Common idioms and proverbs L1

Here are all the common idioms and proverbs for students at level 1.

jiǔ niú yī máo九牛一毛single hair out of nine ox hides

rén mú gǒu yàng人模狗样appears to be learned but actually has no skills; children pretending to be an adult

zhòng xīng pěng yuè众星捧月a myriad of stars surround the moon

jiào kǔ lián tiān叫苦连天complain to high heaven

hé fēng xì yǔ和风细雨as gentle as a breeze and as mild as a drizzle

zuò jǐng guān tiān坐井观天look at the sky from the bottom of a well

duō móu shàn duàn多谋善断resourceful and decisive

rú zǐ kě jiào孺子可教the boy is intelligent and teachable

hán lái shǔ wǎng寒来暑往passage of time

rì yuè rú suō日月如梭Time flies.

xīng yí wù huàn星移物换Things have changed.

chūn huá qiū shí春华秋实spring blooms and autumn fruits;literary talent and moral integrity

shù dà gēn shēn树大根深influential and entrenched

huān shēng léi dòng欢声雷动cheer to the echo

liú xīng gǎn yuè流星赶月like a meteor chasing the moon

wēn gù zhī xīn温故知新gain new knowledge by reviewing old

dī shuǐ chéng bīng滴水成冰be freezing cold

hōng yún tuō yuè烘云托月paint clouds to set off the moon

guā shú dì luò瓜熟蒂落Everything comes easily at the right time/in the fullness of time.

tòng yǎng xiāng guān痛痒相关share a common lot

bǎi zhé bù huí百折不回advance bravely and never withdraw

bèn niǎo xiān fēi笨鸟先飞Clumsy birds have to start flying early—the slow need to start early.

guǎn zhōng kuī bào管中窥豹look at a leopard through a bamboo tube

jīng wèi tián hǎi精卫填海struggle doggedly towards a goal

shě běn zhú mò舍本逐末attend to trifles and neglect essentials

yīng gē yàn wǔ莺歌燕舞orioles sing and swallows dart

qīng zhòng dào zhì轻重倒置put/place the trivial above the important

tóng jīn tiě gǔ铜筋铁骨tough and strong

fáng huàn wèi rán防患未然take preventive measures

wēi wǔ bù qū威武不屈unyielding to threats and force

xué wú zhǐ jìng学无止境knowledge is limitless/infinite

ēn zhòng rú shān恩重如山favours weighty as a mountain

chūn sè mǎn yuán春色满园The garden is filled with the beauty/charm of spring.

guān zhě rú dǔ观者如堵crowd of spectators

wū niǎo sī qíng乌鸟私情filial piety

rén yī jǐ bǎi人一己百do something hundreds of times while others do it once

guāng yīn sì jiàn光阴似箭time flies

qín néng bǔ zhuō勤能补拙effort can make up for one's limitations

qiān mén wàn hù千门万户numerous households

tiān lǎng qì qīng天朗气清The sky is clear and the air is crisp/bright.

cháng é bēn yuè嫦娥奔月the goddess flying to the moon chased by her husband

nìng zhé bù wān宁折不弯adamant

cùn yǒu suǒ cháng寸有所长Everyone has his strong points.

qíng shēn sì hǎi情深似海One's love is as deep as the sea.

fāng cùn bú luàn方寸不乱in one's right mind

lǜ yè chéng yīn绿叶成荫grass and trees grow luxuriantly; a young mother of many children

sè sè jù quán色色俱全All sorts of things are kept in stock.

tān xiǎo shī dà贪小失大covet a little and lose a lot

xuě zhào fēng nián雪兆丰年A fall of snow gives promise of a fruitful year.

cān fēng yǐn lù餐风饮露be fully exposed to the wind and dew

qí xīn hé lì齐心合力make concerted efforts

piào piào liàng liàng漂漂亮亮beautiful

shì dú zhī ài舐犊之爱parently love

qīng qīng lěng lěng清清冷冷used as a reduplicated word of 清冷

xuàn lì duō cǎi绚丽多彩bright and colourful

nǚ wā bǔ tiān女娲补天the goddess, Nuwa, mends the sky

xī fā zhāo zhì夕发朝至to depart in the evening and arrive the next morning

chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn尺有所短everybody has his strengths and weaknesses

qǔ rén zhī cháng bǔ jǐ zhī duǎn取人之长，补己之短draw on others' strong points to offset/overcome one's own weakness

yī gè tiān shang yī gè dì xia一个天上，一个地下one is in the heaven, one on the earth

yī gè shān tóu yī zhī hǔ一个山头一只虎there is a tiger king in every mountain

yī kǒu chī ge pàng zi一口吃个胖子gainweight with one mouthful

jiǎn le zhī ma diū le xī guā拣了芝麻，丢了西瓜pick up the sesame seeds but overlook the watermelons; penny wise and pound foolish

yī gè bā zhang pāi bù xiǎng一个巴掌拍不响one hand alone can't clap; you can't clap with one hand

yī gè luó bo yī gè kēng一个萝卜一个坑each has his own task, and nobody is dispensable

rén wú yuǎn lǜ bì yǒu jìn yōu人无远虑，必有近忧if one has no long-term considerations, he can hardly avoid troubles every now and then

yī yè zhàng mù bù jiàn tài shān一叶障目，不见泰山a leaf before the eye shuts out Mount Tai; have one's view of the important overshadowed by the trivial

nóng mò tú mǒ浓墨涂抹describe/relate at length

xiǎo cōng bàn dòu fu yī qīng èr bái小葱拌豆腐—一清二白bean curd mixed with chopped green onion - a clear and penetrating person

zuò fēi jī kàn bào zhǐ gāo tán kuò lùn坐飞机看报纸—高谈阔论read newspapers on a plane - uninformed ranting and raving

qì qiú shàng tiān bù yì ér fēi气球上天—不翼而飞balloons going up to the sky - sudden loss of an object or fast spread of news

shèng xià jiǔ shí jiǔ gè bǎi lǐ tiāo yī剩下九十九个—百里挑一ninety-nine left - only one in a hundred is chosen, cream of the crop

dào cǎo rén jiù huǒ zì shēn nán bǎo稻草人救火—自身难保scrarecrow putting out the fire - someone unable even to protect or fend for himself

xiǎo yā zi xià hé bù zhī shēn qiǎn小鸭子下河—不知深浅duckling going down the river - not knowing what's at stake

shuǐ lǐ de yú ér yáo tóu bǎi wěi水里的鱼儿—摇头摆尾fish in the water - a frivolous and complacent person

yī bǎi tiān bù lā shǐ jiān chí bù xiè一百天不拉屎—坚持不懈a hundred days without pooping - persistence and perseverance

gǒu qǐng hú li hú péng gǒu yǒu狗请狐狸—狐朋狗友dogs inviting foxes to play - bad friends

xiā zi kàn xì shì ér bù jiàn瞎子看戏—视而不见blind man watching a play - turn a blind eye

xiā zi kàn shū zhuāng mú zuò yàng瞎子看书—装模作样blind man reading books - a feigned and artificial person

shí zhī ma diū xī guā tān xiǎo shī dà拾芝麻丢西瓜—贪小失大lose the watermelon and pick up the sesame - seek immediate benefits instead of long-term benefits

shū jià shàng de lǎo shǔ yǎo wén jiáo zì书架上的老鼠—咬文嚼字mice on the bookshelf - cling to words without paying attention to spiritual essence

shuǐ niú dǎ jià gōu xīn dòu jiǎo水牛打架—勾心斗角buffalo fight - scheme against each other

dà dì huí chūn bǎi huā qí fàng大地回春—百花齐放spring returns to the earth - all flowers bloom together

yī qún páng xiè guò jiē héng xíng bà dào一群螃蟹过街—横行霸道a flock of crabs crossed the street - act in a tyrannous manner

bǎi mǐ sài pǎo fēn miǎo bì zhēng百米赛跑—分秒必争100 metre dash - every minute counts

yī ge luó bo sān ge kēng liú yǒu yú dì一个萝卜三个坑—留有余地one radish has three pits - leave room for maneuver and flexibility

bā xiān guò hǎi gè xiǎn shén tōng八仙过海—各显神通eight immortals crossing the sea - each showing their special prowess

zhū bā jiè zhào jìng zi lǐ wài bù shì rén猪八戒照镜子—里外不是人pig Bajie looking in the mirror - be ostracized inside and outside

yǎ bā chī huáng lián yǒu kǔ shuō bù chū哑巴吃黄连—有苦说不出dumb people eating coptis chinensis - one can't tell the pain

shí wǔ gè diào tǒng dǎ shuǐ qī shàng bā xià十五个吊桶打水—七上八下fifteen buckets to fetch water - a person who is very upset and trembles in his heart

ní pú sà guò jiāng zì shēn nán bǎo泥菩萨过江—自身难保mud Bodhisattva crossing the river - someone unable even to protect or fend for himself

yī ge bā zhǎng pāi bù xiǎng gū zhǎng nán míng一个巴掌拍不响—孤掌难鸣one palm cannot clap - it's hard to do with little power

fēi jī shàng shài yī fu gāo gāo guà qǐ飞机上晒衣服—高高挂起dry clothes on the plane - hang high

dāo zi zuǐ dòu fu xīn zuǐ yìng xīn ruǎn刀子嘴，豆腐心—嘴硬心软knife mouth, tofu heart - sharp words but soft hearts

kǒng fū zǐ bān jiā jìng shì shū孔夫子搬家—净是书Confucius moved houses

wài sheng dǎ dēng long zhào jiù外甥打灯笼—照旧"nephew playing lanterns - same as before

bí zi lǐ chā dà cōng zhuāng xiàng鼻子里插大葱—装相put green onions in your nose - put on an act and do a grand and 象 have the same pronunciation)

bì zhe yǎn jing jìn xué táng bù rèn shū闭着眼睛进学堂—不认输enter school with eyes closed - not admitting your failure after a setback in something or work

lǎo mǔ jī bào kōng wō bù jiǎn dān老母鸡抱空窝—不简单the old hen holding an empty nest - it's not an easy task

yàn guò liú shēng雁过留声wild geese leave their voices

Common idioms and proverbs L1

Here are all the common idioms and proverbs for students at level 1.

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