NetChai Chinese

100 Chinese Idioms (Chengyu)

Chengyu (成语) are compact Chinese idioms, usually four characters long. Learn what each expression means, how to pronounce it, and how it works in a sentence.

1 百里挑一 bǎi lǐ tiāo yī exceptional selection
2 百年一遇 bǎi nián yī yù extreme rarity
3 半信半疑 bàn xìn bàn yí state of doubt
4 变本加厉 biàn běn jiā lì intensifying negative behavior
5 不打自招 bù dǎ zì zhāo involuntary confession
6 不约而同 bù yuē ér tóng unplanned simultaneous action
7 不知不觉 bù zhī bù jué unconscious realization
8 不知所措 bù zhī suǒ cuò feeling at a loss
9 出生入死 chū shēng rù sǐ risking life and limb
10 粗心大意 cū xīn dà yì carelessness and negligence
11 大打出手 dà dǎ chū shǒu physical altercation
12 大名鼎鼎 dà míng dǐng dǐng widespread fame
13 大手大脚 dà shǒu dà jiǎo extravagant spending habits
14 顶天立地 dǐng tiān lì dì a person of integrity
15 丢三落四 diū sān là sì habitual forgetfulness
16 独一无二 dú yī wú èr sole and unique existence
17 反败为胜 fǎn bài wéi shèng turn defeat into victory
18 丰富多彩 fēng fù duō cǎi rich and varied content
19 高高在上 gāo gāo zài shàng lofty and arrogant detachment
20 根深蒂固 gēn shēn dì gù deeply rooted foundation
21 顾全大局 gù quán dà jú considering the overall situation
22 刮目相看 guā mù xiāng kàn seeing with new eyes
23 海誓山盟 hǎi shì shān méng eternal love vows
24 汗流浃背 hàn liú jiā bèi profuse sweating
25 好吃懒做 hào chī lǎn zuò fond of eating and lazy
26 和蔼可亲 hé ǎi kě qīn amiable and kind nature
27 胡思乱想 hú sī luàn xiǎng aimless thinking
28 焕然一新 huàn rán yī xīn complete transformation
29 回心转意 huí xīn zhuǎn yì changing one's mind
30 获益匪浅 huò yì fěi qiǎn reaping great benefits
31 货真价实 huò zhēn jià shí genuine goods fair price
32 坚持不懈 jiān chí bù xiè sustained perseverance
33 见好就收 jiàn hǎo jiù shōu knowing when to stop
34 见机行事 jiàn jī xíng shì acting on opportunity
35 将心比心 jiāng xīn bǐ xīn practicing empathy
36 绞尽脑汁 jiǎo jìn nǎo zhī intense mental effort
37 脚踏实地 jiǎo tà shí dì practical and steady progress
38 斤斤计较 jīn jīn jì jiào fussing over trifles
39 筋疲力尽 jīn pí lì jìn physical exhaustion
40 精打细算 jīng dǎ xì suàn meticulous planning and budgeting
41 举世闻名 jǔ shì wén míng world famous
42 举手之劳 jǔ shǒu zhī láo small effort task
43 举一反三 jǔ yī fǎn sān inferring from one example
44 开门见山 kāi mén jiàn shān direct to the point
45 口是心非 kǒu shì xīn fēi verbal hypocrisy
46 乐于助人 lè yú zhù rén joy in helping others
47 力所能及 lì suǒ néng jí within one's capability
48 理直气壮 lǐ zhí qì zhuàng justified confidence
49 恋恋不舍 liàn liàn bù shě unwilling to part or leave
50 两全其美 liǎng quán qí měi win-win outcome
51 了如指掌 liǎo rú zhǐ zhǎng complete understanding
52 乱七八糟 luàn qī bā zāo utter disorder
53 马马虎虎 mǎ mǎ hǔ hǔ careless and sloppy
54 闷闷不乐 mèn mèn bù lè gloomy and unhappy
55 名正言顺 míng zhèng yán shùn proper justification
56 莫名其妙 mò míng qí miào inexplicable strange behavior
57 默默无闻 mò mò wú wén unknown and unacclaimed
58 能说会道 néng shuō huì dào eloquent speaking ability
59 迫不及待 pò bù jí dài extreme impatience
60 千变万化 qiān biàn wàn huà myriad transformations
61 千方百计 qiān fāng bǎi jì many ways and means
62 情不自禁 qíng bù zì jīn involuntary emotional reaction
63 倾盆大雨 qīng pén dà yǔ heavy downpour
64 清清楚楚 qīng qīng chǔ chǔ extreme clarity and distinctness
65 秋高气爽 qiū gāo qì shuǎng pleasant autumn weather
66 取长补短 qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn leveraging strengths and weaknesses
67 全力以赴 quán lì yǐ fù full effort dedication
68 人山人海 rén shān rén hǎi vast crowds of people
69 神机妙算 shén jī miào suàn divine foresight and clever strategy
70 适得其反 shì dé qí fǎn producing opposite results
71 实话实说 shí huà shí shuō speaking the honest truth
72 十全十美 shí quán shí měi absolute perfection
73 实事求是 shí shì qiú shì seeking truth from facts
74 受宠若惊 shòu chǒng ruò jīng feeling overwhelmed by favor
75 手忙脚乱 shǒu máng jiǎo luàn frantic hurried state
76 随心所欲 suí xīn suǒ yù doing as one pleases
77 忐忑不安 tǎn tè bù ān anxious and restless
78 讨价还价 tǎo jià huán jià price negotiation
79 同心协力 tóng xīn xié lì united effort teamwork
80 脱颖而出 tuō yǐng ér chū standing out from the crowd
81 五花八门 wǔ huā bā mén wide variety of things
82 无论如何 wú lùn rú hé no matter what
83 习以为常 xí yǐ wéi cháng become accustomed to
84 小心翼翼 xiǎo xīn yì yì meticulous carefulness
85 兴高采烈 xìng gāo cǎi liè great joy and excitement
86 胸有成竹 xiōng yǒu chéng zhú full confidence from preparation
87 一臂之力 yī bì zhī lì a helping hand
88 一举一动 yī jǔ yī dòng every move and action
89 一口咬定 yī kǒu yǎo dìng firm assertion
90 一模一样 yī mú yī yàng exact same appearance
91 一手遮天 yī shǒu zhē tiān abusing power to deceive
92 一五一十 yī wú yī shí full detailed account
93 异想天开 yì xiǎng tiān kāi wild impractical ideas
94 一心一意 yī xīn yī yì single-minded focus
95 与众不同 yǔ zhòng bù tóng being different from others
96 赞叹不已 zàn tàn bù yǐ endless admiration
97 争先恐后 zhēng xiān kǒng hòu vying to be first
98 自言自语 zì yán zì yǔ talking to oneself
99 自作主张 zì zuò zhǔ zhāng unauthorized decision making
100 自作自受 zì zuò zì shòu consequences of one's actions
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