Chinese Idioms and Proverbs

Question 1

to be too fond of something to part with it; mainly used to describe things

Answer 1

爱不释手
ài bù shì shǒu

Question 2

to be clear about whom or what to love or hate

Answer 2

爱憎分明
ài zēng fēn míng

Question 3

to be in a good situation without any problems, usually pertaining to health; refers to a person who has gone through an unforeseen event unscathed

Answer 3

安然无恙
ān rán wú yàng

Question 4

in accordance with prescribed order; the act of following a schedule

Answer 4

按部就班
àn bù jiù bàn

Question 5

to give up halfway; to leave something unfinished

Answer 5

半途而废
bàn tú ér fèi

Question 6

to reverse primary and secondary tasks

Answer 6

本末倒置
ben mò dào zhì

Question 7

absolutely necessary

Answer 7

必不可少
bì bù ke shao

Question 8

irregular; capricious

Answer 8

变化无常
biàn huà wú cháng

Question 9

to have a unique style; describes literature, art, and architecture

Answer 9

别具一格
bié jù yì gé

Question 10

obvious

Answer 10

不言而喻
bù yán ér yù

Question 11

to do something synchronized without previous arrangement; a coincidence

Answer 11

不约而同
bù yuē ér tóng

Question 12

to not know what to do; refers to an awkward or confusing situation

Answer 12

不知所措
bù zhī suo cuò

Question 13

non-uniformity; non-standard

Answer 13

参差不齐
cēn cī bù qí

Question 14

a massive amount

Answer 14

成千上万
chéng qiān shàng wàn

Question 15

very close; inseparable, usually refers to two or more people

Answer 15

寸步不离
cùn bù bù lí

Question 16

to be surprised

Answer 16

大吃一惊
dà chī yì jīng

Question 17

hard to find; like finding a needle in a haystack

Answer 17

大海捞针
dà hai lāo zhēn

Question 18

extremely disappointing

Answer 18

大失所望
dà shī suo wàng

Question 19

similar in essential aspects, different in minor details

Answer 19

大同小异
dà tóng xiao yì

Question 20

to be forgetful

Answer 20

丢三落四
diū sān là sì

Question 21

unlike any other; to be unique; one of a kind

Answer 21

独一无二
dú yī wú èr

Question 22

diverse

Answer 22

丰富多彩
fēng fù duō cai

Question 23

gentle breeze and beautiful sun; describes the weather

Answer 23

风和日丽
fēng hé rì lì

Question 24

a discussion where everyone has equals say

Answer 24

各抒己见
gè shū ji jiàn

Question 25

friendly and amicable; usually refers to an elderly person

Answer 25

和蔼可亲 hé ai ke qīn

Question 26

to remain fresh in one’s memory; remember vividly

Answer 26

记忆犹新 jì yì yóu xīn

Question 27

to see improvement in the present compared to the past; can be a fact or an opinion

Answer 27

今非昔比 jīn fēi xī bǐ

Question 28

seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times (idiom); seeing for oneself is better than hearing from many others seeing is believing

Answer 28

百闻不如一见 bǎi wén bù rú yī jiàn

Question 29

saying something that one does not mean

Answer 29

口是心非 kǒu shì xīn fèi

Question 30

describes one whose abilities or skill are not adequate to fulfill one’s desires

Answer 30

力不从心 lì bù cóng xīn

Question 31

It takes more than one cold day for the river to freeze three chi deep.—The trouble has been brewing for some time. or Problems have piled up.

Answer 31

冰冻三尺，非一日之寒 bīng dòng sān chǐ，fēi yī rì zhī hán

Question 32

a good book is like a good friend; encourages one to read books

Answer 32

好书如挚友 hǎo shū rú zhì yǒu

Question 33

Illness enters by the mouth (idiom). Mind what you eat!

Answer 33

病从口入

Question 34

Illness enters by the mouth, trouble comes out by the mouth (idiom). A loose tongue may cause a lot of trouble.

Answer 34

病从口入，祸从口出 bìng cóng kǒu rù，huò cóng kǒu chū

Question 35

1 true sentiments are seen in hard times (idiom) 2 you see who your true friends are when you go through tough times together 3 you see who your true friends are when you are in difficulties

Answer 35

患难见真情 huàn nàn jiàn zhēn qíng

Question 36

to the satisfaction of both parties

Answer 36

两全其美 liǎng quán qí měi

Question 37

messy; describes both concrete and abstract things

Answer 37

乱七八糟 luàn qī bā zāo

Question 38

to wish someone good luck

Answer 38

马到成功 mǎ dào chéng gōng

Question 39

to be listless or apathetic

Answer 39

没精打采 méi jīng dǎ cǎi

Question 40

every family has its problems

Answer 40

家家有本难念的经 jiā jiā yǒu nán niàn de jīng

Question 41

pick up the sesame seeds but overlook the watermelons—concentrate on minor matters to the neglect of major ones

Answer 41

捡了芝麻丢了西瓜 jiǎn le zhī ma diū le xī guā

Question 42

health is one’s greatest asset

Answer 42

健康是最大的财富 jiàn kāng shì zuì dà de cái fù

Question 43

Gold cannot be hundred percent pure and man cannot be perfect.—No one is pe

Answer 43

金无足赤，人无完人 jīn wú zú chì rén wú wán rén

Question 44

The gift is trifling but the feeling is profound. or (It's nothing much, but) it's the thought that counts.

Answer 44

礼轻情意重 lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng

Question 45

having only one small flaw

Answer 45

美中不足 měi zhōng bù zú

Question 46

to change for the better

Answer 46

面目一新 miàn mù yì xīn

Question 47

unlike any other; different

Answer 47

千差万别 qiān chā wàn bié

Question 48

China: long-standing, time honored

Answer 48

历史悠久 lì shǐ yōu jiǔ

Question 49

China: vast territory and abundant resources; a vast land with rich resources; a big country abounding in natural wealth

Answer 49

地大物博 dì dà wù bó

Question 50

having much to say

Answer 50

千言万语 qiān yán wàn yǔ

Question 51

large crowds of people

Answer 51

人山人海 rén shān rén hǎi

Question 52

to change very quickly

Answer 52

日新月异 rì xīn yuè yì

Question 53

very likely to happen; success within reach

Answer 53

十拿九稳 shí ná jiǔ wěn

Question 54

perfect; flawless

Answer 54

十全十美 shí quán shí měi

Question 55

to achieve success with little effort

Answer 55

事半功倍 shì bàn gōng bèi

Question 56

one if the best; outstanding

Answer 56

数一数二 shǔ yī shǔ èr

Question 57

to haggle over a price

Answer 57

讨价还价 tào jià huán jià

Question 58

to get through a time of difficulty by settling one’s differences and working together

Answer 58

同舟共济 tóng zhōu gòng jì

Question 59

an object that is priceless or an asset; can also refer to abstract things

Answer 59

无价之宝 wú jià zhī bǎo

Question 60

outspoken

Answer 60

心直口快 xīn zhí kǒu kāi

Question 61

a young idler will become an old beggar

Answer 61

少小不努力，老大徒伤悲 sháo xiǎo bù nǔ lì，lǎo dà tú shāng bēi

Question 62

failure is the mother of success

Answer 62

失败是成功之母 shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ

Question 63

facts speak louder than words

Answer 63

事实胜于雄辩 shì shí shèng yú xióng biàn

Question 64

one must work hard to climb a mountain

Answer 64

书山有路勤为径 shū shān yǒu lù nán wéi jìng

Question 65

all good things may come to an end

Answer 65

天下没有不散的宴席 tiān xià méi yǒu bú sàn de yàn xí

Question 66

1 to do things half-heartedly 2 to merely go through the motions

Answer 66

敷衍了事 fū yan liǎo shì