Tiger 老虎

The tiger is probably one of the most well-known carnivores in the world. Adult tigers are apex predators, with strong limbs, powerful jaws, and long tails. Although adult tigers are intimidating creatures, tiger cubs are among the cutest animals in the world.

The Chinese people, long awed by the majesty and power of tigers, have created many words and expressions containing “虎,” such as “虎头蛇尾”(hǔ tóu shé wěi, which means “a fine start but a poor end”), and “老虎屁股摸不得”(lǎo hǔ pì gu muō bù de, which means “do not touch a tiger’s backside”). Here are some more useful Chinese words containing “虎”:

1) “虎背熊腰”(hǔ bèi xióng yāo)

Literally, “虎背熊腰” means “tiger’s back and bear’s waist.”

Colloquially, “虎背熊腰” means that a man is big and burly.

E.g.

他长得虎背熊腰的。

(Tā zhǎng de hǔ bèi xióng yāo de.)

He is a big, burly man.

2) “虎头虎脑”(hǔ tóu hǔ nǎo)

Literally, “虎头虎脑” means “tiger’s head and tiger’s brain.”

Colloquially, “虎头虎脑” means that one (usually a boy) looks sturdy and is simple and honest.

E.g.

我五岁的弟弟长的虎头虎脑的，十分可爱。

(Wǒ wǔ suì de dì di zhǎng de hǔ tóu hǔ nǎo de, shí fēn kě aì.)

My little brother, an innocent, sturdy, five-year-old boy, is very adorable.

3) “虎口余生”(hǔ kǒu yú shēng)

Literally, “虎口余生” means that “one was rescued from a tiger’s mouth.”

Colloquially, “虎口余生” means that one has managed to narrowly escape from death.

E.g.

一谈到自己虎口余生的经历Bob就非常兴奋。

(Yì tán dào zì jǐ hǔ kǒu yú shēng de jīng lì tā jiù fēi cháng xìng fèn.)

Bob gets very excited every time he talks about his narrow escape from death.

4) “狼吞虎咽”(láng tūn hǔ yàn)

Literally, “狼吞虎咽” means “wolf swallows and tiger devours.”

Colloquially, “狼吞虎咽” means that one eats food quickly and greedily.

E.g.

我的哥哥狼吞虎咽地吃掉了一只烤鸭。

(Wǒ dē gē ge láng tūn hǔ yàn de chī diào le yì zhī kǎo yā.)

My older brother gobbled up a roasted duck.

5) “狐假虎威”(hú jiǎ hǔ wēi)

Literally, “狐假虎威” means “a fox borrowing a tiger’s fierceness.”

Colloquially, “狐假虎威” means that one bullies others by flaunting one’s powerful connections.

E.g.

他只敢狐假虎威罢了。

(Tā zhǐ gǎn hú jiǎ hǔ wēi bà le.)

He dares to bully people only because someone powerful is backing him up.

Cattle 牛

“牛”(niú, cattle) is one of the most common animals on earth. Cattle are strong, docile, and obedient, and are ideal for farming. Ancient Chinese people, living in an agricultural country, had been using cattle as a major means to farm and transport goods. Ancient Chinese also consumed beef as a primary source of meat.

Cattle, a big part of the lives of Chinese people, are, of course, frequently used in the language. Below are several common Chinese words and expressions that contain “牛” :

1) “钻牛角尖”(zuān niú jiǎo jiān)

Literally, “钻牛角尖” means “screw the pointy end of an ox’s horn.”

Colloquially, “钻牛角尖” means that one is splitting hairs.

E.g.

她是个爱钻牛角尖的人。

(Tā shì gè ài zuān niú jiǎo jiān de rén.)

She is a person who likes to split hairs.

2) “吹牛皮”(chuī niú pí)

Literally, “吹牛皮” means “blow a bull’s skin.”

Colloquially, “吹牛皮” means “talking big.”

E.g.

人人都说他爱吹牛皮。

(Rén rén dōu shuō tā ài chuī niú pí.)

People all say that he likes to talk big.

3) “对牛弹琴”(duì niú tán qín)

Literally, “对牛弹琴” means “play the lute to a bull.”

Colloquially, “对牛弹琴” means that it is useless for one to talk professionally with someone outside his profession.

E.g.

给Edward讲数学简直是对牛弹琴。

(Gěi Edward jiǎng shù xué jiǎn zhí shì duì niú tán qín.)

It is useless to lecture Edward on math.

4) “九牛一毛”(jiǔ niú yī máo)

Literally, “九牛一毛” means “one hair from nine bulls.”

Colloquially, “九牛一毛” has the same meaning as “a drop in the bucket.”

E.g.

一百万对亿万富翁来说不过是九牛一毛。

(Yì bǎi wàn duì yì wàn fù wēng lái shuō bú guò shì jiǔ niú yì máo.)

To a billionaire, one million is only a drop in the bucket.

Chicken 鸡

“鸡”(jī, chicken) is a highly domesticated animal. Chickens can lay eggs, and they comprise a large part of humanity’s meat consumption. For the ancient Chinese, chickens, unlike cattle and sheep, are not only a food source but also a crucial part of their lives. There are also many words, expressions, and idioms in the Chinese language that reflect the close relations between chickens and people’s daily lives.

Here are a few examples:

1) “鸡飞蛋打”(jī fēi dàn dǎ)

Literally, “鸡飞蛋打” means “the hen flies away, and eggs are broken.”

Colloquially, “鸡飞蛋打” means “to suffer a dead loss.”

E.g.

不要把他们逼得太急，小心鸡飞蛋打。

(Bú yào bǎ tā mēn bī de tài jí, xiǎo xīn jī fēi dàn dǎ.)

Don’t push them too hard; you don’t want to suffer a dead loss.

2) “鸡犬不宁”(jī quǎn bù níng)

Literally, “鸡犬不宁” means “even chickens and dogs do not have peace.”

Colloquially, “鸡犬不宁” means “great turmoil.”

E.g.

几个强盗把这个小镇弄的鸡犬不宁。

(Jǐ gè qiáng dào bǎ zhè gè xiǎo zhèn nòng de jī quǎn bù níng.)

Several bandits are causing great turmoil in this small town.

3) “鸡毛蒜皮”(jī máo suàn pí)

Literally, “鸡毛蒜皮” means “chicken’s feathers and garlic skins.”

Colloquially, “鸡毛蒜皮” means “trivialities.”

E.g.

不要对生活中鸡毛蒜皮的小事太上心了。

(Bú yào duì shēng huó zhōng jī máo suàn pí de xiǎo shì tài shàng xīn le.)

Don’t think too much about the trivialities in your life.

4) “鸡蛋里挑骨头”(jī dàn lǐ tiāo gǔ tóu)

Literally, “鸡蛋里挑骨头” means “look for a bone in an egg.”

Colloquially, “鸡蛋里挑骨头” means that someone tries to look for a flaw where there’s none to be found.

E.g.

Toby的主管就喜欢在鸡蛋里挑骨头。

(Toby dē zhǔ guǎn jiù xǐ huān zài jī dàn lǐ tiāo gǔ tou.)

Toby’s supervisor loves to look for a flaw where there’s none to be found.

Like the Chinese words derived from plants that I have introduced before, the words above are only several common examples of animal-related words in the Chinese language. These words represent ancient Chinese people’s understanding of and attitude to the features of the animals that they were very familiar with. If you are currently learning Chinese, these words will help you better understand the Chinese culture and language.

The post Chinese Idioms and Slangs Derived from Animals (Part 2) appeared first on .

Dragon 龙

“龙”(lóng, dragon) is, a fictitious animal (just like it is in Western cultures). This animal combines the features of many real animals such as the deer, ox, fish, snake, and so on. “龙” has a unique significance to the Chinese people. In the minds of the Chinese, “龙” is holy and sacred and can control the rain and wind. The Chinese people often proudly call themselves “龙的传人”(lóng de chuán rén, descendants of “the dragon”).

Below are some common Chinese words involving “虎”:

1) “龙潭虎穴”(lóng tán hǔ xué)

Literally, “龙潭虎穴” means “dragon’s pond and tiger’s lair.”

Colloquially, “龙潭虎穴” means “a dangerous place.”

E.g.

警察经常深入龙潭虎穴去调查疑难案件。
(Jīng chá jīng cháng shēn rù lóng tán hǔ xué qù diào chá yí nán àn jiàn.)
The police often walk into dangerous places to investigate difficult cases.

2) “龙腾虎跃”(lóng téng hǔ yuè)

Literally, “龙腾虎跃” means “dragon rises and tiger jumps.”

Colloquially, “龙腾虎跃” means “very active.”

E.g.

运动场上，同学们个个龙腾虎跃。
(Yùn dòng chàng shàng, tóng xué mén gè gè lóng téng hǔ yuè.)
The students on the playground are all very active.

3) “龙争虎斗”(lóng zhēng hǔ dòu)

Literally, “龙争虎斗” means “a tiger and a dragon fight each other.”

Colloquially, “龙争虎斗” means “a fierce struggle between well-matched opponents.”

E.g.

这两队龙争虎斗，比赛非常激烈。
(Zhè liǎng duì lóng zhēng hǔ dòu, bǐ sài fēi cháng jī liè.)
The two opposing teams, having engaged in a fierce struggle with each other, presented the spectators with a very exciting game.

4) “龙蛇混杂”(lóng shé hùn zá)

Literally, “龙蛇混杂” means “dragons and snakes jumbled together.”

Colloquially, “龙蛇混杂” means “good people and bad people mixed together.”

E.g.

这个小区龙蛇混杂，不利于管理。
(Zhè gè xiǎo qū lóng shé hùn zá, bú lì yú guǎn lǐ.)
There are both bad and good people in this community, which causes problems in management.

5) “鲤鱼跳龙门”(lí yú tiào lóng mén)

Literally, “鲤鱼跳龙门” means that a carp leaps over the dragon’s gate.

Colloquially, “鲤鱼跳龙门” means “ordinary people succeeding in national exams in feudal China.”

E.g.

在古代中国，人人都想鲤鱼跳龙门。
(Zài gǔ dài zhōng guó, rén rén dōu xiǎng lǐ yú tiào lóng mén.)
In ancient China, everyone wanted to succeed in national exams and become government officials.

Other Chinese words that are related to “龙”:

• “龙舌兰”(lóng shé lán): maguey
• “龙须面”(lóng xū miàn): long, thin noodles
• “龙井茶”(lóng jǐng chá): a famous green tea produced in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
• “龙袍”(lóng páo): a yellow gown embroidered with dragons worn by emperors
• “一条龙服务”(yì tiáo long fú wù): one-stop service

Phoenix 凤凰

“凤凰”(fèng huáng, phoenix) is also a fictitious animal. The phoenix is called the “king of the birds.” Legendarily, “凤凰,” just like “龙”, combines the features of many real animals, such as the swallow, snake, fish, deer, turtle, and so on. Originally, a male phoenix was called “凤”(fèng), and a female phoenix was called “凰”(huáng). After the Qin and Han dynasties, people gradually didn’t speak of the male phoenix, and “凤凰” only refers to the female phoenix.

“凤凰” is considered the symbol of harmony and auspiciousness by the Chinese people. Across Chinese history, “凤凰” has always been an essential part of the Chinese culture and language.

1) “龙飞凤舞”(lóng fēi fèng wǔ)

Literally, “龙飞凤舞” means “dragon flies and phoenix dances.”

Colloquially, “龙飞凤舞” means “lively and vigorous handwriting style.”

E.g.

我语文老师写的字如龙飞凤舞。
(Zhè wèi lāo shī xiě de zì rú lóng fēi fèng wǔ.)
The Chinese characters my Chinese teacher wrote are lively and vigorous.

2) “凤毛麟角”(fèng máo lín jiǎo)

Literally, “凤毛麟角” means “phoenix’s feathers and qílín’s horns.”

Colloquially, “凤毛麟角” refers to “rare things or exceptional people.”

E.g.

在军队，女兵有如 “凤毛麟角。”
(Zài jūn duì, nǚ bīng yǒu rú “fèng máo lín jiǎo.”)
In the army, female soldiers are extremely rare.

3) “凤泊鸾飘”(fèng bó luán piāo)

Literally, “凤泊鸾飘” means “phoenix berths and luán (also a mythical bird) wanders.”

Colloquially, “凤泊鸾飘” means that a couple is separated from one another.

E.g.

这对夫妇八年离散，凤泊鸾飘，团聚时，喜极而泣。
(Zhè duì fū fù bā nián lí sàn, fèng bó luán piāo, tuán jù shí, xǐ jí ér qì.)
This couple, separated from one another eight years ago, cried out of pure joy when they were reunited.

4) “攀龙附凤”(pān lóng fù fèng)

Literally, “攀龙附凤” means “climb a dragon and stick to a phoenix.”

Colloquially, “攀龙附凤” means “playing up to people of power and influence.”

E.g.

James今天的成就都是攀龙附凤得来的。
(James jīn tiān de chéng jiù dōu shì pān lóng fù fèng dé lái de.)
James is what he is because he played up to people of power and influence.

Animals are essential to people’s lives. Such importance is reflected in animals’ roles in human language. Above I have shown you how the Chinese see some animals through a few Chinese words related to these animals, but these words are only the tip of the iceberg. Stay tuned for the second part of this article.

The post Chinese Idioms & Slangs Derived from Animals (Part 1) appeared first on .

I’ve been a student of Mandarin Chinese for 20 years. It’s one of the languages my wife and I use with our kids, and I can tell you that I rarely use idioms — or proverbs, or adages – or whatever you call these compact expressions.

Yet, there is a beauty in the way they distill the human condition into a string of four (or five or six) syllables. If you like cultural trivia and the rhythmic poetry of (any) language, there’s a good chance that you’ll get a kick and a laugh out of these.

一石二鸟 (一石二鳥)

one stone, two birds
(Yī shí èr niǎo)

I think this expression is a good jumping-off point for this topic because of its familiarity and simplicity. Did the English saying “Kill two birds with one stone” come directly or indirectly from this Chinese idiom? I will leave that up to language historians. The meaning and the imagery are the same for both languages.

虎头蛇尾 (虎頭蛇尾)

tiger head, snake tail
(Hǔ tóu shé wěi)

In expressions involving animals, some beasts tend to represent positive and virtuous qualities, e.g. the tiger, the horse, the dragon. Others, like the pig and the snake, are typically associated with negative, undesirable ones. This contrast is on full display in this case, where “tiger’s head, snakes’ tail” implies a strong start but a weak finish.

骑虎难下 (騎虎難下)

difficult to dismount a tiger
(Qí hǔ nán xià)

To be in a precarious, sticky situation with no easy escape. To be in over your head, or perhaps beyond the point of no return.

I love that the next two use drawing as an analogy. It seems appropriate for Chinese script, with its highly graphical, three-dimensional representation.

画龙点睛 (畫龍點睛)

draw dragon, dot the eye
(Huà lóng diǎn jīng)

To add the finishing touches to something, literally to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. It can also refer to making a final point that caps a strong argument and closes the case.

画蛇添足 (畫蛇添足)

draw snake, add legs
(Huà shé tiān zú)

To ruin something by adding what is superfluous, to embellish, to overdo.

对牛弹琴 (對牛彈琴)

play the lute to a cow
(Duì niú tán qín)

The reference here is speaking to or performing for an unappreciative audience, i.e. speaking to a wall, preaching to deaf ears. The slight is not intended for the proverbial cow, but for the speaker or performer who misjudges his audience.

鸡同鸭讲 (雞同鴨講)

chicken talking to the duck
(Jī tóng yā jiǎng)

This describes a failure to communicate — a scenario where two parties are not on the same page, and talking past each other.

狗嘴里吐不出象牙 (狗嘴裡吐不出象牙)

ivory will not come from a dog’s mouth
(Gǒu zuǐ lǐ tǔ bu chū xiàngyá)

Truthful or refined speech will not come from the mouth of a crude individual.

卧虎藏龙 (臥虎藏龍)

crouching tiger, hidden dragon
(Wò hǔ cáng lóng)

This phrase is immediately recognizable from the Ang Lee movie of the same name, but what does it mean? For a long time, since martial arts featured prominently in the movie, I assumed that the expression referred to kung-fu positions. In fact, it is used to describe individuals with hidden talents and unexplored potential.

Here are some of my personal favorites.

脱裤子放屁 (脫褲子放屁)

drop pants to fart
(Tuō kùzi fàngpì)

I love the visual that this projects for the mind’s eye. The meaning is to make things overly complicated, to exert unnecessary effort. A close match would be crossing a river to get water, or a tortuous and convoluted sequence of steps that we might describe as a Rube Goldberg process.

笑里藏刀 (笑裡藏刀)

dagger concealed by a smile
(Xiào lǐ cáng dāo)

Friendly manners belying sinister intentions — a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Notice that this phrase uses the same complicated but very attractive character 藏 as the previous, meaning “concealed, hidden”.

久病成医 (久病成醫)

long ill, become doctor
(Jiǔ bìng chéng yī)

A prolonged illness turns the patient into a medical expert — pretty self-explanatory.

占着茅坑不拉屎 (占著茅坑不拉屎)

occupy the latrine but not shit
(Zhànzhe máokēng bù lā shǐ)

Yes, Chinese sayings can get graphic too. The idea of someone hogging and preventing access to a resource that he himself has no use for pops up in Western tradition also — in the fable of the Dog in the Manger. And another colloquial expression comes to mind: Shit or get off the pot!

Let me conclude with another personal favorite. As much as I like idioms featuring animals, I have an even stronger affinity for phrasing that attributes human qualities to inanimate objects.

顽石点头 (頑石點頭)

stubborn rocks nod their heads
(Wán shí diǎntóu)

This is used as a compliment, for an argument so persuasive that even the rocks and stones (or the more dim-witted members of the audience) can’t help but to nod in agreement.

Many Chinese idioms and proverbs are derived from some fable or legend — they are abbreviated forms of a longer backstory. This particular phrase is traced back to a Buddhist monk named Wei, from the Jin Dinasty (4th and 5th centuries, A.D.). For me it is also tied to a memorable experience, from the time that I visited Taiwan’s amazing Kinmen island, and saw the inscribed rock atop its tallest peak.

The post Cracking the Wisdom of Chinese Idioms appeared first on .

#1 废寝忘食 (Fèi qǐn wàng shí)

Literally, 废(fail)寝(sleep)忘(forget)食(eat) means “fail to sleep and forget to eat.” It describes people who are so hard-working that they don’t sleep or eat properly. Generally, it’s seen as a positive idiom, used to praise people who are diligent.

Origin:

The idiom originated from the famous Chinese educator and philosopher Confucius. Confucius taught many students, many of whom also became famous later on. This Chengyu, “废寝忘食”, is a famous Confucius’ saying. Tsze Lu (子路), one of Confucius’ students, told his teacher that someone, who had heard of Confucius’ fame, asked him about Confucius’ personality. The question took Confucius by surprise. “Why don’t you tell him,” said Confucius, “that Confucius’ personality is that he studies so hard without feeling tired, and he even forgets to eat; but still teaches a lot and is not afraid of being poor. He even forgets his age!”

Example:

1.为了考上理想的大学，我哥哥每天废寝忘食的读书。

(Wèile kǎo shàng lǐxiǎng de dàxué, wǒ gēge měitiān fèiqǐnwàngshí de dúshū.)

In order to get into his ideal university, my brother studied so hard that he didn’t sleep well or eat properly.

2. 哈利波特系列的小说太好看了，以致于我废寝忘食的看完了全部集数。

(Hā lì bō tè xìliè de xiǎoshuō tài hǎokànle, yǐzhì yú wǒ fèiqǐnwàngshí de kàn wánle quánbù jí shù.)

Harry Potter novels are such page-turners that I read hard and finished all the episodes.

#2 勤能补拙 (Qín néng bǔ zhuō)

勤(diligent)能(can)补(fix)拙(stupidity) literally means “Being diligent can fix your weaknesses.” It can be a humble as well as inspiring idiom, indicating that people, even if they have weaknesses, can always overcome them with hard work.

Example:

古人说，「勤能补拙」，只要你努力，一定能弥补先天的不足。

(Gǔrén shuō, ‘qínnéngbǔzhuō’, zhǐyào nǐ nǔlì, yīdìng néng míbǔ xiāntiān de bùzú.)

Our ancestors said, “Being diligent fixes your weaknesses.” If you are hard-working, you can definitely fix the weaknesses you’re born with.

#3 及时行乐 (Jí shí xíng lè)

及时(in time)行(do)乐(fun), in other words, Carpe diem. It’s common for poets to mention the idea of seizing the moment, to enjoy drinking alcohol, and to appreciate the moon in their literary work. For example, in Cao Cao (曹操Cáocāo)’s “Short Lines Styles (短歌行, duǎngē xíng),” he said in the first line:

“对酒当歌，人生几何?” (duì jiǔ dāng gē, rénshēng jǐhé?)

Meaning, “I sing songs with alcohol, because who knows how short life can be?”, in which the concept “life is short” is expressed, so seize the moment and just enjoy it.

Example:

人生苦短，所以要及时行乐。

(Rénshēng kǔ duǎn, suǒyǐ yào jíshí xínglè.)

Life is short, so carpe diem!

#4 半途而废 (Bàn tú ‘ér fèi)

半(half)途(way)而(but)废(fail; give up) is a common Chengyu describing people who give up when they are halfway in completing something.

Example:

他做事情总是半途而废，难怪成不了大事。

(Tā zuò shìqíng zǒng shì bàntú’érfèi, nánguài chéng bùliǎo dàshì.)

He always gives up things when he’s halfway there; no wonder he can never accomplish something big. 

#5 功成名就 (Gōng chéng míng jiù)

功(contribution)成(succeed)名(fame)就(accomplish) is describing people successful in their lives, Their accomplishments in work have brought them fame. It’s a positive Chengyu and serves as a kind of goal for many people.

Example:

她到大都市工作的目标: 功成名就后带父母出国旅游。

(Tā dào dà dūshì gōngzuò de mùbiāo: Gōngchéngmíngjiù hòu dài fùmǔ chūguó lǚyóu.)

Her goal when working in the big city is to be successful, so she can take her parents abroad to travel.

#6 逆水行舟 (Nì shuǐ xíng zhōu)

逆(opposite)水(water)行(go)舟(boat) literally means to sail the boat against the current. It inspires people to keep moving against the flow of the water, which means that they can conquer difficulties no matter what.

Example:

学习就像逆水行舟，不进则退。

(Xuéxí jiù xiàng nìshuǐxíngzhōu, bù jìn zé tuì.)

Learning is like sailing the boat against the current, it either progresses or retreats.

The facts behind the origins of Chengyu, their background stories of how they came about, can be very intresting—historical events, folktales, or fictional fables—these can be the sources of Chengyu, all of which convey true meaning and enlightenment in four characters. There are also some Chengyu stories that personify animals, with ancient wisdom also expressed in four characters. If you are interested in more Chinese Chengyu, click here to read “Chinese Idioms and Chéngyǔ About Animals.”

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Briefly speaking, Chengyu (成语, Chéngyǔ) are Chinese idioms that are normally made up of four Chinese characters. Chengyu are usually handed down from way back in Chinese history, and thus, over this long periodof time, there have been many stories that have resulted in many chengyu.

Chengyu are considered the collected wisdom of the Chinese culture.  Through the insights learned from chengyu, you’ll discover the experiences, moral concepts, or admonishments from the older generations of Chinese. Nowadays, chengyu still plays an important role in Chinese conversations and education. It is therefore important to know some common chengyu as you learn the language.

Chengyu about animals

The influence of animals in Chinese culture is extensive, as they play a part in Chinese zodiac, Chinese lucky culture, puns, phrases, and, of course, chengyu. The following stories are famous ones in Chinese culture from which chengyu have been derived. Through these stories, it’s easy to understand the meaning behind these chengyu.

1. 狐假虎威 (Hú jiǎ hǔ wēi)

Meaning:

Literally, this means 狐(fox)假(pretend)虎(tiger)威(power). What the chengyu is saying is that a fox borrows the tiger’s fierceness to scare or threaten others. We use this chengyu to indicate someone who is using influential people’s power to bully or pressure others.  

Story:

A cunning fox was caught by a fierce tiger, the king of the forest, and was about to be killed.

The fox hysterically yelled at the tiger, “You can’t eat me! I’ve been sent by the Emperor of Heaven to rule the forest! You don’t want to anger the Emperor of Heaven, do you?”

The tiger didn’t believe the fox. “What an excuse! You think I believe you?”

“If you don’t believe me, why not follow me into the forest and see how other animals react when they see me?” said the fox.

With great suspicion and doubt, the tiger followed the fox into the forest as the fox took the lead. As they approached other animals, they all ran away in fear, not because of the fox, but because of the fierce tiger behind him. The fox  simply pretended that the other animals were afraid of him, and not the tiger. The tiger, however, saw the running animals and was fooled. He thought the fox was telling the truth, and did not figure out that the animals were actually afraid of him.

Thus, the fox saved himself from being eaten by the tiger with this trick.

Example:

老板的侄子常常狐假虎威，在公司里命令其他员工替他跑腿。
(Lǎobǎn de zhí zi chángcháng hújiǎhǔwēi, zài gōngsī lǐ mìnglìng qítā yuángōng tì tā  pǎotuǐ.)
The nephew of the boss always order other staff in the company to run errands for him, making use of his uncle’s power.

2. 井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā)

Meaning:

This means “the frog at the bottom of the well”, and is commonly used to describe someone who is short-sighted and has a narrow and limited view of the world. This chengyu encourages us not to limit our understanding of the world, and that we should broaden our horizons as best as we can.

Story:

A frog once lived at the bottom of a well. From here, the most he could see was the small piece of at the well’s opening. All around him were the well’s walls and the shallow water. He never knew how broad and beautiful the outside world was.

One day, a sea turtle showed up at the well entrance and looked down. When the frog saw the visitor, he proudly showed off to the sea turtle, “Hey, I am the host of this well, and you know what? I am so happy in here. I can hop, sleep, take a small walk, or play in the water. Tadpoles and crabs can never experience my enjoyable lifestyle. Why don’t you come inside and visit my place?”

The sea turtle heard what the frog said and was curious, so he tried to climb down. However, the sea turtle couldn’t fit through the entrance. He pulled back and said to the frog, “Have you ever lived in the ocean and experienced swimming freely in the sea? The ocean has no boundary, and the scenery is spectacular. Even during times of drought, we are still free and happy swimming in the ocean because it’s as vast as the sky. Living in the ocean is real happiness.”

Then the sea turtle left to return to the sea, leaving the speechless frog at the bottom of the well.

Example:

别再当井底之蛙了! 你应该要出去看看这个世界。
(Bié zài dāng jǐngdǐzhīwāle! Nǐ yīnggāi yào chūqù kàn kàn zhège shìjiè.)
Don’t be the frog at the bottom of the well! You should go out and see this world.

3. 塞翁失马 (sài wēng shī mǎ)

Meaning:

This literally means “The old man Sai (塞翁) loses his horse(失马)”. This means “a blessing in disguise”. Usually, this chengyu is followed by “焉知非福 (Yān zhī fēi fú)”, meaning “Who knows whether it’s a bad thing or not?” “塞翁失马，焉知非福” is one of the most commonly said Chinese proverbs.

Story:

Once upon a time, there was an old man named Sai. In his stable, he kept many horses. One day, one of his horses escaped. The neighbors came to Sai and tried to comfort him, but instead of being upset, Sai said, “Who knows? Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise!”

A few days later, the escaped horse came back to the stable with another beautiful and healthy horse. The neighbors heard about this, and they came to Sai again, congratulating him for having another horse

Sai didn’t seem to be happy though. “Well, it costs me nothing to get this horse, so maybe it’s not a good thing.”

A few days later, the son of Sai rode on this new and beautiful horse but unfortunately fell off of it, breaking his leg. The neighbors came once again to comfort Sai. Sai said once more that it may be a blessing in disguise.

In a few days, the land was suddenly thrust into a war, and most of the men in the village were recruited to the army.  Many of them died in the war, but the son of Sai couldn’t serve in the army because of his leg injury. Only then did the neighbors understand what Sai said about all this being a “blessing in disguise”.

Examples:

A: 你有听说昨晚那场派对发生火灾了吗?
(Nǐ yǒu tīng shuō zuó wǎn nà chǎng pàiduì fāshēng huǒzāi le ma?)
Did you hear about the fire at the party last night?

B: 对阿! 我本来要去那场派对，但是我拉肚子，没去。
(Duì ā! Wǒ běnlái yào qù nà chǎng pàiduì, dànshì wǒ lādùzi, méiqù.)
Yes! I was actually planning to go to that party, but I couldn’t go because of diarrhea.

A: 真是塞翁失马，焉知非福!
(Zhēnshi sàiwēngshīmǎ, yān zhī fēi fú!)
That was a blessing in disguise!

4. 杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng)

Meaning:

This literally says 杯(glass)弓(bow)蛇(snake)影 (reflections), and means seeing the bow’s reflection on the glass as a snake. This chengyu means that someone is being paranoid or scared, worrying too much about things that are not real.

Story:

In ancient times, a man visited his relative Yuè Guǎng’s house. While having some wine, he saw a small snake in his glass. He felt uneasy, but he didn’t want to bother Yue Guang, so he still finished the wine. Afterwards, Yue Guang heard that his relative was seriously sick and was not getting better. Yue Guang eventually heard his sick relative talk about the snake in the glass, and he was confused, since he believed it was impossible that this could have happened.

Yue Guang took the glass, and saw that there was a snake pattern carved into a decorative bow hanging on his wall. He realized that it must’ve been the reflection of this snake pattern on the glass that his relative saw. Yue Guang invited his relative to his house again and explained the reflections to him. The relative realized he was wrong, and gradually recovered from his illness.

Example:

自从看了那部鬼片之后，晾在外面的衣服都被她看成鬼魂，真是杯弓蛇影啊!
(Zìcóng kànle nà bù guǐ piàn zhīhòu, liàng zài wàimiàn de yīfú dōu bèi tā kàn chéng guǐhún, zhēnshi bēigōngshéyǐng a!)
Since she watched that horror movie, she even thinks the clothes hung out there were ghosts! She’s afraid of illusions!

A: 你为什么一直往那边看?
(Nǐ wèishénme yīzhí wǎng nà biān kàn?)
Why do you keep looking that way?

B: 没事，老板们在讲话，时不时往我这看，我怕我会被开除。
(Méishì, lǎobǎnmen zài jiǎnghuà, shíbùshí wǎng wǒ zhè kàn, wǒ pà wǒ huì bèi kāichú.)
Nothing, just that the bosses are talking and turning to me often. I am thinking that they are going to fire me.

A: 你听谁说的呀? 别杯弓蛇影了。
(Nǐ tīng shéi shuō de ya? Bié bēigōngshéyǐngle.)
Where did you get that? Don’t be afraid, it’s all in your head!

Memorize and use Chinese chengyu through stories

These are just a few chengyu. Chinese learners may find chengyu hard to remember and learn because there are so many of them. However, most chengyu have background stories like the ones above. Through these stories, it is much easier to memorize common and useful chengyu. Learning chengyu is also an interesting way to learn Chinese.

I hope this article has not only increased your knowledge about Chinese idioms, but has helped you learn more Chinese as well! If you are interested in more Chinese chengyu and their stories, don’t hesitate to comment below and tell us what else about chengyu you would like to read about!

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The purpose of this article is not, however, to delve into the etymology of each saying. The truth is that each saying has a complicated history that includes dialects unrelated to Mandarin and English.  Today, however, I hope to simply bring your attention to some obvious idiomatic overlaps between these two languages.

1. Kill two birds with one stone

一石二鸟 (yī shí èr niǎo)

The overlap here is quite simple and straightforward. The Mandarin translates to “one stone two birds” and English speakers added the ‘kill’ because they could not leave anything to the imagination, and thought it felt slightly incomplete without some classic colonial violence (joking, geez).

2. Love at first sight

一见钟情(yí jiàn zhōng qíng)

It’s generally used for people, but you can also use it for other physical objects. Here’s an example:

She is my love at first sight.
我对她一见钟情。  
(Wǒ duì tā yíjiànzhōngqíng.)

3. The customer is always right

顾客就是上帝 (gùkèjiù shì shàngdì)

The Chinese version of the English expression takes the concept of customer service even more seriously. Word for word, this translates as “the customer is God,” which is similar to an Indian saying that “the guest is always God”.  No wonder people working in restaurants seem to have lightning hands here. Someday, Shanghai’s taxi drivers might learn this saying but don’t get your hopes up.

4. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks

老狗玩不出新把戏 (lǎo gǒu wán bù chū xīn bǎxì)

The translation of this one is almost exactly like it is in English: “Old dogs can’t play new tricks”. It is interesting to notice that in the English versions, we make everything actionable by adding verbs like “teach” and “kill” whereas the Chinese sayings, like photographs, simply attempt to capture the reality of our world (illuminati confirmed).

5. Speak of the devil

说曹操，曹操到 (shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào)

This one literally translates to “say Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrives”. Cáo Cāo (曹操) was a warlord during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. While he was praised as a brilliant strategist and fair ruler, Chinese opera also represented him as cunning and deceitful. This portrayal was made popular by the literary epic, Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义Sān Guó Yǎn Yì). The idiom arose out of the belief that Cáo Cāo had many eyes and ears everywhere, and moved with unbelievable speed. You had to be careful when speaking badly about him.

Anytime you are enjoying some gossip and the subject of your conversation suddenly texts, calls, or somehow announces her presence, you can verbalize this coincidence by saying, ” shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào”. While the second half of the idiom about the devil showing up is implied in English, no one will ever just leave it at “shuō Cáo Cāo” in Mandarin. So this time, unlike this uninteresting explanation, the English version is shorter. (Boom! take that Mandarin!)

Conclusion

Since there are thousands of idioms in both English and Chinese, This article only managed to expose the tip of the iceberg (冰山一角 bīngshānyījiǎo) concerning idiomatic overlap. Each idiom went through a long etymological journey of its own and there are millions of connections that we did not get to. An obvious one not covered is  ‘long time no see’ which is a literal translation of Mandarin’s “好久不见” (hǎojiǔbújiàn). This one was borrowed (stolen) from Mandarin quite recently and seems to have resulted more from hipsters being hipsters rather than from the depths of human history and culture.

Regardless of where, why and how they came about, the discovery of similarities between two languages that are very drastically different on the surface, insinuates the possibility that our differences are superficial, and we actually have more in common that we like to admit.

Or maybe it just suggests that I love China.  Either way, thanks for reading.

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There are many chengyu that have to do with work, work ethic and how to use one’s talents. Here are three very interesting chengyu that all have to do with using your particular talents well.

Having Only One Skill But Using it Well

一技之长 (yí jì zhī cháng)

This chengyu is fairly straightforward, but the story behind it is still very interesting. Literally, 一技之长 means “one skill it long.”

The tale behind this Chinese idiom is said to date back to the Warring States Period. It is said that there was a very famous scholar named Gong Sun Long who surrounded himself with skilled workers and wise advisers in all specialties that he could find. He said, “The wise will embrace all those who have a specialty.”

One day, he heard a knock on his door from a man who was very dirty and had ripped clothes. Gong Sun Long asked what the man wanted and the man replied that he had a special talent.  Gong Sun Long asked what his talent was and the man said he was very good at shouting.

Gong Sun Long turned to his other advisers and asked if any among them were good at shouting, but no one was. Therefore Gong Sun Long and his fellowship took the man into the group. A few days later the group was traveling when they came to a river, only to find the ferry on the wrong side of the wide water.  Gong Sun Long asked his new follower to try to get the ferryman to come and get them. The man yelled loud and clear, then the ferryman came over at once.  Gong Sun Long was very pleased he had met his latest follower.

Today 一技之长 (yí jì zhī cháng) is used to describe one particular skill or a valuable professional skill. Remember even if you only have one talent you can still use it well. Here are several examples of how to use the chengyu.

Example 1:

如果你没有一技之长，很难找到好工作。
(Rúguǒ nǐ méiyǒu yíjìzhīcháng，hěn nán zhǎo dào hǎo gōngzuò.)
If you don’t have a particular skill, it is very hard to find a job.

Example 2:

这个分享经验的活动为那些没有一技之长的人提供了很多好的学习机会。
(Zhège fēnxiǎng jīngyàn de huódòng wèi nàxiē méiyǒu yíjìzhīcháng de rén tígōng le hěn duō hǎo de xuéxí jīhuì.)
The experience sharing activity provides great learning opportunities for those who do not have particular skills.

Example 3:

现在找工作竞争越来越大，如果你想有一个好的将来，你必须有一技之长。
(Xiànzài zhǎo gōngzuò jìngzhēng yuè lái yuè dà, rúguǒ nǐ xiǎng yǒu yí gè hǎo de jiānglái， nǐ bìxū yǒu yíjìzhīcháng.)
It is getting more competitive to find a job, so if you want to have a bright future, you have to have a particular skill.

Don’t Waste Your Talent

大材小用 (dà cái xiǎo yòng)

This idiom reminds us to use our talents wisely and not waste them on mindless tasks.

The literal meaning of 大材小用 is “great materials/resources small use” and can refer to high quality material resources or to personal talent.

The story behind this Chinese idiom is said to have come from the Jin Dynasty from the writings of Shi Chong. Shi Chong describes a time when high quality materials were used of inconsequential purposes.

Today, this phrase is more often applied to people squandering their talent on petty jobs or mindless tasks. This is one of the main reasons why today so many Chinese people, and people around the world, attend college or university to develop their special skill and help them to obtain a job that utilizes it. Let’s see how it can be used in Chinese.

Example 1:

他在外国学习过三年，他觉得在这家小公司工作就是大材小用。
(Tā zài wàiguó xuéxí guò sānnián，tā juédé zài zhè jiā xiǎo gōngsī gōngzuò jiù shì dàcáixiǎoyòng.)
He studied abroad for three year. He feels that his talent is wasted in this small firm.

Example 2:

你把那么豪华的一个房间改造成一个储物室太大材小用了。
(Nǐ bǎ nàme háohuá de yí gè fángjiān gǎizào chéng yí gè chǔwùshì tài dàcáixiǎoyòng le.)
He changed such a luxury room into a storage room. This is really a waste.

Example 3:

让你一个教育专家来教我儿子做小学一年级的数学练习真是大材小用。
(Ràng nǐ yí gè jiàoyù zhuānjiā lái jiāo wǒ érzi zuò xiǎoxué yī niánjí de shùxué liànxí zhēn shì dàcáixiǎoyòng.)
Letting an education specialist teach a boy in Grade 1’s math is really a waste of talent.

There is Plenty of Room

游刃有余 (yóu rèn yǒu yú)

This is a very fascinating chengyu that you really have to learn the story behind it to understand. To translate 游刃有余 literally in English you would say “travel blade there is,” but this makes very little sense.

The story behind this idiom is about a very famous skilled butcher. The job of a butcher may seem common or lowly to some, but this man perfected his craft to an art form. One day, he gave a demonstration of his work. At first the crowd of observers was not impressed as his slow methodical natures. Then after the initial preparation of the beast, he finished the job of cleaving the animal with a few lightning fast movements. After he finished he explained that he could complete his work so quickly and expertly because he had spent years studying exactly how to prepare the animal and where to cut. He said游刃有余 (yóu rèn yǒu yú) there is plenty of room for the knife, but you need to know where to cut.

Nowadays 游刃有余 (yóu rèn yǒu yú) is used when describing a master of a craft, someone who is very adept at his job and performs his tasks with great skill and appears to execute them almost effortlessly. Here are some examples of how it is used today.

Example 1:

他常常练习那首歌，所以表演那首歌对他来说游刃有余。
(Tā chángcháng liànxí nà shǒu gē, suǒyǐ biǎoyǎn nà shǒu gē duì tā lái shuō yóurènyǒuyú.)
He often practices that song, so it is a small case for him to perform that song.

Example 2:

他经验丰富，处理起这样的事儿来总是游刃有余。
(Tā jīngyàn fēngfù，chǔlǐ qǐ zhèyàng de shìr lái zǒngshì yóurènyǒuyú.)
He is very experienced, so it is very easy for him to handle such problems.

Example 3:

无论是在经济、商业还是投资领域，她都可以做得游刃有余。
(Wúlùn shì zài jīngjì、shāngyè háishì tóuzī lǐngyù，tā dōu kěyǐ zuò dé yóurènyǒuyú.)
No matter in economics, business or investment, she can always do a great job.

There are numerous amounts of Chinese idioms, but some are more commonly used than others. All of which will have an interesting history tied to the chengyu. Do you know more Chinese idioms about particular talent? Share with us and comment below!

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