Common idioms and proverbs L5

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

yī yè zhī qiū一叶知秋a small sign can indicate a great trend

yī shēn shì dǎn一身是胆be absolutely fearless

wàn mǎ qí yīn万马齐喑ten thousand horses standing mute

bù jué rú lǚ不绝如缕hanging by a thread; lingering on faintly

lín yuān xiàn yú临渊羡鱼stand by a pond longing for fish

mǎi dú huán zhū买椟还珠make the wrong choice

yún zhēng xiá wèi云蒸霞蔚glorious

jué yī cí xióng决一雌雄fight it out

záo bì tōu guāng凿壁偷光bore a hole on the wall in order to get some light from the neighbour's house

wěn jǐng zhī jiāo刎颈之交friends sworn to death

shān fán jiù jiǎn删繁就简simplify something by cutting out the superfluous

chī xiàn chéng fàn吃现成饭live off the back of others

āi hóng biàn yě哀鸿遍野disaster victims moaning everywhere

xiǎng è xíng yún响遏行云being so sonorous as to stop the passing clouds

jiē lái zhī shí嗟来之食food handed out in contempt

sù xīng yè mèi夙兴夜寐rise early and retire late

nú yán mèi gǔ奴颜媚骨obsequious

ān pín lè dào安贫乐道be content with poverty, caring only for one's principles

shāo ān wú zào稍安毋躁don't be impatient, wait a while

xīn kuān tǐ pàng心宽体胖light of heart and stout of body

zhì dà cái shū志大才疏have ambitions above one's ability

shì cái ào wù恃才傲物be inordinately proud of one's ability

shǒu bù shì juàn手不释卷be very studious

dǎ guān qiāng打官腔talk like a bureaucrat; #$

yáng tāng zhǐ fèi扬汤止沸try to stop water from boiling by scooping it up and pouring it back

zhuā biàn zi抓辫子seize on someone’s mistake or shortcoming

pī shā jiǎn jīn披沙拣金select the essence from a mass of dross

niān qīng pà zhòng拈轻怕重be picky about one's job

tàn náng qǔ wù探囊取物as easy as pie

yà miáo zhù zhǎng揠苗助长do harm to a thing by being overenthusiastic

bì zhǒu zì zhēn敝帚自珍value one's own old broom

rì mù tú qióng日暮途穷at the end of one's rope

chén zhōng mù gǔ晨钟暮鼓evening drums and morning bells in a monastery

wàng fēng pī mǐ望风披靡flee helter-skelter at the mere sight of somebody

zhěn gē dài dàn枕戈待旦lie with one's head pillowed on a spear waiting for day to break—be ready for battle

dòng ruò guān huǒ洞若观火understand something thoroughly at a glance

zhū yuán yù rùn珠圆玉润round as pearls and smooth as jade—excellent

lǐ qū cí qióng理屈词穷fall silent on finding oneself bested in argument

xiá bù yǎn yú瑕不掩瑜One flaw can’t mar a piece of good jade ― Small defects do not outweigh greater virtues.

guā shú dì luò瓜熟蒂落Everything comes easily at the right time/in the fullness of time.

wèng zhōng zhuō biē瓮中捉鳖be sure of success

huà bǐng chōng jī画饼充饥draw cakes to allay hunger

bái rì jiàn guǐ白日见鬼impossible

bái bì wēi xiá白璧微瑕slight blemish

bǎi fèi dài jǔ百废待举A thousand things wait to be done.

bǎi bù chuān yáng百步穿杨shoot with great precision

yá zì bì bào睚眦必报seek revenge for the slightest misdeed

qióng bīng dú wǔ穷兵黩武use all one's armed might to wage war of aggression

zhōng nán jié jìng终南捷径short cut to high office/officialdom/success/fame

yuán mù qiú yú缘木求鱼climb a tree to catch fish—a fruitless approach

lǎo mǎ shí tú老马识途an old horse knows the way

sè lì nèi rěn色厉内荏strong on the outside but weak inside

hǔ jù lóng pán虎踞龙盘forbidding strategic location

cháng gē dàng kū长歌当哭intone poems/sing to vent one's grief or indignation

wén jī qǐ wǔ闻鸡起舞rise at cockcrow and practise one's swordsmanship

jí yè chéng qiú集腋成裘collect bits of fur under the foxes' forelegs to make a robe

biān pì rù lǐ鞭辟入里penetrating

dùn kāi máo sè顿开茅塞suddenly to see the light

fēng yǔ rú huì风雨如晦a grim and grave situation

guān guǎ gū dú鳏寡孤独widowers, widows, orphans, and the childless

jī míng gǒu dào鸡鸣狗盗crow like a cock and snatch like a dog

hè fà tóng yán鹤发童颜white hair and ruddy complexion—healthy in old age

yī huī ér jiù一挥而就finish at one go

zhuān hèng bá hù专横跋扈imperious and despotic

xíng yǐng xiāng suí形影相随as close as body and shadow

suì hán sān yǒu岁寒三友the “three cold-weather friends”

mù tiān xí dì幕天席地have great breadth of view; be out in the open

kāi shān bí zǔ开山鼻祖the first person to do something

lù lì tóng xīn戮力同心make concerted efforts

dàn bó míng zhì淡泊明志show one's aspirations by leading a simple life

kè rán cháng shì溘然长逝pass away suddenly

qín jìn zhī hǎo秦晋之好amity between the states of Qin and Jin

tú dú shēng líng荼毒生灵plunge the people into the abyss of misery

cuō tuó suì yuè蹉跎岁月let time slip by without accomplishing anything

kāi juàn yǒu yì开卷有益Reading is always profitable.

zǒu mén lù走门路solicit help from potential backers

qīng cháo chū dòng倾巢出动mobilize all one's troops to attack

róng mǎ shēng yá戎马生涯army/military career

wēn róu dūn hòu温柔敦厚gentle and sincere

chí chú bù qián踟蹰不前hesitate to move forward

yī bái zhē bǎi chǒu一白遮百丑white complexion is powerful enough to hide a hundred flaw in face

chī dìng xīn wán吃定心丸take a tranquilizing pill

zuò dì yī bǎ jiāo yǐ坐第一把交椅sit in the first chair

hǎo jì xing bù rú làn bǐ tóu好记性不如烂笔头pen is more reliable than good memory; no matter how good one's memory is, it's hard to avoid forgetting

fù nǚ néng dǐng bàn biān tiān妇女能顶半边天women can prop up half the sky; women are as capable as men

shōu tān zi收摊子pack up the stall; finish the ongoing work

yǒu wén zhāng kě zuò有文章可做one can write articles; one makes use of the things that he can take advantage of

sǐ zhū bù pà kāi shuǐ tàng死猪不怕开水烫a dead pig holds no fear for hot water; when having nothing to lose, people will hold no fear for the possible danger

yī cháo tiān zǐ yī cháo chén一朝天子一朝臣every new sovereign brings his own courtiers

yī bí kǒng chū qì一鼻孔出气breathe through the same nostrils; be in tune with

jí fēng zhī jìng cǎo疾风知劲草strength of character is tested in a crisis

yī gān zi chā dào dǐ一竿子插到底carry down to the grass-roots level

bàn jūn rú bàn hǔ伴君如伴虎keeping the emperor company is like living with a tiger

hǎo mǎ bù chī huí tóu cǎo好马不吃回头草a good horse never goes back to graze the grass left behind

dāng yī tiān hé shang zhuàng yī tiān zhōng当一天和尚撞一天钟do one's work in a perfunctory way

yǒu yī lì bì yǒu yī bì有一利必有一弊there is no fire without smoke

lái ér bù wǎng fēi lǐ yě来而不往非礼也it is impolite not to reciprocate

sǐ mǎ dāng huó mǎ yī死马当活马医not give up a hopeless cause

rén xīn gé dù pí人心隔肚皮it's hard to read a person's mind

yī dù zi huài shuǐ一肚子坏水full of tricks