The Chengyu, in Chinese 成语, are four character expressions that express a particular meaning, taken from the stories of classical China. There are lots of Chengyu in the Chinese language and they get used quite a bit.
When a foreigner manages to master the Chengyu – along with idiomatic expressions – both in written and spoken language, it means they have reached a very high level in the Chinese language.
In the course of my studies I’ve run into several of these expressions and wanted to draw up those I have encountered most frequently.
So below you will find a list of 148 Chengyu and idiomatic phrases that are among the most used in modern China:
1. 不可得兼 (bù kě dé jiān): “you can’t have both at the same time”
2. 不得其法 (bù dé qí fǎ): “not knowing the right way”
3. 心神不宁 (xīn shén bù níng): “to feel bad about nothing”
4. 一本正经 (yī běn zhèng jīng): “to always be serious”
5. 沉鱼落雁 (chén yú luò yàn): “extremely beautiful”
6. 独一无二 (dú yī wú’èr): “unique”
7. 数一数二 (shǔ yī shǔ’èr): “the best; considered among the best”
8. 绝无仅有 (jué wú jǐn yǒu): “one of a kind; unique”
9. 损人利己 (sǔn rén lì jǐ): “to seek benefit at the expense of others”
10. 幸灾乐祸 (xìng zāi lè huò): “to enjoy others’ misfortunes”
11. 力不从心 (Lì bù cóng xīn): “the qualities aren’t at the level of the aspirations”
12. 亦步亦趋 (yì bù yì qū): “to blindly imitate someone”
13. 滔滔不绝 (tāo tāo bù jué): “without interruption”
14. 桃李满天下 (táolǐ mǎn tiān xià): “to have pupils everywhere”
15. 省吃俭用 (shěng chī jiǎn yòng): “to live frugally”
16. 婀娜多姿 (ē nuó duō zī): “to be graceful”
17. 应运而生 (yìngyùn’érshēng): “to emerge thanks to a favorable situation”
18. 厮守终生 (sīshǒu zhōngshēng): “to be together forever”
19. 寓意深远 (yùyì shēnyuǎn): “morale is very low”
20. 一切就绪 (yīqièjiùxù): “everything is in order”
21. 囫囵吞枣 (hú lún tūn zǎo): “to swallow information without assimilating it”
22. 塞翁失马 (焉知非福) (sài wēng shī mǎ (yān zhī fēi fú)): “not all bad comes to cause harm”
23. 狼吞虎咽 (láng tūn hǔ yàn): “to brush away food like a wolf”
24. 避而不见 (bì’ér bù jiàn): “to avoid meeting someone”
25. 成千上万 (chéng qiān shàng wàn): “thousands”
26. 依依不舍 (yī yī bù shě): “to be reluctant to leave something”
27. 如期而至 (rú qī ér zhì): “to arrive in time”
28. 自作聪明 (zì zuò cōngmíng): “to be presumptuous”
29. 废寝忘食f (èi qǐn wàng shí): “forgetting to eat and sleep so as to do something”
30. 一门心思 (yī mén xīn si): “to be solely concentrated on doing something”
31. 深情厚谊 (shēn qíng hòu yì): “long and intimate friendship”
32. 死里逃生 (sǐ lǐ táo shēng): “to find a way out of certain death”
33. 铺天盖地 (pū tiān gài dì): “to cover over everything”
34. 与众不同 (yǔ zhòng bù tóng): “different than the crowd”
35. 心甘情愿 (xīn gān qíng yuàn): “to be extremely happy to do something”
36. 无可奈何 (wú kě nài hé “non): “to have alternatives”
37. 眼见为实 (yǎn jiàn wéi shí): “to believe in what can be seen”
38. 耳听为虚 (ěr tīng wèi xū): “to not believe in what you hear”
39. 十全十美 (shí quán shí měi): “perfect”
40. 星火燎原 (xīng huǒ liáo yuán): “a single spark creates a blaze”
41. 夸大其词 (kuā dà qí cí): “exaggerate”
42. 举目无亲 (jǔ mù wú qīn): “to be a stranger in a strange land”
43. 四海为家 (sì hǎi wéi jiā): “to make every place your home; live as a hobo”
44. 小心翼翼 (xiǎo xīn yì yì): “extremely cautious”
45. 焕然一新 (huàn rán yī xīn): “to take on a completely new appearance”
46. 乱七八糟 (luàn qī bā zāo): “in complete disorder”
47. 不自觉地 (bù zìjué de): “unconsciously”
48. 筋疲力尽 (jīn pí lì jìn): “to feel exhausted”
49. 顺其自然 (shùn qí zì rán): “to let nature take its course”
50. 恋恋不舍 (liàn liàn bù shě): “to be reluctant to leave”
51. 擦肩而过 (cā jiān’ér guò): “to brush up against someone in passing”
52. 迫不及待 (pò bù jí dài): “impatiently waiting”
53. 无所不谈 (wú suǒ bù tán): “to talk about everything under the sun”
54. 不谋而合 (bù móu’ér hé): “to agree without discussion”
55. 不以为然 (bù yǐ wéi rán): “to consider something unacceptable”
56. 我行我素 (wǒ xíng wǒ sù): “to stick to your own way of doing things”
57. 栩栩如生 (xǔ xǔ rú shēng): “as vivid as life”
58. 莞尔一笑 (wǎn’ěr yī xiào): “to give a faint smile”
59. 胡说八道 (hú shuō bā dào): “to talk nonsense”
60. 眉飞色舞 (méi fēi sè wǔ): “to be exultant, exuberant”
61. 漫无目的 (màn wú mùdì): “to be without a goal”
62. 左顾右盼 (zuǒ gù yòu pàn): “to look to the left and right”
63. 一针见血 (yī zhēn jiàn xiě): “to hit the mark”
64. 轻而易举 (qīng’ér yì jǔ): “easy to do”
65. 全心全意 (quán xīn quán yì): “to do something with all your heart”
66. 相去甚远 (xiāng qù shènyuǎn): “to make a big difference”
67. 彬彬有礼 (bīn bīn yǒu lǐ): “sophisticated”
68. 称兄道弟 (chēng xiōng dào dì): “to be like brothers with someone; to have a great relationship”
69. 相提并论 (xiāng tí bìng lùn): “to be placed at the same level of”
70. 惟妙惟肖 (wéi miào wéi xiào): “to be just like the real thing”
71. 忙里偷闲 (máng lǐ tōu xián): “to find time for pleasure between work”
72. 全神贯注 (quán shén guàn zhù): “absorbed, absorbed in”
73. 缘木求鱼 (yuán mù qiú yú): “to use counterproductive methods to do something”
74. 见钱眼开 (jiàn qián yǎn kāi): “to be desirous of money”
75. 见利忘义 (jiàn lì wàng yì): “to forget integrity so as to achieve gain”
76. 下不为例 (xià bù wéi lì): “it will not set a precedent”
77. 可想而知 (kě xiǎng’ér zhī): “as you can well imagine”
78. 不翼而飞 (bù yì’ér fēi): “to suddenly disappear”
79. 惊慌失措 (jīng huāng shī cuò): “caught in panic”
80. 龇牙咧嘴 (zī yá liě zuǐ): “to grit your teeth in pain”
81. 火上加油 (huǒ shàng jiā yóu): “to throw fuel on the fire”
82. 雪上加霜 (xuě shàng jiā shuāng): “one disaster after another”
83. 如愿以偿 (rú yuàn yǐ cháng): “fully satisfied desires”
84. 无理取闹 (wú lǐ qǔ nào): “to create problems for no reason”
85. 对牛弹琴 (duì niú tán qín): “to speak about someone”
86. 理直气壮 (lǐ zhí qì zhuàng): “to do something while knowing you’re in the right”
87. 思前想后 (sī qián xiǎng hòu): “to accurately ponder over something”
88. 如释重负 (rú shì zhòng fù): “to feel freed of a great burden”
89. 不可开交 (bù kě kāi jiāo): “extremely (busy)”
90. 重温旧梦 (chóng wēn jiù mèng): “to relive an old experience; relive an old dream”
91. 兴致勃勃 (xìng zhì bó bó): “full of enthusiasm”
92. 如影随形 (rú yǐng suí xíng): “inseparable; followed like your own shadow”
93. 千言万语 (qiān yán wàn yǔ): “thousands and thousands of words”
94. 惴惴不安 (zhuì zhuì bù’ān): “on thorns”
95. 大惊小怪 (dà jīng xiǎo guài): “great fuss over something ordinary; to complain unjustifiably”
96. 不足挂齿 (bù zú guà chǐ): “nothing to talk about”
97. 天涯海角 (tiān yá hǎi jiǎo): “far off worlds (expressing a very large distance)
98. 垂垂老矣 (chuí chuí lǎo yǐ): “always older”
99. 白发苍苍 (bái fa cāng cāng): “from white hairs”
100. 低三下四 (dī sān xià sì): “mean, petty”
101. 安贫乐道 (ān pín lè dào): “happy to live a virtuous life even if in a state of poverty”
102. 光明磊落 (guāng míng lěi luò): “in broad daylight; cards showing; correctly and legitimately”
103. 知足常乐 (zhī zú cháng lè): “to be content with what you have”
104. 东山再起 (dōng shān zài qǐ): “to stage a return”
105. 完璧归赵 (wán bì guī zhào): “to give something back to its owner in excellent condition”
106. 如虎添翼 (rú hǔ tiān yì): “with double the power”
107. 夜深人静 (yè shēn rén jìng): “in the silence of deepest night”
108. 班门弄斧 (bān mén nòng fǔ): “to show your talent is of little account in front of a true expert on the material”
109. 乘风破浪 (chéng fēng pò làng): “to have great ambitions”
110. 程门立雪 (chéng mén lì xuě): “to honor the master and respect his teachings”
111. 狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi): “to intimidate someone by flaunting your relationship with important people”
112. 孟母三迁 (mèng mǔ sān qiān): “a wise mother works to find a healthy educational environment for her children”
113. 愚公移山 (yú gōng yí shān): “to want to is to be able to”
114. 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú): “more than enough”
115. 开卷有益 (kāi juàn yǒu yì): “reading always brings benefits”
116. 世外桃源 (shì wài táo yuán): “paradise if peace; utopia”
117. 津津有味 (jīn jīn yǒu wèi): “to do something with gusto”
118. 落英缤纷 (luò yīng bīn fēn): “flower petals that fall like snowflakes”
119. 虚怀若谷 (xū huái ruò gǔ): “to be extremely open-minded”
120. 心如止水 (xīn rú zhǐ shuǐ): “a peaceful heart; a heart as calm as still water”
121. 随遇而安 (suí yù ér’ān): “to feel adequate wherever you are”
122. 厚德载物 (hòu dé zài wù): “to be of strong moral character”
123. 大智若愚 (dà zhì ruò yú): “the wise one appears stupid”
124. 知行合一zhī xíng hé yī): “the union of practice and knowledge”
125. 相濡以沫 (xiāng rú yǐ mò): “to help each other out despite both being in delicate condition”
126. 阳光明媚 (yáng guāng míng mèi): “the sun is particularly bright”
127. 忐忑不安 (tǎn tè bù’ān): “disquieted; preoccupied; uncomfortable”
128. 说三道四 (shuō sān dào sì): “to gossip”
129. 不顾一切 (bù gù yī qiè): “indifferent to everything”
130. 一日为师，终身为父 (yī rì wèi shī, zhōngshēn wèi fù): “teacher for a day, father for a lifetime”
131. 不管三七二十一 (bù guǎn sān qī èr shí yī): “not caring about the consequences”
132. 开门见山 (kāi mén jiàn shān): “to get right to the chase”
133. 一蹴而就 (yī cù’ér jiù): “to be successful on the first try”
134. 惹是生非 (rě shì shēng fēi): “to start a dispute; begin a conflict”
135. 安居乐业 (ān jū lè yè): “to live in peace, without disturbance”
136. 难兄难弟 (nàn xiōng nàn dì): “brothers of misfortune”
137. 笑里藏刀 (xiào lǐ cáng dāo): “a dagger hidden behind a smile”
138. 海市蜃楼 (hǎi shì shèn lóu): “to build castles in the air; mirage”
139. 厮守终身 (sīshǒu zhōngshēn): “to be together for one’s whole life”
140. 伶牙俐齿 (líng yá lì chǐ): “to be clear and eloquent”
141. 日积月累 (rì jī yuè lěi): “to accumulate for a long time”
142. 雷打不动 (léi dǎ bù dòng): “to be determined, unshakable”
143. 家常便饭 (jiā cháng biàn fàn): “routine”
144. 一头雾水 (yī tóu wùshuǐ): “to feel confused”
145. 大汗淋漓 (dà hàn lín lí): “to be soaked with sweat”
146. 有条不紊 (yǒu tiáo bù wěn): “methodical, systematic”
147. 知难而退 (zhī nán’ér tuì): “to run from difficulty”
148. 似懂非懂 (sì dǒng fēi dǒng): “to not fully understand”
Frequently asked questions
If you tell a Chengyu to a Chinese person, they’ll know it most of the times. If you want to become completely fluent in Chinese, you should learn at least 300-500 Chengyus, they’re used everywhere, like in movies and newspapers.
怒不可遏 (nù bù kě è): Unable to restrain one’s anger; in a towering rage
怒气冲冲 （nù qì chōng chōng): Spitting anger; in a rage
恼羞成怒 (nǎo xiū chéng nù): To fly into a rage out of humiliation
敢怒而不敢言 (gǎn nù ér bù gǎn yán): Angry, but not daring to speak out; obliged to remain silent about one’s resentment
怒发冲冠 (nù fà chōng guān): Literally hair stands up in anger and tips off one’s hat
迁怒于人 (qiān nù yú rén): To vent one’s anger on an innocent party
强忍悲痛 (qiáng rěn bēi tòng): To try hard to suppress one’s grief
悲不自胜 (bēi bù zì shèng): Unable to control one’s grief; overwrought
转悲为喜 (zhuǎn bēi wéi xǐ): To turn grief into happiness
骂不绝口 (mà bù jué kǒu): To scold without end; incessant abuse
挨打受骂 (ái dǎ shòu mà): To suffer beatings and receive abuse
因爱成恨 (yīn ài chéng hèn): Hatred caused by love
爱不忍释 (ài bù rěn shì): To love something too much to part with it
男欢女爱 (nán huān nǚ ài): Passionate love
舐犊之爱 (shì dú zhī ài): The love of a cow licking her calf
萝卜白菜，各有所爱 (luó bo bái cài , gè yǒu suǒ ài): One man’s meat is another man’s poison
Photo Credits: 
festival of lanterns 4 by laurenceshan
对牛弹琴 actually means something different. It means trying to explain something t someone who has no idea what you’re talking about either because they’re too stupid to get it or they’re completely the wrong audience
What does jin zhu zhe chi jin mo zhe hei mean
Do you have it in characters?
he who stays near vermillion gets stained red, and he who stays near ink gets stained black. (meaning: influenced by one’s surroundings)
Great list, thank you. Just curious, how did you put it together? Fro.m your notes or did you use some kind of frequency data?
Thank you for the lovely article. I’m an expat who used to live in 厦门. I’m working on an international IT thriller called Agile Grande (leanpub.com/AgileGrande) and one of the characters is an MSS agent. This article will be useful for creating a chinese “voice” for my characters despite being written in English. (It’ll be translated to mandarin in the future.)
Thank you again,
Lancer Kind 康美国