Common idioms and proverbs L5

Here are all the common idioms and proverbs for students at level 5.

yī láo yǒng yì一劳永逸get something done once and for all

yī chóu mò zhǎn一筹莫展be at one's wits' end

yī bài tú dì一败涂地suffer a crushing defeat

yī jué bù zhèn一蹶不振collapse after one setback

yī gǔ zuò qì一鼓作气get something done with one big effort

bù lún bù lèi不伦不类neither fish nor fowl

bù bēi bù kàng不卑不亢neither haughty nor humble

bù kě jiù yào不可救药hopeless

bù kān huí shǒu不堪回首find it unbearable to recall

bù yì ér fēi不翼而飞"fly without wings"; spread like wildfire/on the wings of the wind

bù shèng méi jǔ不胜枚举too many to recount

fēng gōng wěi jì丰功伟绩tremendous achievements

wáng yáng bǔ láo亡羊补牢mend the fold after the sheep is lost

rén shēng dǐng fèi人声鼎沸a hubbub/babel of voices

zhòng mù kuí kuí众目睽睽under the watchful eyes of people

yōu róu guǎ duàn优柔寡断irresolute and hesitant

chōng ěr bù wén充耳不闻turn a deaf ear to

xiān rù wéi zhǔ先入为主have a preconception

chū shēng rù sǐ出生入死brave the risk of one's life

chū shén rù huà出神入化reach the acme

qián chē zhī jiàn前车之鉴warning taken from the overturned cart ahead

lì jīng tú zhì励精图治exert oneself to make the country prosperous

wēi yán sǒng tīng危言耸听exaggerate just to scare people

zhōu ér fù shǐ周而复始go round and round

hū zhī yù chū呼之欲出seem ready to come out at one's call

xǐ xīn yàn jiù喜新厌旧be fond of the new and tired of the old

xū hán wèn nuǎn嘘寒问暖inquire after somebody's well-being

dà yán bù cán大言不惭brag unblushingly

tiān rǎng zhī bié天壤之别as far apart as heaven and earth

shǐ zuò yǒng zhě始作俑者creator of a bad precedent

gū zhù yī zhì孤注一掷put all one's eggs in one basket

jū ān sī wēi居安思危be vigilant in times of peace

yì qǔ tóng gōng异曲同工sing different songs with equal skill-different in approach but equally satisfactory in result

xún guī dǎo jǔ循规蹈矩stick to the rules

xīn yuè chéng fú心悦诚服feel a heartfelt admiration

xīn zhào bù xuān心照不宣both understand from their hearts what the matter is but don’t choose to say so in public

rěn jùn bù jīn忍俊不禁cannot help laughing

xiǎng rù fēi fēi想入非非allow one's fancy to run wild

zhí mí bù wù执迷不悟obstinately stick to a wrong course

zhuō jīn jiàn zhǒu捉襟见肘be in strained circumstances

wú dú yǒu ǒu无独有偶it isn’t unique, but has its counterpart

tán huā yī xiàn昙花一现be a flash in the pan

wàng chén mò jí望尘莫及be left in someone's tracks

zhāo sī mù xiǎng朝思暮想yearn for something day and night

qì shì xiōng xiōng气势汹汹fierce

yǒng chuí bù xiǔ永垂不朽be immortal

hàn liú jiā bèi汗流浃背be soaked with sweat

hǎi shì shèn lóu海市蜃楼mirage; illusions or hopes that cannot be realized

yóu rèn yǒu yú游刃有余plenty of room to move one's blade; be highly skilled

zhì shǒu kě rè炙手可热haughty arrogance of somebody with great power

jiāo tóu làn é焦头烂额in a terrible fix

shú shì wú dǔ熟视无睹pay no attention to a familiar sight

tè lì dú xíng特立独行independent in mind and action

láng tūn hǔ yàn狼吞虎咽gobble up

cù bù jí fáng猝不及防be taken by surprise

tòng xīn jí shǒu痛心疾首deplore greatly

mù bù xiá jiē目不暇接cannot take it all in

yí fēng yì sú移风易俗transform social traditions

shāo zòng jí shì稍纵即逝fleeting

cū zhì làn zào粗制滥造crudely made

zhì ruò wǎng wén置若罔闻turn a deaf ear to

qún cè qún lì群策群力pull together

kuài zhì rén kǒu脍炙人口please all tastes

liáng yǒu bù qí良莠不齐The crop and the weed grow together.

jiān kǔ zhuó jué艰苦卓绝extremely hard and bitter

hǔ shì dān dān虎视眈眈glare like a tiger eyeing its prey

yán jiǎn yì gāi言简意赅concise and comprehensive

chéng huáng chéng kǒng诚惶诚恐in veneration and trepidation

tán xiào fēng shēng谈笑风生talk and laugh merrily

tān zāng wǎng fǎ贪赃枉法take bribes and bend the law

zhǐ gāo qì yáng趾高气扬strut about and give oneself airs

chóu chú mǎn zhì踌躇满志enormously proud of one's success

xuān rán dà bō轩然大波great disturbance

dào mào àn rán道貌岸然be sanctimonious

zhèng zhòng qí shì郑重其事seriously

chóng dǎo fù zhé重蹈覆辙follow the same old road to ruin

tǐng ér zǒu xiǎn铤而走险take a risk in desperation

gù cǐ shī bǐ顾此失彼attend to one thing and lose sight of another

shǒu qū yī zhǐ首屈一指come first on the list

gāo wū jiàn líng高屋建瓴pour water off a steep roof—operate from a strategically advantageous position

hún fēi pò sàn魂飞魄散be frightened/scared out of one's wits/senses

lín cì zhì bǐ鳞次栉比closely together

lóng téng hǔ yuè龙腾虎跃scene of hustling and bustling activity

kǎn kǎn ér tán侃侃而谈pour out words

huà wéi wū yǒu化为乌有come to naught

qiān tóu wàn xù千头万绪a multitude of things

bēn zǒu xiāng gào奔走相告rush around telling everyone

jiù dì qǔ cái就地取材obtain raw material locally

xīn lì jiāo cuì心力交瘁be mentally and physically exhausted

hún rán yī tǐ浑然一体integrated mass

shén cǎi yì yì神采奕奕brim with energy and vitality

cuò luò yǒu zhì错落有致be in picturesque/attractive disorder

àn rán shī sè黯然失色pale into insignificance

xùn sī wǔ bì徇私舞弊practise favouritism and engage in malpractices

chéng qún jié duì成群结队gather in groups

cái huá héng yì才华横溢be full of wit

wú jī zhī tán无稽之谈unfounded statement/rumour

tōng xiāo dá dàn通宵达旦whole night

hēi bái fēn míng黑白分明a clear distinction between black and white

yǒu qíng rén zhōng chéng juàn shǔ有情人终成眷属Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well