Common idioms and proverbs L2
Here are all the common idioms and proverbs for students at level 2.
mǎi dú huán zhū买椟还珠make the wrong choice
qī fēng kǔ yǔ凄风苦雨wailing wind and weeping rain; wretched circumstances
guā gǔ liáo dú刮骨疗毒be braced for the pain
kè zhōu qiú jiàn刻舟求剑make a notch on the side of a moving boat to indicate where one's sword has dropped―take measures without regard to changes in circumstances
lì tòu zhǐ bèi力透纸背vigorous; penetrating
yè gōng hào lóng叶公好龙profess to like or support something that one is averse to in practice
yè luò guī gēn叶落归根falling leaves settle on the roots
zuò guān chéng bài坐观成败look on coldly
yà miáo zhù zhǎng揠苗助长do harm to a thing by being overenthusiastic
rì yuè rú suō日月如梭Time flies.
bēi gōng shé yǐng杯弓蛇影suffer from imaginary fears
zhì fēng mù yǔ栉风沐雨be combed by the wind and washed by the rain
gēn shēn yè mào根深叶茂thick with leaves and deep-rooted
mèng bǐ shēng huā梦笔生花begin to show one's literary brilliance
jiǎo tù sān kū狡兔三窟cover all eventualities
shēng huā miào bǐ生花妙笔a brilliant pen
bái yún cāng gǒu白云苍狗unexpected change of worldly affairs
qiū háo wú fàn秋毫无犯be extremely disciplined
bǐ xià shēng huā笔下生花same as 笔底生花
lǎo mǎ shí tú老马识途an old horse knows the way
jiàn fēng shì yǔ见风是雨take wind as the indication of rain
wén jī qǐ wǔ闻鸡起舞rise at cockcrow and practise one's swordsmanship
miàn rú tǔ sè面如土色look pale
yè jīng yú qín业精于勤Mastery of work comes from diligence.
wǔ zhōu sì hǎi五洲四海all over the world
kuā fù zhú rì夸父逐日be ignorant of one's strength
xué ér bù yàn学而不厌have an insatiable desire to learn
cāng cuì yù dī苍翠欲滴verdant
luò yīng bīn fēn落英缤纷Fallen flowers are numerousually
yǐ qū qiú shēn以屈求伸recoil in order to extend
pēn bó yù chū喷薄欲出on the verge of bursting out
hào móu shàn duàn好谋善断sagacious and resolute
zhì zài qiān lǐ志在千里One aims for the far-off future.
dǒu jiǔ bǎi piān斗酒百篇great capacity for drinking and poetry
qì yàn xiāo zhāng气焰嚣张swollen with arrogance
yù yǔ qióng lóu玉宇琼楼the palace in the moon
hào yuè dāng kōng皓月当空The bright moon hung high in the sky.
cǎo cháng yīng fēi草长莺飞The grasses are tall and the nightingales are in the air.
zhèng rén mǎi lǚ郑人买履the man who rather trusted his measurements than placing any confidence in his own feet when buying shoes
yú guàn ér rù鱼贯而入enter in single file
cái sī mǐn jié才思敏捷be of keen/sharp intellect
yǔ yì fēng mǎn羽翼丰满become full mature
yǒu zhì jìng chéng有志竟成Where there is a will there is a way.
jiāo kǒu chēng zàn交口称赞unanimously praise
rén wú wán rén人无完人no one is perfect
xī yáng xī xià夕阳西下sun setting in the west
bēn liú bù xī奔流不息flow ceaselessly
xué hǎi wú yá学海无涯learning is an endless process
jì rán wú shēng寂然无声solitary and noiseless
céng luán dié cuì层峦叠翠range upon range of verdant hills
bō guāng lín lín波光粼粼clear sparkling ripples
lián mián qǐ fú连绵起伏continuous
yù bàng xiāng zhēng鹬蚌相争when a snipe and a clam are locked in fight, it is the fisherman who will reap the benefit
róng mǎ yī shēng戎马一生serve in the army for one's whole life
bā zì hái méi yī piē八字还没一撇there is not even the first stroke of the character eight; things have not even begun to take shape
jīng miào jué lún精妙绝伦fabulous
zuò jiào zi坐轿子sit in a sedan chair
dà xiǎn shén wēi大显神威fully display one's great power
jīng tāo pāi àn惊涛拍岸mighty waves beating the shore
yī gè hé shang yī běn jīng一个和尚一本经every monk has his own scripture
yī huí shēng liǎng huí shú一回生，两回熟be strange at first time but familiar atthe second
diū le xī guā jiǎn zhī ma丢了西瓜拣芝麻throw a watermelon yetpick up sesames
rén shì tiě fàn shì gāng人是铁，饭是钢what iron to steel is what rice to man
rén bǐ rén qì sǐ rén人比人，气死人if one compares his fate with others', he may feel disappointed andjealous
shí gè shǒu zhǐ tou hái bù yī bān qí ne十个手指头还不一般齐呢nobody has ten fingers of the same length
hǎo xīn dàng chéng lǘ gān fèi好心当成驴肝肺a good heart is treated as a donkey's liver and lung; someone's kindness is regarded as the cheapest and most useless thing by others
hǎo māo bù jiào hǎo gǒu bù tiào好猫不叫，好狗不跳a good cat never meows, a good dog never jumps; a man of great ability does not show off
bǎ chī nǎi lì qi dōu shǐ chū lái把吃奶力气都使出来work hard like a baby sucking breast milk; try one's best
hóng huā hái dé lǜ yè fú红花还得绿叶扶no matter how beautiful the red flowers are, they have to be put in a background of green leaves; nobody can make achievements without help
lǎo shǔ jiàn le māo老鼠见了猫a mouse meets a cat
ěr tīng wéi xū yǎn jiàn wéi shí耳听为虚，眼见为实what you hear is often unreliable, and what you see is real; things seen are mightier than things heard
lín jū hǎo wú jià bǎo邻居好，无价宝good neighbors are above price; neighbors who can take care of each other are like priceless treasures
fàn yào yī kǒu yī kǒu chī lù děi yī bù yī bù zǒu饭要一口一口吃，路得一步一步走have a meal mouth by mouth and walk step by step; don't act hastily
bǎi chǐ gān tóu gèng jìn yī bù百尺竿头，更进一步continue to improve after attaining high levels of learning or success
táng láng bǔ chán huáng què zài hòu螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后the mantis stalks the cicada, not knowing that the oriole is lurking behind
rén yǒu liǎn shù yǒu pí人有脸，树有皮the face is as important to a man as the bark is to a tree
bā xiān guò hǎi gè xiǎn shén tōng八仙过海，各显神通like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each one showing his or her special prowess; try to outshine each other
qiān lǐ zhī xíng shǐ yú zú xià千里之行，始于足下a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; he who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom
chī bù liǎo dōu zhe zǒu吃不了兜着走get more than one bargained for; find oneself in serious trouble
lǎo wáng mài guā zì mài zì kuā老王卖瓜，自卖自夸a melon pedler always says his melons are sweet
jī dàn pèng shí tou鸡蛋碰石头throw an egg at a rock; attack somebody far stronger than oneself
yǒu qí fù bì yǒu qí zǐ有其父必有其子like father like son
yǒu fú tóng xiǎng yǒu nàn tóng dāng有福同享，有难同当share joys and sorrows
hǎo jiè hǎo huán zài jiè bù nán好借好还，再借不难timely return makes borrowing easier
chén mò bù yǔ沉默不语be reticent
wén sī rú quán文思如泉be brimming with ideas
qiáng dào zhuā xiǎo tōu zéi hǎn zhuō zéi强盗抓小偷—贼喊捉贼robbers catch thieves - bad people deliberately create chaos, divert targets and describe others as bad people in order to escape
shuǐ niú shēn shang de háo máo shǔ bù shèng shǔ水牛身上的毫毛—数不胜数buffalo hair - countless numbers
háng kōng gōng sī kāi yè yǒu jī kě chéng航空公司开业—有机可乘airline opening - opportunities available
yī rén zuò bù liǎo bǎi rén fàn zhòng kǒu nán tiáo一人做不了百人饭—众口难调one person can't cook a hundred meals - everyone has different tastes and it's hard to satisfy everyone
bān mǎ de nǎo dai tóu tóu shì dào斑马的脑袋—头头是道zebra's head, indicating the way in how to speak and do things very orderly
yī ge xī guā qiē jiǔ bàn sì fēn wǔ liè一个西瓜切九半—四分五裂cut a watermelon in half - lack of unity
xiǎo chóng tūn dà xiàng chī xīn wàng xiǎng小虫吞大象—痴心妄想a worm swallows an elephant - delusion or foolish and absurd ideas
tài yáng dǐ xià shù zhú zi lì gān jiàn yǐng太阳底下竖竹子—立竿见影bamboo in the sun - get instant results
wàng yuǎn jìng zhào huā yuán měi bù shèng shōu望远镜照花园—美不胜收the telescope shining on the garden - there are many beautiful things that can't be seen for a moment
dǎ yú de wǎng bǎi kǒng qiān chuāng打鱼的网—百孔千疮fishing net - there are many serious problems which are difficult to clean up
wǔ gè zhǐ tou liǎng biān ǎi sān cháng liǎng duǎn五个指头两边矮—三长两短five fingers are short on both sides - an unexpected disaster or accident
yī dù zi jiā jiǎn chéng chú xīn zhōng yǒu shù一肚子加减乘除—心中有数a belly of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division - have a clear idea about something
bàn zhū chī lǎo hǔ dà zhì ruò yú扮猪吃老虎—大智若愚the ringer - people with outstanding intelligence seem stupid and don't show their edge
yī gè bí zi yǎn r chū qì一个鼻子眼儿出气breathe with the same nostril
