Chengyu and Suyu from English to Chinese

Question 1

“firm and unswerving, steadfeast and unchanging, resolute”

Answer 1

坚定不移

Question 2

“draw attention, noticeable, conspicuous”

Answer 2

引人注目

Question 3

a gentlemen never goes backwards

Answer 3

好马不吃回头草

Question 4

“a piece of cake”

Answer 4

小菜一碟

Question 5

hell freezes over

used as predicate or singly (slightly derogatory)

Answer 5

太阳从西边出来

Question 6

“adapt to local conditions”

Answer 6

因地制宜

Question 7

“self-contradictory”

Answer 7

自相矛盾

Question 8

Very many of.

Answer 8

成千上万

Question 9

“outstanding, and having effect”; “highly effective”

Answer 9

卓有成效

Functions as attributive; often preceeded by 进行， 开展 often matches with 合作

Question 10

“a matter of great urgency”

Answer 10

当务之急

nominal element, functions as object or subject

Question 11

“be one’s own master”

Answer 11

独立自主

This is a foreign policy of China, so frequently used in diplomatic contexts; functions as object or adverbial

Question 12

“talent being fully exposed, talent revealing itself”

Answer 12

脱颖而出

functions as predicate

frequently refering to doing exams or competitions etc.

Question 13

“speak of the devil”

Answer 13

说曹操，曹操到

more common to use “shuo1ren2ren2dao4”

Question 14

“jinx” (person believed to bring bad luck, by saying negative things)

Answer 14

乌鸦嘴

object or predicative

slightly derogatory

Question 15

“halfwit”, “peabrain”

Answer 15

二百五

er4bai3wu3

Question 16

“one can never be too careful”

Answer 16

不怕一万，就怕万一

bu2pa4yi2wan4,jiu4pa4wan4yi1

netural, used singly

Question 17

“a fall in the pit, a gain in your wit”

Answer 17

吃一堑，长一智

chi1yi2qian4, zhang3yi2zhi4

predicate

Question 18

have no alternative

“helpless, have no way out”

Answer 18

无可奈何

functions mainly as predicate or adverbial modifier

usually used with serious things

Question 19

“no one can explain it; unable to make head nor tail”

Answer 19

莫名其貌

original meaning was too beautiful to be understood sometimes still has that conotation but not always

predicate, complement or adverbial modifier

frequently used with 让人-, 感到-, -的话, -病 (not sure how or why ill)

Question 20

“rely on oneself”

Answer 20

自力更生

zi4li4geng1sheng1

mainly predicate and adverbial

positive often used in slogans, frequently paired with other idioms;

frequently paired with other expressions talking about working hard.

Question 21

“just as in the past”

“formerly”, “in the past”

Answer 21

一如既往

yi4ru2ji4wang3

frequently precided with “将” will

adverbial;

Question 22

“confusing, hard to distinguish, all mixed up”

“things are intricate and complicated and difficult to distinguish clearly”

Answer 22

扑朔迷离

pu1shuo4mi2li2

often serves as predicate and sometimes as attributive, usually at end of sentence

Question 23

“to flout reality”; “to tell bald-faced lies”

Answer 23

睁着眼睛说瞎话zheng1zhe yan3jing shuo1 xia1 hua4

Predicate

Slightly derogatory

Question 24

“one is marked by the company one keeps”

Answer 24

近朱者赤，近墨者黑

jin4 zhu1zhe3 chi4, jin4 mo4zhe3 hei1

used alone; neutral

Question 25

“that which is rare is dear”

Answer 25

物以稀为贵

wu4 yi3 xi1 wei2 gui4

used singly or as a predicate

neutral

Question 26

“every potter praises his own pot”

Answer 26

王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸

Wang2po2mai4gua1, zi4mai4zi4kua1

used singly; slightly derogatory in meaning

Question 27

“unthinkable, inconceivable”

Answer 27

不可思议

bu4 ke3 si1 yi4

predicate and attributive

Question 28

“persist, persevering, unremitting”

Answer 28

坚持不懈

jian1chi2bu2xie4

Question 29

“in short supply”, supply does not meet demand

Answer 29

供不应求

gong1bu4ying4qiu2
“in short supply”, supply does not meet demand
Predicate abd attributive; as attrubutive usually followed by 局面， 情况，现象

Question 30

“implement with efficiency”, “efficient”

Answer 30

行之有效

xing2 zhi1 you3 xiao4
often followed by 办法，方法，做法，措施，政策

Question 31

“as is known to all”

Answer 31

周所周知

zhong4suo3zhou1zhi1
“as is known to all”
Used in writing

Question 32

Not known to my tutor, meaning “talk is cheap, to be an armchair quaterback”

Answer 32

站着说话不腰疼

zhan4zhe shuo1hua4 bu4 yao1teng2
Not known to my tutor, meaning “talk is cheap, to be an armchair quaterback”
predicate; slightly derogatory and humerous

Question 33

“all good things must come to an end”

Answer 33

天下没有不散的筵席

tiān xià méi yǒu bù sàn de yán xí
used singly; neutral in meaning

Question 34

“to have something fall into your lap”; slighly derogatory

Answer 34

天上掉馅饼

tian1shang diao4 xian4bing3
“to have something fall into your lap”; slighly derogatory

Question 35

“do unto others as you have them do unto you”; used singly; neutral in meaning

Answer 35

己所不欲，勿施与人

ji3 suo3 bu2 yu4, wu4 shi1 yu2 ren2
“do unto others as you have them do unto you”; used singly; neutral in meaning

Question 36

Quite formal - full of interest and enthusiasm

Answer 36

兴致勃勃

Xing4 zhi4 bo2bo2

Adverbial offten followd by 参观canguan, 参加canjia, 游览youlian and 访问fangwen.

Complementary.

Bo2 = flourishing

Question 37

to achieve overnight success, to amaze with a single brilliant feat.

Answer 37

不鸣则已, 一鸣惊人

yi4ming2jing1ren2
(bu4ming2ze2yi1, very normal) - often used before

mainly predicate, can also be attrubutive and adverbial

Question 38

to be unable to clear on’e sname;
the more you wash the dirtier you get

Answer 38

逃进黄河也洗不清

tiao4jin4Huang2he2xi3bu2qing3

predicate or predictive

neuatral or humerous;

Question 39

to suck up to someone

Answer 39

拍马屁

pai1ma3pi4

predicate

derogatory in meaning

Question 40

“think of all kinds of ways. Try every possible means”

Answer 40

想方设法

xiang3fang1she4fa3

Mainly a predicate, followed by verb

When encountering difficulties he always tries every possible way to resolve them himself.

Question 41

“innumerable households; every family”

Answer 41

千家万户

qian1jia1wan4hu4

Nominal element; functions mainly as object or subject

Question 42

“to play a decisive role, to be pivotal in importance”

Answer 42

举足轻重

ju3zu2qing1zhong4

Functions mainly as attributive often followed by:

地位， 作用，影响，人物，角色

Chinese electronics has a XXX place in the world.

Question 43

“see what is right and have the courage to do it”

Answer 43

见义勇为

jian4yi4yong2wei2

Functions as attributive;

complementary in meaninng

Question 44

“attract world-wide attention”

“the entire world focuses its attention on”

Answer 44

举世瞩目

ju3shi4zhu3mu4

functions mainly as attributive followed often by
成就，成绩

Question 45

“love is blind”

always used for women.

Answer 45

情人眼里出西施

qing2ren2yan3li3chu1xi1shi1

Used singly

Neutral or humerous in meaning

Question 46

I coulnd’t care less

that’s above my pay grade

Answer 46

打酱油

da3 jiang4you2

functions as predicate

humerous from internet 2008 meme

Question 47

wait and see

Answer 47

走着瞧

zou3zhe qiao2

functions as predicate

slightly derogatory or neutral

Question 48

to throw caution to the wind

Answer 48

不管三七二十一

functions as predicate or used singly

slightly derogatory

Question 49

To be careful and cautious;

“Archelological workers very carefully and cautionously inspect every item from the arrchieological site”

“his life is overcautions; regarding every matter, he is careful and cautious, deathly afraid that he will cause others to be upset”

Answer 49

小心翼翼

xiao3xin1yi4yi4
To be careful and cautious;

often used adverbially to mean “cautiously”

mainly an adverbial but can also serve as predicate

Question 50

literal: the source of a strema is distant and the water flows a long distance

Freer translation: age-old, long-standing, well-established;

functions mainly as predicate but can also serve as attributive

China has an age-old tea culture

The friendship between the people’s of the two coutnries is long-standing and well-established.

Answer 50

源远流长

yuan2 yuan3 liu2 chang2