Common idioms and proverbs L4

Here are all the common idioms and proverbs for students at level 4.

wàn gǔ cháng qīng万古长青eternal

bù qiú shèn jiě不求甚解not seek deep understanding

fù zhī dōng liú付之东流thrown into the eastward flowing stream-all one's efforts wasted

pī tóu gài liǎn劈头盖脸right in the face

dòng rén xīn xián动人心弦be deeply moving

hú lún tūn zǎo囫囵吞枣read without understanding something

chǔ zhī tài rán处之泰然remain unruffled

tiān zào dì shè天造地设be created by nature

tiān cháng rì jiǔ天长日久after a considerable period of time

kuā kuā qí tán夸夸其谈exaggerate in writing and speech

zì zhèng qiāng yuán字正腔圆pronounce every word correctly and in a sweet, mellow voice

shǒu wàng xiāng zhù守望相助keep watch for and help defend each other

hán dōng là yuè寒冬腊月dead of winter

zhāng guān lǐ dài张冠李戴put Zhang's hat on Li's head-attribute something to the wrong person

zhōng yán nì ěr忠言逆耳earnest words offend the ear

huǎng rú gé shì恍如隔世feel like an age has passed

jīng gōng zhī niǎo惊弓之鸟badly frightened person

dǎ tóu zhèn打头阵fight in the van

dǎ yù fáng zhēn打预防针have a preventive injection

zhuā ěr náo sāi抓耳挠腮scratch one's ears and cheeks in embarrassment; be beside oneself with joy

àn tú suǒ jì按图索骥locate sth. by a plan or chart; follow up a lead to solve a problem

míng chá qiū háo明察秋毫be perceptive of the minutest detail

àn wú tiān rì暗无天日complete darkness

qǔ gāo hè guǎ曲高和寡highbrow songs find few singers

yǒu bǎn yǒu yǎn有板有眼orderly

qì zhuàng shān hé气壮山河full of power and grandeur

qì xiàng wàn qiān气象万千majestic and grand

jǐ jǐ yī táng济济一堂a gathering of many people

gǔn guā làn shú滚瓜烂熟read or recite fluently from memory

mǎn miàn hóng guāng满面红光be glowing with health

làn yú chōng shù滥竽充数pass oneself off as one of the players in an ensemble

diǎn tóu hā yāo点头哈腰bow unctuously

líng lóng tī tòu玲珑剔透be ingeniously and exquisitely wrought/carved; be bright/clever/quick-witted/intelligent

lüè shèng yī chóu略胜一筹be a notch

bái jū guò xì白驹过隙a glimpse of a white colt flashing past a chink in a wall

shén jī miào suàn神机妙算ability to divine the unknown

jié zé ér yú竭泽而渔drain the pond to get/catch all the fish

fěn mò dēng chǎng粉墨登场put on makeup and go on stage; enter the political arena

fán huā sì jǐn繁花似锦carpet of flowers

liáo yǐ zì wèi聊以自慰just to console oneself

néng yán shàn biàn能言善辩be skilled in debate

téng yún jià wù腾云驾雾mount the clouds and ride the mist by means of magic power; feel giddy

chòu wèi xiāng tóu臭味相投be tarred with the same brush

shě jǐ wèi rén舍己为人altruism

kǔ xīn gū yì苦心孤诣make extraordinarily painstaking efforts

huāng wú rén yān荒无人烟desolate and uninhabited

ǒu duàn sī lián藕断丝连lotus root snaps but its fibres stay joined— apparently separated but actually not

hǔ bèi xióng yāo虎背熊腰of powerful build

jiàn wēi zhī zhù见微知著see what is coming from one small clue

huì rén bù juàn诲人不倦be tireless in teaching

yuè rán zhǐ shàng跃然纸上show forth in one's writing

fǎn pú guī zhēn返璞归真one’s original simplicity

yáng chūn bái xuě阳春白雪"The Spring Snow"-a highbrow song; highbrow art and literature

chú è wù jìn除恶务尽Evils must be completely eradicated.

diāo liáng huà dòng雕梁画栋richly ornamented

shùn téng mō guā顺藤摸瓜track down somebody or something by following clues

fēng juǎn cán yún风卷残云like the wind sweeping the last clouds away

fēng zhú cán nián风烛残年twilight of one's life

bǎo jīng fēng shuāng饱经风霜be weather-beaten

gāo shān liú shuǐ高山流水high mountains and flowing waters; understanding friends

hún qiān mèng yíng魂牵梦萦miss night and day

hè lì jī qún鹤立鸡群like a crane standing among chickens -- stand head and shoulders above others

dōng bēn xī zǒu东奔西走run about busily

yí biǎo táng táng仪表堂堂be dignified in appearance

jié fù jì pín劫富济贫rob the rich to give to the poor

míng zào yī shí名噪一时be all the vogue

xǐ bù zì shèng喜不自胜be delighted beyond measure

dà bǎo yǎn fú大饱眼福feast one's eyes

qí zhēn yì bǎo奇珍异宝priceless/rare treasures

gù jì chóng yǎn故伎重演repeat the stock tricks

wú suǒ bù zhī无所不知omniscient

rì luò xī shān日落西山The sun is setting in the west.; close to death

jī láo chéng jí积劳成疾break down from constant overwork

hú biān luàn zào胡编乱造concoct

mí tú zhī fǎn迷途知返realize one's errors and mend one's ways

lǘ dǎ gǔn驴打滚snowballing usury; steamed glutinous millet flour coated with soybean powder

wàn xiàng gēng xīn万象更新All things take on a new look.

wàn lǐ wú yún万里无云cloudless sky

bù xī dài jià不惜代价at any cost

yǎng miàn cháo tiān仰面朝天lie on one's back

yōu zāi yóu zāi优哉游哉leisurely and unhurried

jiàn bù rú fēi健步如飞walk as if on wings

xìng wèi àng rán兴味盎然with genuine interest

míng mén wàng zú名门望族distinguished ancestry

hán qì xí rén寒气袭人The chill entered into the very flesh of the men.

sī cháo qǐ fú思潮起伏disquieting thoughts surging in one's mind

wú suǒ bù tán无所不谈hold forth on various subjects

shí guāng rěn rǎn时光荏苒The time zips by.

tì tiān xíng dào替天行道act for Heaven to perform righteous acts

mǎn qiāng nù huǒ满腔怒火be filled with boiling anger

xiàng mào táng táng相貌堂堂a commanding appearance

yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ窈窕淑女a gentle and graceful young woman

móu cái hài mìng谋财害命commit robbery and murder

zǒu huí tóu lù走回头路slip back

shì zhě rú sī逝者如斯igh what has passed and warn against the repetition

bào dà tuǐ抱大腿same as 抱粗腿

qí tiān dà shèng齐天大圣Great Sage Equal to Heaven self-granted title of the protagonist Monkey King in Pilgrimage to the West

yōu zāi yóu zāi悠哉游哉free from restraint

màn tiān fēi wǔ漫天飞舞dance in the air

xī tiān qǔ jīng西天取经journey westwards to India for Buddhist's scriptures