yǒu shēng yǒu sè] || vivid and dramatic ||
 * 无话可说[wú huà kě shuō] || can say nothing more ||
 * 兴高采烈[xìng gāo cǎi liè] || jubilant ||
 * 断断续续[duàn duàn xù xù] || intermitent ||
 * 理直气壮[lǐ zhí qì zhuàng] || do sth w/ the assumption that right is on one's side ||
 * 家喻户晓[jiā yù hù xiǎo] || become a household word; be known toql households ||
 * 精益求精[jīng yì qiú jīng] || keep improving ||
 * 自始至终[zì shǐ zhì zhōng] || from start to finish ||
 * 天长地久[tiān cháng dì jiǔ] || everlasting and unchanging ||
 * 滔滔不绝[tāo tāo bù jué] || talk on and on ||
 * 一帆风顺[yī fán fēng shùn] || smooth sailing ||
 * 津津有味[jīn jīn yǒu wèi] || do sth with gusto ||
 * 弄虚作假[nòng xū zuò jiǎ] || practice fraud ||
 * 总而言之[zǒng ér yán zhī] || in short; in a word ||
 * 七嘴八舌[qī zuǐ bā shé] || talk all at the same time ||
 * 不相上下[bù xiāng shàng xià] || equally matched ||
 * 接二连三[jiē èr lián sān] || one after another ||
 * 争先恐后[zhēng xiān kǒng hòu] || vie to be first ||
 * 提心吊胆[tí xīn diào dǎn] || be on tenterhooks ||
 * 发扬光大[fā yáng guāng dà] || carry forward; enhance ||
 * 浩浩荡荡[hào hào dàng dàng] || vast and mighty ||
 * 得不偿失[dé bù cháng shī] || not worth the effort ||
 * 根深蒂固[gēn shēn dì gù] || deep rooted ||
 * 自私自利[zì sī zì lì] || selfish; self centered ||
 * 力所能及[lì suǒ néng jí] || within one's power ||
 * 格格不入[gé gé bú rù] || incompatible with ||
 * 似笑非笑[sì xiào fēi xiào] || forced smile ||
 * 大同小异[dà tóng xiǎo yì] || simliar, w/ minor differences ||
 * 连滚带爬[lián gǔn dài pá] || scramble away ||
 * 奇花异草[qí huā yì cǎo] || exotic plants ||
 * 聚精会神[jù jīng huì shén] || concetrate one's attention ||
 * 斩钉截铁[zhǎn dīng jié tiě] || resolute and decisive ||
 * 无微不至[wú wēi bú zhì] || meticulous ||
 * 诸如此类[zhū rú cǐ lèi] || such like; and so on ||
 * 兢兢业业[jīng jīng yè yè] || cautious and conscientious ||
 * 热泪盈眶[rè lèi yíng kuàng] || tearful ||
 * 精打细算[jīng dǎ xì suàn] || careful calculation and strict budgeting ||
 * 画蛇添足[huà shé tiān zú] || ruin by adding sth superflous ||
 * 一干二净[yī gān èr jìng] || thoroughly ||
 * 三番五次[sān fān wǔ cì] || repeatedly ||
 * 思前想后[sī qián xiǎng hòu] || ponder over ||
 * 独立自主[dú lì zì zhǔ] || maintian one's independence and keep the intiaitive; act independently and on own initiative ||
 * 不正之风[bù zhèng zhī fēng] || unhealthy tendency ||
 * 合情合理[hé qíng hé lǐ] || fair and reasonable ||
 * 美中不足[měi zhōng bù zú] || blemish in sth otherwise perfect ||
 * 改邪归正[gǎi xié guī zhèng] || turn over a new leaf ||
 * 能歌善舞[néng gē shàn wǔ] || skilled in both singing and dancing ||
 * 无可奉告[wú kě fèng gào] || no comment ||
 * 以身作则[yǐ shēn zuò zé] || set an example ||
 * 永垂不朽[yǒng chuí bù xiǔ] || last forever ||
 * 百花齐放[bǎi huā qí fàng] || let different views be expressed ||
 * 探头探脑[tàn tóu tàn nǎo] || pop in and look about; act stealthily ||
 * 千军万马[qiān jūn wàn mǎ] || a mighty force ||
 * 无情无义[wú qíng wú yì] || ruthlessly ||
 * 大公无私[dà gōng wú sī] || selfless ||
 * 举世瞩目[jǔ shì zhǔ mù] || attract worldwide attention ||
 * 欣欣向荣[xīn xīn xiàng róng] || prosperous; flourishing ||
 * 朝气蓬勃[zhāo qì péng bó] || full of vigor ||
 * 从容不迫[cóng róng bú pò] || calm and unhurried ||
 * 归根到底[guī gēn dào dǐ] || in the final analysis ||
 * 自力更生[zì lì gēng shēng] || reconstruct through one's own effort; self reliance ||
 * 一哄而散[yī hōng ér sàn] || dipserse in a hubbub ||
 * 恰如其分[qià rú qí fèn] || just right ||
 * 半真半假[bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ] || partly true, partly false ||
 * 有两下子[yǒu liǎng xià zi] || know one's stuff ||
 * 东奔西走[dōng bēn xī zǒu] || run about busily ||
 * 半途而废[bàn tú ér fèi] || give up halfway ||
 * 一技之长[yī jì zhī cháng] || profesional skill ||
 * 举世闻名[jǔ shì wén míng] || world famous ||
 * 如醉如痴[rú zuì rú chī] || as if intoxicated; be crazy about ||
 * 百家争鸣[bǎi jiā zhēng míng] || 100 schools of thought contend ||
 * 敬而远之[jìng ér yuǎn zhī] || stay at a respectful distance from ||
 * 似是而非[sì shì ér fēi] || apparently right but actuallly wrong ||
 * 面面俱到[miàn miàn jù dào] || attend to every aspect of a matter ||
 * 大有可为[dà yǒu kě wéi] || very promising; very hopeful ||
 * 可歌可泣[kě gē kě qì] || very moving ||
 * 朝三暮四[cháo sān mù sì] || hoodwink the gullible ||
 * 和平共处[hé píng gòng chǔ] || peaceful coexistence ||
 * 饮[yǐn]水[shuǐ]思[sī]源[yuán] || never forget one's origins ||
 * 川流不息[chuān liú bù xī] || never-ending ||
 * 不卑不亢[bù bēi bú kàng] || neither obsequios nor supercilious ||
 * 自相矛盾[zì xiāng máo dùn] || contradict oneself ||
 * 目中无人[mù zhōng wú rén] || supercilious; overwheening ||
 * 顾全大局[gù quán dà jú] || consider the situation as a whole ||
 * 多劳多得[duō láo duō dé] || work more get more ||
 * 发奋图强[fā fèn tú qiáng] || work furiously to make sth strong ||
 * 诚心诚意[chéng xīn chéng yì] || earnestly and sincerely ||
 * 损人利己[sǔn rén lì jǐ] || benefit oneself at others expense ||
 * 一毛不拔[yī máo bù bá] || stingy ||
 * 指手画脚[zhǐ shǒu huà jiǎo] || gesticulate wildly; make indiscreet remarks ||
 * 岂有此理[qǐ yǒu cǐ lǐ] || nonsense! ||
 * 无所作为[wú suǒ zuò wéi] || attempt/accomplish nothing ||
 * 大包大揽[dà bāo dà lǎn] || monopolize power ||
 * 自负盈亏[zì fù yíng kuī] || assume sole resposibility for p/l ||
 * 不辞而别[bù cí ér bié] || leave w/o saying goodbye ||
 * 粗心大意[cū xīn dà yì] || negligent; careless ||
 * 门当户对[mén dāng hù duì] || be well matched in social and economic status ||
 * 暴风骤雨[bào fēng zòu yǔ] || violent storm ||
 * 萍水相逢[píng shuǐ xiāng féng] || meet by chance ||
 * 万水千山[wàn shuǐ qiān shān] || long and arduous journey ||
 * 一概而论[yī gài ér lùn] || stereotype; treat different things as the same ||
 * 投机倒把[tóu jī dǎo bǎ] || speculate and profiteer; be opportunistic ||
 * 各奔前程[gè bēn qián chéng] || each pursues his own course ||
 * 推来推去[tuī lái tuī qù] || pass the back; push back and forth ||
 * 坚贞不屈[jiān zhēn bù qū] || be faithful and unyielding ||
 * 有口无心[yǒu kǒu wú xīn] || be sharp tongued but not mailcious ||
 * 万古长青[wàn gǔ cháng qīng] || remain fresh; last forever ||
 * 来回来去[lái huí lái qù] || over and over ||
 * 没吃没穿[méi chī méi chuān] || have neither food nor clothing ||

Below are many examples from xianzai.com. 飞驴飞马 投笔从戎 呆若木鸡 玩物丧志 招摇过市 毛遂自荐 金石为开 门庭若市 行尸走肉 纸上谈兵 约法三章 空中阁楼 生吞活剥 瓜田李下 熟能生巧 江郎才尽 水深火热 望洋兴叹 手不释卷 心怀叵 引锥刺股 幸灾乐祸 巧取豪夺 州官放火 对牛弹琴 完璧归赵 外强中干 名落孙山 包藏祸心 分道扬镳 先斩后奏 买椟还珠 不寒而栗 一箭双雕

The following animated stories are from http://www.dhcca.org/Flash/chengyu.htm [|拔苗助长] [|班门弄斧] [|狐假虎威] [|不入虎穴，焉得虎子] [|打草惊蛇] [|调虎离山] [|龟兔赛跑] [|此地无银三百两] [|囫囵吞枣] [|画饼充饥] [|画蛇添足] [|精诚所至，金石为开] [|狼狈为奸] [|马马虎虎] [|盲人摸象] [|快刀斩乱麻] [|名落孙山] [|抛砖引玉] [|破镜重圆] [|千里送鹅毛] [|黔驴技穷] [|塞翁失马] [|近朱者赤] [|敲竹杠] [|守株待兔] [|水落石出] [|杀鸡取卵] [|杀鸡给猴看] [|亡羊补牢] [|阳春白雪] [|指鹿为马] [|五十步笑百步] [|自相矛盾] [|自作自受] [|欲速则不达]