Common idioms and proverbs L5

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

yī yán jiǔ dǐng一言九鼎one word is more prized than nine tripods

bù gōng zì pò不攻自破collapse of itself

bù máo zhī dì不毛之地barren land

shì tài yán liáng世态炎凉fickle or snobbish ways of the world

lè bù sī shǔ乐不思蜀indulge in pleasure and forget home and duty

shì bì gōng qīn事必躬亲take care of every single thing personally

xiū qī xiāng guān休戚相关share joys and sorrows

zhòng pàn qīn lí众叛亲离be utterly isolated

zuò jiǎn zì fù作茧自缚get enmeshed in a web of one's own spinning

yī shān bàng shuǐ依山傍水be near the mountains and rivers

yǎn qí xī gǔ偃旗息鼓cover up a secret military operation and avoid exposure to the enemy, or to stop fighting; cease hostility, criticism, or attack

bīng qīng yù jié冰清玉洁as clear as ice and as pure as jade

chū luàn zi出乱子get into trouble

qiè fū zhī tòng切肤之痛a deep sorrow

gāng bì zì yòng刚愎自用headstrong

bēi gōng qū xī卑躬屈膝bow and scrape

kǒu ruò xuán hé口若悬河speak volubly

pǐ jí tài lái否极泰来extreme adversity marks the beginning of fortune

xuān bīn duó zhǔ喧宾夺主the secondary supersedes the primary

áo áo dài bǔ嗷嗷待哺cry piteously for food

jìn ruò hán chán噤若寒蝉as silent as a cicada in cold weather

yīn yē fèi shí因噎废食give up eating for fear of choking

gù ruò jīn tāng固若金汤strongly fortified

chuí xián yù dī垂涎欲滴drool over; hanker after/for something

dà dòng gān gē大动干戈go to war; do something in a big way

dà bù liú xīng大步流星walk with big strides

tiān bēng dì liè天崩地裂heaven falling and earth rending

hào gāo wù yuǎn好高骛远aim too high

wàng zì zūn dà妄自尊大have too high an opinion of oneself

jū xīn pǒ cè居心叵测have ulterior motives

yǐn jīng jù diǎn引经据典quote the classics

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

xíng dān yǐng zhī形单影只be extremely lonely

xīn yuán yì mǎ心猿意马perturbed

nù fà chōng guān怒发冲冠bristle with anger

xī shì níng rén息事宁人patch up a quarrel and reconcile the parties concerned; be willing to be reconciled

bào tóu shǔ cuàn抱头鼠窜flee ignominiously

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

zhèn lóng fā kuì振聋发聩open the ears of the deaf and the eyes of the blind

mó jiān jiē zhǒng摩肩接踵jostle each other in a crowd

fàng làng xíng hái放浪形骸be defiant of convention

zhāo rán ruò jiē昭然若揭abundantly clear

yù qín gù zòng欲擒故纵leave somebody at large in order to apprehend him afterwards

yù gài mí zhāng欲盖弥彰The harder one tries to cover up/conceal a wrongdoing, the more conspicuous it becomes.

sǐ yǒu yú gū死有余辜Even death would not expiate somebody's crimes.

hàng xiè yī qì沆瀣一气act in collusion with

xǐ xīn gé miàn洗心革面turn over a new leaf

qiǎn cháng zhé zhǐ浅尝辄止stop after gaining a little knowledge

fú guāng lüè yǐng浮光掠影cursory

shēn jū jiǎn chū深居简出live in the seclusion of one's own home

mǎn mù chuāng yí满目疮痍sores covering one's eyes

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

qiān qiǎng fù huì牵强附会make a far-fetched comparison

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

shēng sǐ yōu guān生死攸关of vital importance

bǎi fèi dài xīng百废待兴many devastated businesses are waiting to be started

xiāng xíng jiàn chù相形见绌be outshone

xiù sè kě cān秀色可餐be a feast to the eye

qióng tú mò lù穷途末路be in an impasse

cū chá dàn fàn粗茶淡饭plain tea and simple food

chán mián fěi cè缠绵悱恻exceedingly sentimental

lǎo tài lóng zhōng老态龙钟weighed down with age

zì chuī zì léi自吹自擂blow one's own trumpet

jié yī suō shí节衣缩食economize/scrimp on food and clothing

cǎo jiān rén mìng草菅人命show utter contempt for human life

cáng wū nà gòu藏污纳垢store dirt and accept filth—shelter evil people and countenance evil practices

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

xū huái ruò gǔ虚怀若谷have a mind as open as a valley—be extremely modest

xuè yǔ xīng fēng血雨腥风a foul wind and a rain of blood

jiàn yì sī qiān见异思迁be inconstant

gōng chóu jiāo cuò觥筹交错the scene of a raucous party

yuè zǔ dài páo越俎代庖take somebody else's job into one's own hands

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

lián piān lěi dú连篇累牍lengthy and tedious

yáng fèng yīn wéi阳奉阴违comply in appearance but oppose in heart

fù yōng fēng yǎ附庸风雅mingle with men of letters and pose as a lover of culture

suí shēng fù hè随声附和agree to what somebody says

bǎo jīng fēng shuāng饱经风霜be weather-beaten

lù sǐ shéi shǒu鹿死谁手chasing a deer to see who's the winner

yán chéng bù dài严惩不贷punish with severity

qián hū hòu yōng前呼后拥be escorted imposingly

shēng míng láng jí声名狼藉be infamous

shēng sè jù lì声色俱厉stern of voice and expression

pāi àn ér qǐ拍案而起pound the table and stand up in anger

fū yǎn sè zé敷衍塞责do things as a mere discharge of one's duties

qì yǔ xuān áng气宇轩昂have a dignified appearance

lù lù wú wéi碌碌无为leading a vain and humdrum life

kǔ dà chóu shēn苦大仇深have suffered bitterly and nurse deep hatred

ē yú fèng chéng阿谀奉承curry favour with

jié rán yī shēn孑然一身be on one's own

chàng rán ruò shī怅然若失be in a despondent mood

bào chóu xuě hèn报仇雪恨take revenge

fàng dàng bù jī放荡不羁unconventional and unrestrained

zì jué fén mù自掘坟墓dig one's own grave

gǔ huò rén xīn蛊惑人心rabble-rouse

zhuī gēn sù yuán追根溯源get to the bottom/root of something

chī ruǎn bù chī yìng吃软不吃硬can be begged off but refuse to give way when you try to argue and protect your rights; be amenable to friendly persuation but not to compulsion

nǐng chéng yī gǔ shéng拧成一股绳banded together like strands of a rope; make joint efforts

bào xǐ bù bào yōu报喜不报忧report the good news but not the bad

shēn zài fú zhōng bù zhī fú身在福中不知福not appreciate the happy life one enjoys