Common idioms and proverbs L6
Here are all the common idioms and proverbs for students at level 6.
xiān jūn zǐ hòu xiǎo rén先君子，后小人be a gentleman first, but if it doesn't work, then do it in a dirty way
bīng duì bīng jiàng duì jiàng兵对兵，将对将soldiers fight with soldiers, and generals fight with generals
jūn mǎ wèi dòng liáng cǎo xiān xíng军马未动，粮草先行before the army sets out, the provisions should be prepared first
zhǐ yǒu yú chī shuǐ méi yǒu shuǐ chī yú只有鱼吃水，没有水吃鱼fish drinks water, but water can't eat fish
chī zhe wǎn lǐ wàng zhe guō lǐ吃着碗里，望着锅里have insatiable greed
zài jiā jìng fù mǔ hé bì yuǎn shāo xiāng在家敬父母，何必远烧香as long as you treat your parents well at home, you are taking your responsibility as their children
dì zài rén zhǒng shì zài rén wéi地在人种，事在人为how well the crop grows depends on the farmer, and how well things are done depends on the doer
chǔ shǔ yī shēng léi yī jiù dǎo huáng méi处暑一声雷，依旧倒黄梅on the day of the Limit of Heat, there is thunder, which tells the following rainy days
duō jiào yī shēng gē shǎo zǒu shí lǐ lù多叫一声哥，少走十里路by and ask the way, and there may be no need to walk ten more miles
hǎo hàn bù dāng bīng hǎo tiě bù dǎ dīng好汉不当兵，好铁不打钉a good man who does not serve in the army is like a good iron which is not used to make nails
níng wéi jī kǒu wù wéi niú hòu宁为鸡口，勿为牛后it's better to be the first among chickens than the last among cows; better reign in hell than serve in heaven
níng kě zhí zhōng qǔ bù xiàng qǔ zhōng qiú宁可直中取，不向曲中求get things in a direct way rather than in a indirect way; it is better to obtain by proper means than by improper means
níng chī guò tóu fàn mò shuō guò tóu huà宁吃过头饭，莫说过头话rather eat more than talk more; seek truth from facts and not exaggerate
níng zǒu shí bù yuǎn bù zǒu yī bù xiǎn宁走十步远，不走一步险it is better to take a safe road ten steps away than a dangerous road one step away; one should not take risks
píng lù diē sǐ mǎ qiǎn shuǐ nì sǐ rén平路跌死马，浅水溺死人a horse falls on a flat road and a person drowns in shallow water; suffer setback unexpectedly
bǎ duò de bù huāng zhāng chéng chuán de cái wěn dang把舵的不慌张，乘船的才稳当only when the steersman is not flustered, can the ferryboat passengers feel safe
niān bù de qīng fù bù de zhòng拈不的轻，负不的重fail to pick up the light one, nor the heavy one; fail to do anything
zǎo chen zāi xià shù dào wǎn yào chéng liáng早晨栽下树，到晚要乘凉after planting trees in the morning, one wants to sit under the shade of the tree in the evening; impatience does no good to the problem-solving
zǎo qǐ sān guāng chí qǐ sān huāng早起三光，迟起三慌get up early, and you will see the moonlight, sunshine and stars; get up late, and you will be in a hurry
yǒu shì yǒu rén wú shì wú rén有事有人，无事无人when bad things happen, one asks others for help; when everything is alright, one doesn't care friends
yǒu chái yī dùn shāo yǒu mǐ yī guō zhǔ有柴一顿烧，有米一锅煮if one has firewood, he uses it up at once; one doesn't know how to save money and food, and he uses them up at once
yǒu dēng zhǎng zài àn chù yǒu gāng shǐ zài rèn shàng有灯掌在暗处，有钢使在刃上the light should be turned on in dark places, and the steel should be used to make the edge of a knife; one should use resources where they are needed most
yǒu lǐ sān biǎn dan wú lǐ biǎn dan sān有理三扁担，无理扁担三no matter what the reason is and whether it is true or not, one just denies it
yǒu jī tiān yě liàng méi jī tiān yě míng有鸡天也亮，没鸡天也明no matter if the rooster crows or not, the daybreak will come; an insignificant factor won't affect the results
sǐ bù sǐ huó bù huó死不死，活不活neither alive nor dead
méi chī shàng yáng ròu rě yī shēn shān没吃上羊肉，惹一身膻not eat mutton but have to put up with the bad smell; get a bad reputation without any benefits
xiàn shāo huǒ xiàn kǎn chái现烧火，现砍柴cut firewood when making a fire; begin to prepare at the last moment
bǎi zhàn chéng yǒng shì kǔ liàn chū jīng bīng百战成勇士，苦练出精兵a hundred battles make a warrior, and hard work makes a good soldier; it's important to keep training
bǎi lǐ bù tóng fēng qiān lǐ bù tóng sú百里不同风，千里不同俗customs will be different every one thousand miles; local customs are different indifferent places
xiù cai bù chū mén néng zhī tiān xià shì秀才不出门，能知天下事although scholars never go outside, they can know the world from the books; people can learn from books
hóng lán qiān bǐ liǎng tóu ái xuē红蓝铅笔，两头挨削a pencil with one blue end and one red end will be cut on both ends; be bullied by both sides
ěr tīng qiān biàn bù rú shǒu guò yī biàn耳听千遍，不如手过一遍it's better to do it yourself than to listen to others a thousand times; it's important to practice by oneself
yīng xióng zào shí shì shí shì zào yīng xióng英雄造时势，时势造英雄heroes can set the trend of the times, and the times can bring up heroes
xíng yào hǎo bàn zhù yào hǎo lín行要好伴，住要好邻good partners to long trips is what good neighbours to a house
yī fu shì xīn de hǎo péng you shì jiù de hǎo衣服是新的好，朋友是旧的好new clothes are good, but old friends are good; old friends are more reliable
guān qí bù yǔ zhēn jūn zǐ bǎ jiǔ duō yán shì xiǎo rén观棋不语真君子，把酒多言是小人the person who watches people playing chess without commentating is a real gentleman, and the person who talks too much after drinking wine is a base man
guān yīn pú sà nián nián shí bā观音菩萨，年年十八the Bodhisattvain the painting is always eighteen years old; stay young forever
ràng yī dé bǎi zhēng shí shī jiǔ让一得百，争十失九if a person gives up once, he may end up with one hundred times of benefits, and if he wants ten more benefits, he may only get one; if one is willing to compromise, he will benefit a lot, and if he is greedy, he may lose more
ràng le tián táo qù xún suān lǐ让了甜桃，去寻酸李give up a sweet peach and look for a sour plum; the loss outweighs the gain
ràng lǐ yī cùn dé lǐ yī chǐ让礼一寸，得礼一尺if one gives up an inch of land, he may get a foot of land; it will pay to be modest and polite to others
zú hán shāng xīn mín yuàn shāng guó足寒伤心，民怨伤国cold feet will lead to heart disease
jìn le sān bǎo diàn dōu shì shāo xiāng rén进了三宝殿，都是烧香人those who are in the temple are all prayers; all members have the same goal
bīng mǎ wèi dòng liáng cǎo xiān xíng兵马未动，粮草先行food and fodder go before the troops and horses; it is essential to get adequately prepared in advance
hǎo huà shuō jìn huài shì zuò jué好话说尽，坏事做绝for all their fine words, they stop at no crime
chāi dōng qiáng bǔ xī qiáng拆东墙，补西墙reinforce one place at the expense of another
yīn yī tào yáng yī tào阴一套，阳一套act one way in public and another in private
chī fàn fáng yē zǒu lù fáng diē吃饭防噎，走路防跌be careful not to get choked while eating and not to fall while walking
dāng duàn bù duàn fǎn shòu qí luàn当断不断，反受其乱indecision when drastic decision is needed breeds trouble
yòng rén bù yí yí rén bù yòng用人不疑，疑人不用if you rely on a man, trust him
guò wǔ guān zhǎn liù jiàng过五关，斩六将beat one's opponent and go into the next round of competition
xiā zi diū le guǎi gùn cùn bù nán xíng瞎子丢了拐棍—寸步难行the blind man losing his crutch - can't do anything
wū lòu yòu féng lián yīn yǔ huò bù dān xíng屋漏又缝连阴雨—祸不单行the house is leaking when it's rainy - disasters pile up on one another
yuè liàng lǐ de guì shù gāo bù kě pān月亮里的桂树—高不可攀laurel in the moon - too high to be reached
sān shí liù jì zǒu wéi shàng jì三十六计—走为上计thirty six schemes - leaving is the best choice
bà wáng bié jī wú kě nài hé霸王别姬—无可奈何farewell to my concubine - feel helpless
luò yáng zhǐ guì fēng xíng yī shí洛阳纸贵—风行一时good writings make people copy them - become a hit
dà tīng zhōng yāng guà kǎi shū táng táng zhèng zhèng大厅中央挂楷书—堂堂正正regular script is hung in the center of the hall - dignified and imposing
tóu táo bào lǐ lǐ shàng wǎng lái投桃报李—礼尚往来return present for present - courtesy requires a return of visits received
tài shàng lǎo jūn kāi chǔ fāng líng dān miào yào太上老君开处方—灵丹妙药Lord Lao Zi writing a prescription - a ready-made panacea
hán xìn diǎn bīng duō duō yì shàn韩信点兵—多多益善Han Xin calculating the sum total of soldiers - the more, the better
zhū gé liàng zhù máo lú huái cái bù yù诸葛亮住茅庐—怀才不遇Zhuge Liang living in a cottage - be frustrated for all one 's talent
bái sù zhēn jiè sǎn yī jiàn zhōng qíng白素贞借伞—一见钟情Bai Suzhen borrowing an umbrella - fall in love at first sight
xú shù jìn cáo yíng yī yán bù fā徐庶进曹营—一言不发Xu Shu entering Cao's barrack - wordless
guān yún cháng bài zǒu mài chéng chī kuī quán zài dà yì关云长败走麦城—吃亏全在大意Guan Yunchang loses Maicheng - all losses are due to carelessness
bāo gōng duàn àn tiě miàn wú sī包公断案—铁面无私master Bao solving the case - just and stern
chū shuǐ de fú róng yī chén bù rǎn出水的芙蓉—一尘不染lotus out of water - maintain one's original pure character
jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè近水楼台—先得月waterside pavilion - close to the moon
xīn xí fù huó miàn rén shēng miàn bù shú新媳妇和面—人生面不熟new daughter-in-law kneading dough - life is unfamiliar
xiàng zhuāng wǔ jiàn yì zài pèi gōng项庄舞剑—意在沛公act with a hidden motive - aim at covering up
tiān qiáo shàng de bǎ shì jìng shuō bù liàn天桥上的把式—净说不练handle on overpass - pure talk but no practice
zhū bā jiè diào dào gān shuǐ tǒng lǐ dà chī dà hē猪八戒掉到泔水桶里—大吃大喝pig Bajie falling into the swill bucket - eat and drink
guān gōng wǔ dà dāo ná shǒu hǎo xì关公舞大刀—拿手好戏Guan Gong playing with dagger - masterpiece
liú bèi jiè jīng zhōu yǒu jiè wú huán刘备借荆州—有借无还Liu Bei borrowing Jingzhou - borrow without returning
zhāng fēi chuān zhēn cū zhōng yǒu xì张飞穿针—粗中有细Zhang Fei threading needle - be somewhat refined in one 's rough way
cáo cāo de jī lèi shí zhī wú wèi qì zhī kě xī曹操的鸡肋—食之无味，弃之可惜Cao Cao's chicken ribs - tasteless food is a pity to discard
bái gǔ jīng yù shàng le sūn wù kōng yuán xíng bì lù白骨精遇上了孙悟空—原形毕露White Bone Demon meeting the monkey king - show oneself in one's true colors
qī yuè qī niú láng huì zhī nǚ yī nián yī dù七月七牛郎会织女—一年一度on july 7, the cowherd will be the weaver girl - annual
kāi fēng fǔ lǐ de bāo gōng tiě miàn wú sī开封府里的包公—铁面无私Master bao in Kaifeng mansion - just and stern
yán wáng yé lā qín zi guǐ tīng阎王爷拉琴子—鬼听King of Hell playing the piano - ghost listening
sān jiǔ tiān hē cù hán suān三九天喝醋—寒酸drink vinegar on the coldest days of winter - shabby
èr lèng zi zhuā chī làn zhī ma mǎn dù zi huài diǎn zi二愣子抓吃烂芝麻—满肚子坏点子a big dork grabbing and eatting rotten sesame - full of bad ideas
yáng wǔ láng dāng hé shang bàn lù chū jiā杨五郎当和尚—半路出家Yang Wulang becoming a monk - become a monk or nun late in life
qiān rì bài fó yī zhāo tiān dīng shàn yǒu shàn bào千日拜佛，一朝添丁—善有善报worship buddha for thousands of days and get rewards - receive rewards for one's virtuous deeds
hán xìn yī fàn qiān jīn bù wàng jiù qíng韩信一饭千金—不忘旧情Han Xin eats a thousand dollars a meal - don't forget those who have been kind to oneself
liáng shān pō de jūn shī wú yòngR梁山泊的军师—无用"Liang Shanbo's military counsellor - useless "
qiáng shang guà zhōng kuí guǐ huà墙上挂钟馗—鬼话"Zhong Kui hung on the wall - nonsense "
jìn zi gǎi jià méi jiù妗子改嫁—没救"sister-in-law remarries - no help "
chǔ rén kuā máo yòu kuā dùn zì xiāng máo dùn楚人夸矛又夸盾—自相矛盾"Chu people boasting of spears and shields - stultify oneself
jī máo chā zài wéi gān shàng dǎn zi bù xiǎo鸡毛插在桅杆上—胆子不小"chicken feathers were stuck on the mast - courageous
