Idiomatic expressions in the Chinese language (习惯用语, xiguan yongyu), literally “common use expressions”, are widely used in the spoken Chinese language.
In this article we’ll only see a few of them. Besides giving you the “exact” definition of single expressions, I will also insert the literal translation, which is not unusually more suitable than the “exact” one for conveying the metaphorical sense that the Chinese author wishes to express.
矮子里拔将军 (Aizi li ba jiangjun) / 矬子里拔将军 (cuozi li ba jiangjun)
It would literally be “choose the general from among the lower ones”, or choose the best among those available (we could also say, “choose the least worst”).
Here’s an example:
听说图蒙多得了作文比赛第一名。他呀？一定是矮子里拔将军拔出来的。
Tīngshuō tú méng duō déle zuòwén bǐsài dì-yī míng. Tā ya? Yị̄dìng shì ǎizi li bá jiāngjun bá chūlai de.
I heard that Tu Mengduo came in first in the composition contest. Him!? For sure it must have been the least bad.
包在我身上 (Bao zai wo shen shang)
It literally would be “I wrap it with my body”, or leave everything to me; you can count on me; I’ll take care of it.
Here’s an example:
别担心，你儿子大学毕业找工作的事情包在我身上，保证他月薪两千欧以上。
Bié dānxīn, nǐ érzi dàxué bìyè zhǎo gōngzuò de shìqing bāo zài wǒ shēnshang, bǎozhèng tā yuèxīn liǎngqiān ōu yǐshàng.
Don’t worry, I’ll take care of finding a job for your son once he finishes college; I guarantee that his monthly salary will be more than two thousand Euros a month.
把死人说活 (Ba si ren shuo huo)
It would literally be “bring the dead back to life by talking”, or to be persuasive; to have a sharp tongue.
Here’s an example:
是这样，我们俩一起去有很多好处：第一……，第二……。行了，你真是个把死人说活的人，我跟你去吧。
Shì zhèyàng, wǒmenliǎ yī̠qǐ qù yǒu hěn duō hǎochu: dì-yī……, dì-èr……. Xíngle, nǐ zhēnshì gèbǎ sǐrén shuōhuó de rén, wǒ gēn nǐ qù ba.
It’s like this, there are lots of benefits if we go together: first of all…, secondly…. And OK, you’re a very persuasive person. I’ll come with you!
摆在桌面儿上 (Bai zai zhuomianr shang)
This would literally be “to put on the table”, or make the problem known publicly and make sure everybody knows.
Here’s an example:
有些事情为什么不告诉我们？我真希望你后来把所重大的事情都摆在桌面儿上。
Yǒuxiē shìqing wèishénme bù gàosu wǒmen? Wǒ zhēn xīwàng nǐ hòulái bǎ suǒ zhòngdà de shìqing dōu bǎi zài zhuōmiànr shàng.
Why don’t you keep up with things? I really hope that in the future you’ll stay up to date on the important issues.
不吃香 (Bu chi xiang) / 吃香 (chi xiang)
Literally it’s “not delicious” / “delicious”, or unpopular, not respected, unwelcome/ popular, respected, welcome.
Here’s an example:
你认为现在什么工作最吃香？我觉得是当老师。
Nǐ rènwéi xiànzài shénme gōngzuò zuì chīxiāng? Wǒ juéde shì dāng lǎoshī.
Which job do you think is the most popular now? I think it would be becoming a teacher.
不到黄河心不死 (Bu dao Huang He xin bu si)
Literally it would be “until you get to the Yellow River, the heart doesn’t die”, or don’t give up until all hope is gone.
Here’s an example:
别放弃，前进加油。不要半途而废。不到黄河心不死。
Bié fàngqì, qiánjìn jiāyóu. Bụ̀yào bàntú’érfèi. Bụ̀ dào Huáng Hé xīn bù sǐ.
Don’t give up, keep going. Don’t quit halfway. Don’t give up until all hope is lost.
不是地方 (Bu shi difang) / 不是东西 (bu shi dongxi) / 不是时候 (bu shi shihou)
Literally these would be “it’s not the place”, “it’s not the thing”, “it’s not the time”, or “to not be the right place”/ “that’s not how you behave” / “to not be the right time/moment”.
Here are a few examples:
我觉得沙发放得不是地方，换个地方吧。
Wǒ juéde shāfā fàng de bụ̀ shì dìfang, huàn ge dìfang ba.
I think that the sofa isn’t in the right place, let’s switch it.
王小红不是东西，她一进饭馆就吵起来。
Wáng xiǎo hóng bụ̀ shì dōngxi, tā yī jìn fànguǎn jiù chǎo qǐlai.
Wang Xiaohong isn’t all that, as soon as he goes into a restaurant he starts to make a fuss.
你来得真不是时候，我得上厕所。
Nǐ láide zhēn bụ̀ shì shíhou, wǒ déshàng cèsuǒ.
You’ve arrived at a really bad time, I have to go to the bathroom.
炒冷饭 (Chao leng fan)
It would literally mean “to fry cold rice”, or always do the same thing.
Here’s an example:
很多媒体报道了这个新闻，这不过是在炒冷饭。
Hěn duōméitǐ bàodàole zhège xīnwén, zhè buguòshì zài chǎo lěng fàn.
Many media outlets have reported the same news: they’re just repeating the same thing.
穿一条裤子 (Chuan yi tiao kuzi)
Literally it would be “to put on a pair of pants”, or collude with, have interests in common.
Here’s an example:
小红经常迟到早退，但从来没听说挨过老板的批评。小红和老板穿一条裤子，下班后经常在一起，老板能批评他吗？
Xiǎo hóng jīngcháng chídàozǎotuì, dàn cónglái méi tīngshuō áiguò lạ̌obǎn de pīpíng. Xiǎo hóng hé lạ̌obǎn chuān yī tiáo kùzi, xiàbān hòu jīngcháng zài yīqǐ, lạ̌obǎn néng pīpíng tā ma?
Xiao Hong is often late and leaves work early, but I never heard the boss criticize him. Xiao Hong and the boss have interests in common, after work they’re often together, how could the boss criticize him?
打着灯笼也难找 (Da zhe denglong ye nan zhao)
It would literally be “even if you have a lantern, it’s hard to find”, or hard to find, rare.
Here’s an example:
她是个打着灯笼也难找的好心人。
Tā shì ge dǎzhe dēnglong yě nánzhǎo de hǎoxīnrén.
She’s a person with a good heart that’s hard to find.
戴有色眼睛 (Dai you se yanjing)
Literally it would be “to wear colored glasses”, or have prejudices toward someone or something.
Here’s an example:
你别戴有色眼睛看人好不好，每个人现在和以前不一样。
Nǐ bié dài yǒusè yǎnjing kànrén hǎobuhǎo, měi gèrén xiànzài hé yǐqián bù yīyàng.
Don’t have prejudices as to whether people are good or not; now anyone is different than the past.
好了伤疤忘了疼 (Hao le shangba wang le teng)
Literally it would be “once a wound heals, you forget the pain”, or you forget the pain once the wound passes; forget the bitterness of the past once the situation turns better.
Here’s an example:
如果想起来去年的事情我就哭起来。别这样，已经好了伤疤忘了疼。
Rúguǒ xiạ̌ng qǐlai qùnián de shìqing wǒ jiù kū qǐlai. Bié zhèyàng, yǐjing hǎole shāngbā wàngle téng.
If I start thinking about what happened last year, I start crying right away. By not doing so, by now you’re better, forgetting the pain suffered.
好心当成驴肝肺 (Hao xin dang cheng lu ganfei)
It would literally be “to consider a good heart as the guts of a donkey”, or twist others’ good actions / mistake the good actions of others for negative actions.
Here’s an example:
妈，为什么把我这件衣服给洗了？这件不能水洗的。哟，好心当成驴肝肺。
Mā, wèishénme bǎ wǒ zhè jiàn yīfu gěi xǐ le? Zhè jiàn bùnéng shuǐxǐ de. Yō, hǎoxīn dàngchéng lǘgān-fèi.
Mamma, why did you wash my dress? You can’t wash these with water. Oh, you mistook my good action for a negative one.
脚踩两只船 (Jiao cai liang zhi chuan)
Literally it would be “to have a foot in two boats”, or have one foot in two shoes.
Here’s an example:
他写了一本书，可是不知道让哪家出版社出版，于是他同时联系了两家出版社。他不应该脚踩两只船。
Tā xiěle yī běn shū, kěshì bùzhīdào ràng nǎ jiā chūbǎnshè chūbǎn, yúshì tā tóngshí liánxìle liǎng jiā chūbǎnshè. Tā bù yīnggāi jiǎocǎi-liǎngzhīchuán.
He wrote a book but doesn’t know which publishing house he should go with, so he entered into a contract with two different publishing houses. He shouldn’t have a foot in two shoes.
雷声大，雨点小 (Lei sheng da, yu dian xiao)
Literally it would be “the noise from the storm is loud, but rain is a little rarer”, or one says a lot but does little.
Here’s an example:
卡塔尼塞塔市改造得怎么样？不怎么样，一点动静也没有。总是雷声大，雨点小。
Kǎtǎnísāitǎ shì gǎizào de zěnmeyàng? Bù zěnmeyàng, yī̠diǎn dòngjing yě méiyǒu. Zǒngshì léishēng dà, yụ̌diǎn xiǎo.
How has the city of Caltanissetta changed? There’s been no change, no movement in that sense. They talk a lot but do little.
露一手 (Lou yi shou)
It literally would be “to reveal/ to show one’s hand”, or show one’s own abilities.
Here’s an example:
每个人应该有露一手的机会。
Měi gèrén yīnggāi yǒu lòu yī̠shǒu de jīhuì.
Each person should have the change to show their abilities.
卖关子 (Mai guanzi)
Literally it would be “to sell the climax”, or leave hanging so as to create suspense.
Ecco un esempio:
你别卖关子吧，我等不及。
Nǐ bié mài guānzi ba, wǒ děngbují.
Don’t leave me hanging; come on, I can’t wait.
没说的 (Mei shuo de)
It would literally be “there’s nothing to say”, or it’s indisputable; there’s no need to discuss it.
Here’s an example:
上次你没有去，这次你一定要去，没说的。
Shàngcì nǐ méiyǒu qù, zhècì nǐ yị̄dìng yào qù, méi shuō de.
Last time you didn’t go, so this time you have to, you can’t dispute it.
没有市场 (Mei you shichang)
It would literally be “there’s no market for it”, or an unpopular person or product.
Here’s an example:
在北京木地板非常流行，竹地板没有市场。
Zài Běijīng mù dìbǎn fēicháng liúxíng, zhú dìbǎn méiyǒu shìchǎng.
In Beijing wood floors are in fashion, those in bamboo don’t have a market.
拍马屁 (Pai mapi)
Literally it would be “to pat the behind of a horse”, or to flatter, to lay it on thick with someone.
Here’s an example:
别拍老师的马屁！
Bié pāi lǎoshī de mǎpì!
Don’t flatter the professor!
热锅上的蚂蚁 (Re guo shang de mayi)
Literally it would be “ants on a boiling pot”, or to be agitated or restless.
Here’s an example:
考试的时候，我急得像热锅上的蚂蚁一样。
Kǎoshì de shíhou, wǒ jí de xiàng règuō shàng de mǎyǐ yị̄yàng.
When there are exams I get agitated like ants on a boiling pot.
三天打鱼，两天晒网 (San tian da yu, liang tian shai wang)
It would literally be “three days fishing for fish, two days letting the nets dry in the sun”, or lacking perseverance, to be inconsistent.
Here’s an example:
这个月你已经有好几天没有上课，你这样三天打鱼，两天晒网的，学习能跟上吗？
Zhège yuè nǐ yǐjing yǒu hǎojǐtiān méiyǒu shàngkè, nǐ zhèyàng sān tiān dǎyú, liǎngtiān shài wǎng de, xuéxí néng gēnshang ma?
This month you haven’t come for your lessons for a few days. If you continue to be so inconsistent, how will you keep up with your studies?
说白了 (Shuo bai le)
It would literally be “to talk white”, or to be direct when talking.
Here’s an example:
你为什么今天没有来上课？生病了吗？说白了，我没有做功课，今天不能来上课。
Nǐ wèishénme jīntiān méiyǒu lái shàngkè? Shēngbìng le ma? Shuōbáile, wǒ méiyǒu zuò gōngkè, jīntiān bùnéng lái shàngkè.
Why didn’t you come for your lesson today? Are you sick? To be honest, I didn’t do the homework, so I couldn’t come for the lesson.
For the time being I’ll stop here. In Chinese there are lots of other idiomatic expressions! I invite you to leave a comment with those you are familiar with. Thanks!
