Common idioms and proverbs L5

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

wàn rén kōng xiàng万人空巷the whole town turns out

bù kě míng zhuàng不可名状be indescribable

bù chǐ xià wèn不耻下问be modest enough to learn from those in a lower position

dōng shī xiào pín东施效颦ugly woman trying to imitate a famous beauty knitting her brows

wéi fù bù rén为富不仁be rich and cruel

wèi hǔ zuò chāng为虎作伥play the jackal to the tiger

yǐ luǎn jī shí以卵击石throw an egg against a rock-court defeat by fighting against overwhelming odds

xìn kǒu cí huáng信口雌黄make flippant comments

jiān róng bìng bāo兼容并包all-embracing

lì lìng zhì hūn利令智昏be blinded by material gains

bié jù jiàng xīn别具匠心be gilded with ingenuity

zhuó ěr bù qún卓尔不群be preeminent

tǔ gù nà xīn吐故纳新exhale the old and inhale the new

zhǐ chǐ tiān yá咫尺天涯so near and yet so far

chún hóng chǐ bái唇红齿白red lips and white teeth

huí cháng dàng qì回肠荡气soul-stirring

wài qiáng zhōng gān外强中干strong in appearance but weak in reality

hào yì wù láo好逸恶劳love leisure and hate labour

rú sàng kǎo bǐ如丧考妣as if one had lost one's parents

zì zhēn jù zhuó字斟句酌weigh every word

guǎ lián xiǎn chǐ寡廉鲜耻brazen-faced

qiǎo yán lìng sè巧言令色have a clever talk, a glib tongue and an ingratiating manner

bìng xíng bù bèi并行不悖run parallel

mí tiān dà huǎng弥天大谎monstrous lie

xīn fù zhī huàn心腹之患trouble coming from the inner circle

è guàn mǎn yíng恶贯满盈be guilty of too many crimes and deserve judgement

chéng qián bì hòu惩前毖后learn a lesson from the past and keep an eye on the future

gǎn ēn dài dé感恩戴德be overwhelmed with gratitude

cái shū xué qiǎn才疏学浅be crude and unlearned

bào cán shǒu quē抱残守缺cling to the past

zhǐ lù wéi mǎ指鹿为马call a stag a horse

zhèn zhèn yǒu cí振振有辞now written as 振振有词

tí gāng qiè lǐng提纲挈领bring out the essential points

gǎi xián yì zhé改弦易辙change one's course

duàn bì cán yuán断壁残垣ruins

páng zhēng bó yǐn旁征博引quote copiously from a wide range of sources

jì wǎng bù jiù既往不咎forgive somebody's past misdeeds

míng móu hào chǐ明眸皓齿have clear bright eyes and gleaming white teeth

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

bào tiǎn tiān wù暴殄天物recklessly waste the products of nature

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

zhāo bù bǎo xī朝不保夕not know at dawn what may happen by dusk

shā yī jǐng bǎi杀一儆百execute one as a warning to a hundred

shù shǒu dài bì束手待毙resign oneself to extinction

wǎng fèi xīn jī枉费心机hatch plots in vain

mín zhī mín gāo民脂民膏flesh and blood of the people

hàn niú chōng dòng汗牛充栋enough books to make the ox carrying them sweat or to fill a house to the rafters -- an immense number of books

chén yú luò yàn沉鱼落雁be striking enough to make fish sink and birds alight—be extremely beautiful

cāng hǎi yī sù沧海一粟drop in the ocean

hún shuǐ mō yú浑水摸鱼fish in troubled waters

mǎn fù jīng lún满腹经纶be profoundly learned and talented

zhū lián bì hé珠联璧合an excellent combination

bān mén nòng fǔ班门弄斧show off one's skill before an expert

gān zhī rú yí甘之如饴enjoy as if it were malt sugar

shēng líng tú tàn生灵涂炭destroy people's lives and property wantonly

lüè shèng yī chóu略胜一筹be a notch

yǎn gāo shǒu dī眼高手低be fastidious but incompetent

fán wén rù jié繁文缛节red tape

kǔ xīn gū yì苦心孤诣make extraordinarily painstaking efforts

wèi wéi dà guān蔚为大观present a splendid sight

yī guān qín shòu衣冠禽兽beast in human attire/clothing

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

huì jí jì yī讳疾忌医avoid seeking medical advice though obviously sick, for fear of facing the unpleasant reality

tán hǔ sè biàn谈虎色变get anxious at the mention of something terrifying

mào hé shén lí貌合神离appear to be in agreement but actually be at odds in spirit

fù jīng qǐng zuì负荆请罪the deepest possible apology one can make to another

fù yú wán kàng负隅顽抗fight stubbonly with one's back to the wall

chāo rán wù wài超然物外hold oneself aloof from the world; stay away from the scene of contention

qū yán fù shì趋炎附势curry favor with the influential

jīn gē tiě mǎ金戈铁马shining spears and armoured horses; heroic soldiers

ruì bù kě dāng锐不可当be irresistible

jǐn náng miào jì锦囊妙计wise counsel

chén cí làn diào陈词滥调hackneyed and stereotyped expressions

gé xuē sāo yǎng隔靴搔痒scratch an itch from outside one's boot

mǐ mǐ zhī yīn靡靡之音decadent music

miàn huáng jī shòu面黄肌瘦sallow and emaciated

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

yǐn zhèn zhǐ kě饮鸩止渴drink poison to quench thirst

mǎ shǒu shì zhān马首是瞻follow somebody's lead

jiāo shē yín yì骄奢淫逸lordly, luxury-loving, loose-living and idle

jī dàn li tiāo gǔ tou鸡蛋里挑骨头look for a bone in an egg

lóng zhēng hǔ dòu龙争虎斗fierce battle between two mighty opponents

zhēng shàng yóu争上游run high

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

jiān rú pán shí坚如磐石as firm as a rock

dà shā fēng jǐng大煞风景dampen the spirit

zhōng zhēn bù yú忠贞不渝true to the core

rě shì shēng fēi惹事生非now written as 惹是生非

wán kù zǐ dì纨绔子弟dandy

mò nì zhī jiāo莫逆之交become the firmest of friends

bù kě qǐ jí不可企及matchless

liú fāng bǎi shì流芳百世leave a good name for a hundred generations

míng jīn shōu bīng鸣金收兵retreat from battle; come to a close

yī dài bù rú yī dài一代不如一代get worse and worse

luàn le tào乱了套be in amuddle

shā rén bù jiàn xuè杀人不见血kill without spilling blood; kill by subtle means

duō yī shì bù rú shǎo yī shì多一事不如少一事avoid trouble whenever possible

duō xíng bù yì bì zì bì多行不义必自毙an evil-doer is his own grave-digger

fù guì bù néng yín富贵不能淫be impervious to the temptation of wealth and high position

yīng xióng suǒ jiàn lüè tóng英雄所见略同all heroes think alike