A-Level (Intermediate)
A001 What’s your name? 你叫什么名字?
Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?
A002 Where were you born? 你在哪儿出生的?
Nǐ zài nǎr chūshēng de?
A003 Where is your hometown? 你的家乡在哪儿?
Nǐ de jiāxiāng zài nǎr?
A004 What do you like to eat? 你平时喜欢吃什么?
Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan chī shénme?
A005 What do you like to drink? 你平时喜欢喝什么?
Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan hē shénme?
A006 How old are you? 你多大了?
Nǐ duōdà le?
A007 What do you study? 你学什么的?
Nǐ xué shénme de?
A008 Where do you work? 你在哪儿工作?
Nǐ zài nǎr gōngzuò?
A009 What did you do today? 你今天做了些什么?
Nǐ jīntiān zuò le xiē shénme?
A010 What kind of music do you like? 你喜欢什么样的音乐?
Nǐ xǐhuan shénmeyàng de yīnyuè?
A011 What animal would you most like to be? 你最想成为哪种动物?
Nǐ zuì xiǎng chéngwéi nǎ zhǒng dòngwù?
A012 What languages do you speak? 你都会说哪种语言?
Nǐ dōu huì shuō nǎ zhǒng yǔyán?
A013 How long have you lived in this city? 你在这个城市住了多久了?
Nǐ zài zhège chéngshì zhù le duōjiǔ le?
A014 How many people are in your family? 你家有几口人?
Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén?
A015 Have you been to Sydney? 你去过悉尼吗?
Nǐ qù guò Xīní ma?
A016 Do you have a best friend? Who is s/he? 你有最好的朋友吗?他或她是谁?
Nǐ yǒu zuìhǎo de péngyǒu ma? Tā huò tā shì sheí?
A017 Do you prefer summer or winter? 夏天和冬天,你更喜欢哪一个?
Xiàtiān hé dōngtiān, nǐ gèng xǐhuan nǎ yīgè?
A018 What do you do on the weekend? 你周末喜欢做些什么呢?
Nǐ zhōumò xǐhuan zuò xiē shénme ne?
A019 What hobbies do you have? 你有什么爱好?
Nǐ yǒu shénme àihào?
A020 What sports do you like? 你都喜欢哪种体育项目?
Nǐ dōu xǐhuan nǎ zhǒng tǐyù xiàngmù?
A021 What is your favourite food? 你最喜欢的食物是什么?
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan de shíwù shì shénme?
A022 What do you normally have for breakfast? 你早饭平时都吃些什么?
Nǐ zǎofàn píngshí dōu chī xiē shénme?
A023 How do you get to work or university? 你平时上班或上学都怎么走?
Nǐ píngshí shàngbān huò shàngxué dōu zěnme zǒu?
A024 What do you do on holidays? 你放假都做些什么?
Nǐ fàngjià dōu zuò xiē shénme?
A025 What’s your favourite film? 你最喜欢的电影是什么?
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan de diànyǐng shì shénme?
A026 What is your greatest wish? 你最大的愿望是什么?
Nǐ zuìdà de yuànwàng shì shénme?
A027 Are you married or single? 你结婚了还是单身?
Nǐ jiéhūn le háishì dānshēn?
A028 Do you drive or take public transport? 你开车还是做公交?
Nǐ kāichē háishì zuò gōngjiāo?
A029 What do you like to do in your spare time? 你平时喜欢做些什么?
Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan zuò xiē shénme?
A030 What’s your favourite TV show? 你最喜欢的电视剧是什么?
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan de diànshìjù shì shénme?
A031 Do you like shopping? Why or why not? 你喜欢购物吗?为什么?
Nǐ xǐhuan gòuwù ma? Wèishénme?
A032 What subjects did you study in school? 你在学校时都学了哪些科目?
Nǐ zài xuéxiào shí dōu xué le nǎxiē kēmù?
A033 Do you prefer trains, trams or buses? 火车,电车和公共汽车,你更喜欢哪一个?
Huǒchē, diànchē hé gōnggòng qìchē, nǐ gèng xǐhuan nǎ yīgè?
B-Level (Intermediate)
B034 Do you often eat fast food? Why or why not? 你经常吃快餐吗?为什么?
Nǐ jīngcháng chī kuàicān ma? Wèishénme?
B035 What is a major achievement in your life? 你生命中一项重要的成就是什么?
Nǐ shēngmìng zhòng yī xiàng zhòngyào de chéngjiù shì shénme?
B036 Do you like karaoke? Why or why not? 你喜欢卡拉OK吗?为什么?
Nǐ xǐhuan kǎlāOK ma? Wèishénme?
B037 What are the best ways to keep healthy? 保持健康的最好方法是什么?
Bǎochí jiànkāng de zuì hǎo fāngfǎ shì shénme?
B038 What is the best way to make new friends? 结交新朋友的最好方法是什么?
Jiéjiāo xīn péngyou de zuì hǎo fāngfǎ shì shénme?
B039 What is the best holiday you’ve ever had? 你所度过最愉快的一个假期是哪一个?
Nǐ suǒ dù guò zuì yúkuài de yīgè jiàqī shì nǎ yīgè?
B040 Do you think you are a “nerd”? 你觉得你是一个“宅男”或“宅女”吗?
Nǐ juéde nǐ shì yīgè “zháinán” huò “zháinǚ” ma?
B041 What are some of the traditional foods in your home country? 你国家传统的食物是什么?
Nǐ guójiā chuántǒng de shíwù shì shénme?
B042 Do you have an iPhone? Why or why not? 你有一部iPhone吗?为什么?
Nǐ yǒuyī bù iPhone ma? Wèishénme?
B043 Are you interested in politics? Why or why not? 你对政治感兴趣吗?为什么?
Nǐ duì zhèngzhì gǎnxìngqù ma? Wèishénme?
B044 What do you think about this city’s public transport system? 你觉得这个城市的公共交通系统怎么样?
Nǐ juéde zhège chéngshì de gōnggòng jiāotōng xìtǒng zěnme yàng?
B045 Are you a fan of anime or other cartoons? 你是日本动漫或其他卡通的粉丝吗?
Nǐ shì Rìběn dòngmàn huò qítā kǎtōng de fěnsī ma?
B046 Are you a night owl or an early bird? 你是个夜猫子,还是早起者?
Nǐ shìgè yèmāozi, háishì zǎoqǐ zhě?
B047 Do you see your family often? 你经常看望你的家人吗?
Nǐ jīngcháng kànwàng nǐ de jiārén ma?
B048 Do you like going to pubs and nightclubs? 你喜欢去酒吧和夜总会吗?
Nǐ xǐhuan qù jiǔbā hé yèzǒnghuì ma?
B049 Who is your favourite celebrity? 你最喜欢的名人是谁?
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan de míngrén shì sheí?
B050 What are your impressions of this city? 你对这座城市的印象怎么样?
Nǐ duì zhè zuò chéngshì de yìnxiàng zěnmeyàng?
B051 Is money important? 金钱重要吗?
Jīnqián zhòngyào ma?
B052 Do you like reading? What books do you like to read? 你喜欢看书吗?平时都看些什么样的书?
Nǐ xǐhuan kà shū ma? Píngshí dōu kàn xiē shénme yàng de shū?
B053 What are your future goals? 你未来的目标是什么?
Nǐ wèilái de mùbiāo shì shénme?
B054 Do you celebrate Christmas? 你过圣诞节吗?
Nǐ guò shèngdànjié ma?
B055 What are some of your bad habits? 你都有哪些坏习惯?
Nǐ dōu yǒu nǎxiē huài xíguàn?
B056 What are the personalities of your parents and other family members? 你的父母和其他家人的性格都是什么样的?
Nǐ de fùmǔ hé qítā jiārén de xìnggé dōu shì shénmeyàng de?
B057 Are you religious? 你信教吗?
Nǐ xìnjiào ma?
B058 How long have you been learning your second language? 你学习第二语言多长时间了?
Nǐ xuéxí dì èr yǔyán duō cháng shíjiān le?
B059 Do you have a good sense of direction? 你的方向感好吗?
Nǐ de fāngxiànggǎn hǎo ma?
B060 How do you spend your money? 你怎样来支配自己的花销?
Nǐ zěnyàng lái zhīpèi zìjǐ de huā xiao?
B061 Do you like to travel? What places have you been to? 你喜欢旅游吗?你都去过哪些地方?
Nǐ xǐhuan lǚyóu ma? Nǐ dōu qù guò nǎxiē dìfang?
B062 What is your favourite item of clothing, and why? 说说你穿过的衣服中,哪一件你最喜欢?为什么?
Shuō shuō nǐ chuān guò de yīfu zhōng, nǎ yī jiàn nǐ zuì xǐhuan? Wèishénme?
B063 Do you like surfing the web? What websites would you recommend? 你喜欢上网吗?有哪些网站你可以推荐一下?
Nǐ xǐhuan shàngwǎng ma? Yǒu nǎxiē wǎngzhàn nǐ kěyǐ tuījiàn yīxià?
B064 Have you ever been in love? 你曾经恋爱过吗?
Nǐ céngjīng liàn’ài guò ma?
B065 What are some of the problems of tourism? 旅游业带来的问题是什么?
Lǚyóuyè dàilái de wèntí shì shénme?
B066 Do you like to take risks? Why or why not? 你喜欢冒险吗?为什么?
Nǐ xǐhuan màoxiǎn ma? Wèishénme?
C-Level (Advanced)
C067 Do you think advertising has a negative effect on society? 你觉得广告会给社会带来负面影响吗?
Nǐ juéde guǎnggào huì gěi shèhuì dàilái fùmiàn yǐngxiǎng ma?
C068 Do you think women should be allowed to fight in the front line? 你认为应该允许妇女在前线战斗吗?
Nǐ rènwéi yīnggāi yǔnxǔ fùnǚ zài qiánxiàn zhàndòu ma?
C069 Some people have suggested we should raise the legal drinking age in Australia to 21. Do you think this a good idea? 有人建议我们应该把澳洲的法定饮酒年龄提高到二十一岁。你认为这是一个好主意吗?
Yǒurén jiànyì wǒmen yīnggāi bǎ Àozhōu de fǎdìng yǐnjiǔ niánlíng tígāo dào èr shí yī suì. Nǐ rènwéi zhè shì yīgè hǎo zhǔyì ma?
C070 Some governments have banned smoking in all public places. Do you agree or disagree? 有些政府已经禁止在公共场所吸烟,你是否同意?
Yǒuxiē zhèngfǔ yǐjīng jìnzhǐ zài gōnggòng chǎngsuǒ xīyān, nǐ shìfǒu tóngyì?
C071 To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable? 在什么限度内使用动物来做科学研究可以被接受?
Zài shénme xiàndù nèi shǐyòng dòngwù lái zuò kēxué yánjiū kěyǐ bèi jiēshòu?
C072 Are zoos cruel to wild animals? 动物园对于野生动物来讲是不是过于残忍?
Dòngwùyuán duìyú yěshēng dòngwù lái jiǎng shì bùshì guòyú cánrěn?
C073 To what extent has the traditional male role changed in the last 20 years? 在过去的二十年中,传统的男性角色变化到了什么样的程度?
Zài guòqù de èr shí nián zhōng, chuántǒng de nánxìng juésè biànhuà dào le shénmeyàng de chéngdù?
C074 Should money be spent on space exploration? 我们应该把钱花在空间探索上吗?
Wǒmen yīnggāi bǎ qián huā zài kōngjiān tànsuǒ shàng ma?
C075 Should primary school students be taught sex education? 应该对小学生进行性教育吗?
Yīnggāi duì xiǎoxuéshēng jìnxíng xìngjiàoyù ma?
C076 What is the meaning of life? 人生的意义是什么?
Rénshēng de yìyì shì shénme?
C077 What does it mean to be happy? How does one find happiness? 幸福的定义是什么?人们如何才能找到幸福?
Xìngfú de dìngyì shì shénme? Rénmen rúhé cáinéng zhǎodào xìngfú?
C078 Euthanasia has been a controversial topic for many years. What are the pros and cons to it being legalised? “安乐死”多年以来一直是一个充满争议的话题。使其合法化的优缺点各是什么?
“Ānlèsǐ” duōnián yǐlái yīzhí shì yīgè chōngmǎn zhēngyì de huàtí. Shǐ qí héfǎhuà de yōuquēdiǎn gè shì shénme?
C079 In your opinion, under what conditions should abortion be acceptable, if at all? 在你看来,如果可以的话,在什么条件下流产可以被接受?
Zài nǐ kàn lái, rúguǒ kěyǐ de huà, zài shénme tiáojiàn xià liúchǎn kěyǐ bèi jiēshòu?
C080 Should students be required to wear a school uniform? 应该要求学生穿校服吗?
Yīnggāi yāoqiú xuéshēng chuān xiàofú ma?
C081 Should the age to vote be reduced to 16? 法定的投票年龄应该被缩短至十六岁吗?
Fǎdìng de tóupiào niánlíng yīnggāi bèi suōduǎnzhì shí liù suì ma?
C082 In what circumstances is patriotism justified? 在什么样的情况下,爱国主义才算是合理?
Zài shénme yàng de qíngkuàng xià, àiguó zhǔyì cái suàn shì hélǐ?
C083 Can politicians be trusted? 政治家可信吗?
Zhèngzhìjiā kě xìn ma?
C084 What characteristics should a great leader have? 一位伟大的领袖都需要具备哪些特点?
Yī wèi wěidà de lǐngxiù dōu xūyào jùbèi nǎxiē tèdiǎn?
C085 What are the signs of teenage depression? How can teenage depression be prevented or treated? 青少年抑郁都有哪些迹象?如何避免或者治疗青少年抑郁?
Qīngshàonián yìyù dōu yǒu nǎxiē jīxiàng? Rúhé bìmiǎn huòzhě zhìliáo qīngshàonián yìyù?
C086 What are the advantages and potential dangers of cloning? 克隆技术的优点和其潜在的危险都有哪些?
Kèlóng jìshù de yōudiǎn hé qí qiánzài de wéixiǎn dōu yǒu nǎxiē?
C087 Should the death penalty be abolished? 应该废除死刑吗?
Yīnggāi fèichú sǐxíng ma?
C088 What are your views on global warming and climate change? 你对全球变暖和气候变化有什么看法?
Nǐ duì quánqiú biànnuǎn hé qìhòu biànhuà yǒu shénme kànfǎ?
C089 Do you play any musical instruments? If not, are there any you would you like to play? 你会演奏哪种乐器?如果不会的话,那你希望自己能会演奏哪种乐器?
Nǐ huì yǎnzòu nǎ zhǒng yuèqì? Rúguǒ bù huì dehuà, nà nǐ xīwàng zìjǐ néng huì yǎnzòu nǎ zhǒng yuèqì?
C090 Can terrorism ever be justified? 恐怖主义从来都不合理吗?
Kǒngbù zhǔyì cónglái dōu bù hélǐ ma?
C091 Does Hollywood have a negative influence on the world? 好莱坞会给世界带来不良的影响吗?
Hǎoláiwù huì gěi shìjiè dài lái bu liáng de yǐngxiǎng ma?
C092 Should junk food be banned in public schools? 应该在公立学校内禁止提供垃圾食品吗?
Yīnggāi zài gōnglì xuéxiào nèi jìnzhǐ tígōng lājī shípǐn ma?
C093 Do you use social networking sites like Twitter or Facebook? Why or why not? 你使用像Twitter或者Facebook这样的社交网站吗?为什么?
Nǐ shǐyòng xiàng Twitter huòzhě Facebook zhèyàng de shèjiāo wǎngzhàn ma? Wèishénme?
C094 Do you think university students are under a lot of stress nowadays? 你觉得当今大学生的压力是不是很大?
Nǐ juédé dàngjīn dàxuéshēng de yālì shì bù shì hěn dà?
C095 Do you think the government or the individual should pay for tuition fees? 你觉得学费应该由政府还是个人来支付?
Nǐ juéde xuéfèi yīnggāi yóu zhèngfǔ háishì gèrén lái zhīfù?
C096 In your opinion, which invention most benefitted humanity? 在你看来,哪一项发明给人类带来了最大的好处?
Zài nǐ kàn lái, nǎ yī xiàng fāmíng gěi rénlèi dài lái le zuìdà de hǎochù?
C097 Should suicides be reported in news media? 应该在媒体中报道关于自杀的新闻吗?
Yīnggāi zài méitǐ zhōng bàodào guānyú zìshā de xīnwén ma?
C098 What kind of challenges do international students face studying at universities in Australia? 你觉得在澳洲大学学习的国际学生将会面临哪些挑战?
Nǐ juéde zài Àozhōu dàxué xuéxí de guójì xuéshēng jiāng huì miànlín nǎxiē tiǎozhàn?
C099 What do you think about your country’s education system? 你觉得贵国的教育系统如何?
Nǐ juéde guìguó de jiàoyù xìtǒng rúhé?
C100 What role does art play in modern societies? 在现代社会中,艺术起到了怎样的作用?
Zài xiàndài shèhuì zhōng, yìshù qǐdào le zěnyàng de zuòyòng?
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Here’s a list of proverbs I’ve come across over the years that I think are actually interesting and useful in both conversation and writing. A translation for each is provided, along with an equivalent English expression where possible.
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Most advanced learners, I think, have a love-hate relationship with chengyu (成语), those pesky, mostly four-character idioms taken from classical China. Sure, you get learners who are obsessed with them and endeavour to memorise one hundred a month only to find their practical usage is hazy to say the least. (It’s also very difficult at times to discertain their true register, not to mention their grammatical usage.) You also get learners (like myself) who have, through the years, avoided them like the plague and have only bothered to absorb those that have actually come up in written texts or conversation. But are chengyu useful for learners and, if so, which ones are the best to learn?
Unfortunately, there are few resources – both on the web or in print – that actually tell you which chengyu are worth remembering. This is actually an important question considering that there are tens of thousands of them. Most textbooks simply give you a list of 100 or so and expect you to memorise them all, without actually telling you how they fit into a modern context. The worst are those massive lists you find on the Internet, often sourced from Chinese schools. These are merely lists of idioms that Chinese students are expected to learn at school and, whilst many of them may be well-known, native speakers simply don’t use them as often as you would expect.
Thus I’ve carefully crafted this list to help intermediate and advanced learners become more aware of chengyu that are actually useful. It does not purport to be an exhaustive list of the most useful chengyu – indeed, I’ve left many out, simply because they are too context-specific. Nor is it a list of the most common chengyu – there are other resources for that. Note also that I haven’t included the detailed stories for all of them (some of them are quite complicated); what is more important, I think, is to understand the logic of their composition. If you happen to know the history behind it, though, then that’s surely a bonus. If you’re curious, Baidu will certainly help you out.
But why learn them at all? Well, first and foremost, they’re interesting and – at times – unusual, so they do help spice up your language a little bit. They also offer a little gem of Chinese wisdom, which is great for enhancing your cultural understanding of the language. Moreover, from time to time they help with your comprehension of classical Chinese by learning the odd character in an idiomatic context. This can come in handy when you see the same character used in again in a different context. The main thing, though, is to have fun with them and try to use them with your friends – it’s always good fun to see their reaction, and it can be an important learning experience too.
1. 脱颖而出 tuōyǐng’érchū
Baidu Hits: 51,100,000 Google Hits: 32,100,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “the grain sheds its husk and comes forth.”
Translation (翻译): To fully expose one’s talent.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To come to the fore.
Example (例子): 他在比赛中脱颖而出。Tā zài bǐsài zhōng tuōyǐngérchū. — He came to the fore in the competition.
2. 一丝不苟 yīsībùgǒu
Baidu Hits: 25,000,000 Google Hits: 12,800,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “一丝 [even] a little bit 不苟 not careless – to attend to every thread.”
Translation (翻译): To be meticulous; to attend to every detail.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To cross one’s T’s
Example (例子): 他做事从来都是一丝不苟。Tā zuòshì cónglái dōu shì yīsībùgǒu. — He’s always meticulous in everything he does.
3. 司空见惯 sīkōngjiànguàn
Baidu Hits: 14,400,000 Google Hits: 8,570,000
Explanation (解释): Long story short – 司空 comes from the title of “the Minister of Construction” in ancient China who commented on “sing-song girls” during a feast as 见惯 (“a common sight”).
Translation (翻译): To be an everyday occurrence; nothing unusual.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (unless you can think of one).
Example (例子): 在中国,闯红灯是司空见惯的事。Zài Zhōngguó, chuǎnghóngdēng shì sīkōngjiànguàn de shì. — In China, people running red lights is a common sight.
4. 半途而废 bàntú’érfèi
Baidu Hits: 13,400,000 Google Hits: 8,360,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “半途 half-way 而 yet 废 is given up/is wasted.”
Translation (翻译): To give up halfway; to leave something unfinished.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To throw the towel in (sort of).
Example (例子): 小时候我学钢琴半途而废。Xiǎoshíhou wǒ xué gāngqín bàntúérfèi. — When I was little I tried to learn how to play the piano but gave up.
5. 不可思议 bùkěsīyì
Baidu Hits: 100,000,000 Google Hits: 7,930,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “不可 cannot be 思议 conceived.”
Translation (翻译): To be inconceivable; unbelievable.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (off the top of my head).
Example (例子): 对我来说,吃狗肉是不可思议的事情。Duì wǒ lái shuō, chī gǒuròu shì bùkěsīyì de shìqíng. — The way I see it, eating dog is inconceivable.
6. 一鸣惊人 yīmíngjīngrén
Baidu Hits: 11,600,000 Google Hits: 7,760,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “one chirp [which] surprises people”, a metaphor for someone suddenly displaying talent.
Translation (翻译): To become famous overnight.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To set the world on fire.
Example (例子): 李玉春一鸣惊人。Lǐ Yǔchūn yīmíngjīngrén. — Li Yuchun became famous overnight.
7. 一窍不通 yīqiàobùtōng
Baidu Hits: 11,900,000 Google Hits: 7,570,000
Explanation (解释): 一 (“all”) 窍 (the [seven] orifices”) 不通 (“not linked up”).
Translation (翻译): To be completely ignorant about something; to be out of one’s depth.
Similar English Expressions (类似英文成语): To not know one’s arse from one’s elbow (hah!); to be “all Greek” to someone.
Example (例子): 他对电脑一窍不通。Tā duì diànnǎo yīqiàobùtōng. — He doesn’t know the first thing about computers.
8. 谈何容易 tánhéróngyì
Baidu Hits: 11,600,000 Google Hits: 7,420,000
Explanation (解释): 谈 (“to speak”) + 何 (classical Chinese, meaning “什么” [what]) + 容易 (“easy”); “in what way is it easy?”
Translation (翻译): To be no means easy; difficult to do.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): Easier said than done.
Example (例子): 我跟他分手谈何容易。Wǒ gēn tā fēnshǒu tánhéróngyì. — Breaking up with him is easier said than done.
9. 自由自在 zìyóuzìzài
Baidu Hits: 31,400,000 Google Hits: 6,160,000
Explanation (解释): 自由 (“free”) + 自在 (“lacking restrictions”)
Translation (翻译): To be carefree; to be peaceful and relaxed.
Similar English Expressions (类似英文成语): To not have a care in the world; to be footloose and fancy-free; to be man or woman of leisure.
Example (例子): 我想自由自在的生活。Wǒ xiǎng zìyóuzìzài de shēnghuó. — I want a carefree life.
10. 乱七八糟 luànqībāzāo
Baidu Hits: 59,300,000 Google Hits: 4,200,000
Explanation (解释): 乱 (“chaotic”) + 七 (“seven”) + 八 (“eight”) + 糟 (“rotten; in a wretched state”)
Translation (翻译): To be in a huge mess.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To be at sixes and sevens.
Example (例子): 这个公司的管理乱七八糟。Zhè ge gōngsī de guǎnlǐ luànqībāzāo. — This company’s administration is a complete mess.
11. 一见钟情 yījiànzhōngqíng
Baidu Hits: 37,200,000 Google Hits: 3,850,000
Explanation (解释): 一见 (“upon first seeing”) + 钟情 (“to fall deeply in love”)
Translation (翻译): To fall in love at first sight.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): Same as above.
Example (例子): 我跟我的男朋友一见钟情。Wǒ gēn wǒ de nán péngyǒu yījiànzhōngqíng. — I fell in love with my bofriend at first sight.
12. 爱不释手 àibùshìshǒu
Baidu Hits: 24,500,000 Google Hits: 2,460,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “to love and not let go of.”
Translation (翻译): To love something too much to part with it.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (that I can think of).
Example (例子): 我对我的新玩具爱不释手!Wǒ duì wǒ de xīn wánjù àibùshìshǒu! — I simply can’t put down my new toy!
13. 一无所有 yīwúsuǒyǒu
Baidu Hits: 29,500,000 Google Hits: 2,220,000
Explanation (解释): 一 (in classical Chinese it means 全 or 都 [“everything”]) + 无 (“not”) + 所有 (“have”)
Translation (翻译): To not own a thing in the world.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To not have a thing to one’s name.
Example (例子): 如果你离开了我,我就一无所有。Rúguǒ nǐ líkāi le wǒ, wǒ jiù yīwúsuǒyǒu. — If you leave me, I’ll have nothing left.
14. 自相矛盾 zìxiāngmáodùn
Baidu Hits: 9,270,000 Google Hits: 747,000
Explanation (解释): 自相 (“self-”) + 矛盾 (“contradictory”), from the famous story about the man who bragged he could sell a spear (矛) that could pierce anything in the world and a shield (盾) that was impenetrable to any spear, an obvious paradox.
Translation (翻译): To contradict oneself.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (I’m guessing).
Example (例子): 你说的话自相矛盾。Nǐ shuō de huà zìxiāngmáodùn. — You’re contradicting yourself.
15. 倾盆大雨 qīngpéndàyǔ
Baidu Hits: 6,680,000 Google Hits: 468,000
Explanation (解释): 倾盆 (“pouring hard”) + 大雨 (“heavy rain”)
Translation (翻译): Heavy rain; downpour.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To rain cats and dogs.
Example (例子): 今 天上午突然下起了倾盆大雨,所以比赛临时取消了。Jīntiān shàngwǔ tūrán xiàqǐ le qīngpéndàyǔ, suǒyǐ bǐsài línshí qǔxiāo le. — The competition was postponed this morning because of the sudden downpour.
16. 画蛇添足 huàshétiānzú
Baidu Hits: 6,340,000 Google Hits: 447,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “[when] drawing [a] snake, add [a] foot”.
Translation (翻译): To ruin the effect my adding something superfluous.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To gild the lily (old-fashioned).
Example (例子): 发明这两个多余的电钮纯粹是画蛇添足。Fāmíng zhè liǎng gè duōyú de diànniǔ chúncuì shì huàshétiānzú — The two extra buttons on this invention is really overdoing it.
17. 守口如瓶 shǒukǒurúpíng
Baidu Hits: 5,220,000 Google Hits: 438,000
Explanation (解释): Literally,”to keep [one’s] mouth shut, like [a] bottle.”
Translation (翻译): To keep one’s mouth shut; to not breathe a word.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To keep one’s lips sealed.
Example (例子): 总理对这个问题守口如瓶。Zǒnglǐ duì zhège wèntí shǒukǒurúpíng. — The president was tight-lipped about this issue.
18. 塞翁失马 sàiwēngshīmǎ
Baidu Hits: 4,800,000 Google Hits: 319,000
Explanation (解释): 塞翁失马: ”When the old man from the frontier lost his horse…”, often followed by the second part 焉知非福: ”How could one have known that it would not be fortuitous?” You can read more about the story in both English and Chinese at Wiktionary.
Translation (翻译): A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): A blessing in disguise; every cloud has a silver lining.
Example (例子): 我 不小心摔倒了,碰伤了自己,但却在地板上发现了一张50元的纸币,真是塞翁失马 啊!Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn shuāi dǎo le, pèng shāng le zìjǐ, dàn què zài dìbǎn shàng fāxiàn le yī zhāng wǔ shí yuán de zhǐbì, zhēnshi sàiwēngshīmǎ a— I fell over and hurt myself, but on the floor I found a fifty dollar note – what a blessing in disguise!
19. 对牛弹琴 duìniútánqín
Baidu Hits: 4,400,000 Google Hits: 276,000
Explanation (解释): “To play a qin (a traditional Chinese musical instrument) to a cow.”
Translation (翻译): To address the wrong listener.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To cast pearls before swine. (old-fashioned)
Example (例子): 跟一个不讲道理的人讲道理是对牛弹琴。Gēn yīgè bù jiǎng dàolǐ de rén jiǎng dàolǐ shì duìniútánqín. — Trying to talk sense to an irrational person is like casting pearls before swine.
20. 九牛一毛 jiǔniúyīmáo
Baidu Hits: 3,190,000 Google Hits: 225,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “nine cows, one hair.”
Translation (翻译): An insignificant number in the midst of an enormous quantity.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): A drop in the ocean; a drop in a bucket.
Example (例子): 一块钱对一个大款来说是九牛一毛。Yīkuài qián duì yīgè dàkuǎn lái shuō shì jiǔniúyīmáo. — One dollar to a millionaire is a drop in the ocean.