Chinese idioms (惯用语)

空心萝卜 kōngxīnluóbo

hollow radish

A person or thing that looks good outside but has no real ability or content. Mocking.
空中楼阁 kōngzhōnglóugé

a pavilion in mid-air

A fine-sounding theory, plan or idea that has no basis and can't be realised. Close to 'castle in the air'.
孔雀东南飞 kǒngquè dōngnán fēi

the peacock flies southeast

Borrowing an ancient poem's title, it describes workers and talented people moving to the wealthy southeast coast. Neutral and descriptive.
抠字眼 kōuzìyǎn

pick at the words

To pick on faults in someone's wording, or to weigh each word carefully in speaking or writing. Often mildly critical, like 'nitpick'.
口头禅 kǒutóuchán

mouth-Zen

A catchphrase someone says all the time, often empty words, or something said often but never really acted on.
扣帽子 kòumàozi

clamp a hat on someone

To pin a bad label or accusation on someone without good grounds. Critical.
扣屎盆子 kòushǐpénzi

slam a chamber pot on someone

To blame someone unfairly or smear them with a bad name or charge. Colloquial and coarse.

May offend: vulgar language
哭鼻子 kūbízi

cry through the nose

To cry, often used lightly or teasingly, of a child or someone upset.
苦肉计 kǔròujì

the bitter-flesh scheme

A ruse in which you hurt yourself to win the enemy's trust. From the Three Kingdoms tale of Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai. Also used of any self-sacrificing ploy.
苦行僧 kǔxíngsēng

ascetic monk

Someone who willingly lives an austere, hard life, as an ascetic. Often said jokingly of those who deny themselves comforts.
夸大口 kuādàkǒu

boast a big mouth

To brag and exaggerate; a variant of 夸海口.
夸海口 kuāhǎikǒu

boast with a sea-sized mouth

To talk big and exaggerate what one can do. Critical. Like 'shoot one's mouth off'.
快刀斩乱麻 kuàidāo zhǎn luànmá

a sharp knife cutting tangled hemp

To deal decisively and neatly with a complicated problem. Approving. Close to 'cut the Gordian knot'.
宽心丸 kuānxīnwán

a pill to ease the heart

Comforting words meant to reassure someone and ease their worries. Sometimes implies the comfort is empty.
垃圾箱 lājīxiāng

rubbish bin

A place where all kinds of bad people gather. Contemptuous.
拉不开栓 lābùkāishuān

unable to pull back the rifle bolt

Describes being unable to handle a tangle of problems that have piled up together.
拉抽屉 lāchōuti

pulling a drawer in and out

To keep going back and forth, changing one's words or actions. Critical.
拉大旗作虎皮 lā dàqí zuò hǔpí

to hoist a big banner as a tiger skin

To use the name of an authoritative person or body to intimidate others. Critical. Similar to 'throwing someone's weight around by name-dropping'.
拉关系 lāguānxi

to pull connections

To cultivate ties with people who can be useful, for personal gain. Mildly critical.
拉后腿 lāhòutuǐ

to pull someone's back leg

To hold someone back, by using affection to restrain them, or by doing poor work that slows everyone down. Critical.
拉饥荒 lājīhuang

to pull a famine

To fall into debt. Colloquial.
拉锯战 lājùzhàn

a saw-pulling battle

A long back-and-forth struggle where neither side wins, in war or negotiation. Like 'a tug of war'.
拉郎配 lālángpèi

dragging a young man into a match

To force a pairing or merger without regard for suitability or consent. Critical.
拉皮条 lāpítiáo

to pull the leather strap

To act as a go-between for prostitution or illicit affairs, or to broker improper deals. Contemptuous and seedy.

May offend: sexist or sexual
拉偏套 lāpiāntào

to pull the side trace the wrong way

To fail to pull together with others and so work against the team. Critical.
拉山头 lāshāntóu

to set up hilltops

To form cliques and factions. Critical.
拉下马 lāxiàmǎ

to pull off the horse

To bring down someone in power and strip them of position.
拉下水 lāxiàshuǐ

to drag into the water

To lure or corrupt someone into doing wrong alongside you. Critical.
拉硬弓 lāyìnggōng

to draw a stiff bow

Either to take a hard line, or to take on a heavy task and solve a hard problem.
拉硬屎 lāyìngshǐ

to pass a hard stool

To put on a show of being right or capable when one is not. Critical and coarse.

May offend: vulgar language
镴枪头 làqiāngtóu

a pewter spearhead

Something that looks impressive but is useless, as in 'all show and no substance'.
癞皮狗 làipígǒu

mangy dog

A shameless person who behaves like a scoundrel and refuses to take responsibility. Insulting.
拦路虎 lánlùhǔ

road-blocking tiger

An obstacle or difficulty that stands in the way of progress. Neutral, common in everyday and written Chinese.
拦马头 lánmǎtóu

block the horse's head

To stand in the way of someone's doing something, or interfere with their plans.
揽狗屎 lǎngǒushǐ

gather up dog dung

To bring a bad reputation upon yourself, for example by taking on a dirty affair. Colloquial and a little coarse.

May offend: vulgar language
揽伤寒 lǎnshānghán

take on typhoid

To bring trouble on yourself when you needn't have been involved at all.
烂肠子 lànchángzi

rotten intestines

Someone with bad intentions or a spiteful heart; an insult, sometimes used as a curse.

May offend: vulgar language
烂豆腐 làndòufu

rotten tofu

A weak, useless person with no backbone. Contemptuous.
烂韭菜 lànjiǔcài

rotten chives

A person with many bad habits who can't be reformed. Insulting.
烂舌头 lànshétou

rotten tongue

A person who talks too much and spouts nonsense; also used as a curse.

May offend: vulgar language
烂摊子 làntānzi

rotten stall

A messy situation or organisation that is hard to put right. Common in everyday speech, like "a mess" or "a shambles".
狼窝子 lángwōzi

wolf's den

A place occupied by villains; a den of evildoers.
狼心兔子胆 láng xīn tùzi dǎn

a wolf's heart and a rabbit's gall

Describes someone cruel at heart but cowardly. Critical.
稂不稂,莠不莠 láng bù láng, yǒu bù yǒu

neither darnel nor foxtail

Describes someone who is good for nothing and has no prospects, neither one thing nor another. Disparaging and bookish.
捞稻草 lāodàocǎo

grab at straw

Either to struggle in vain in a hopeless situation, like "clutching at straws", or to pick up something useful for oneself, especially in politics.
捞外快 lāowàikuài

fish for extra money

To earn extra income by improper means; in everyday use, to earn money on the side. Mildly disapproving.
捞乌纱帽 lāowūshāmào

fish for a black gauze hat

To obtain an official post by improper means. Critical.
捞一把 lāoyībǎ

scoop up a handful

To seize the chance to grab some gain for oneself. Mildly critical.
捞油水 lāoyóushui

skim off the grease

To get extra benefits by improper means, such as skimming profit. Critical.
捞资本 lāozīběn

fish for capital

To use improper means to gain the advantage needed for further profit or advancement. Critical.
老把戏 lǎobǎxì

old tricks

A scheme or tactic that is outdated and already familiar to everyone. Mildly dismissive, like "the same old trick."
老大难 lǎodànán

old, big, difficult

A problem that is complex and has gone unsolved for a long time, or a person or unit with such a problem. A "chronic problem."
老掉牙 lǎodiàoyá

old enough that the teeth fall out

Extremely old-fashioned, stale or out of date, said of things, jokes or ideas. Mocking.
老古董 lǎogǔdǒng

old antique

An outdated thing, or a person with old-fashioned ideas. Mocking or teasing, like "old fossil."
老夫子 lǎofūzǐ

old master

An old-fashioned elderly intellectual out of touch with reality. Mocking, though the term was originally respectful.
老古板 lǎogǔbǎn

old stiff board

A person with rigid, conservative thinking who will not change. Critical or teasing.
老狐狸 lǎohúli

old fox

A sly, cunning, scheming person. Critical, like "old fox."
老虎头上拍苍蝇 lǎohǔ tóu shang pāi cāngying

swatting a fly on a tiger's head

Provoking someone powerful and bringing trouble on oneself. Also used, since the anti-corruption campaign, for targeting high officials. Like "poking the bear."
老皇历 lǎohuángli

old almanac

Rules, methods or ideas that no longer suit the times. Dismissive, like "out-of-date stuff."
老黄牛 lǎohuángniú

old ox

A person who works hard and conscientiously, without thought of reward or credit. Approving.
老江湖 lǎojiānghú

old rivers-and-lakes hand

A person with wide experience of the world who is hard to fool. Neutral to slightly wary, like an "old hand."
老框框 lǎokuàngkuang

old frames

Outdated rules, conventions and systems that restrict people. Critical, like "old constraints."
老来俏 lǎoláiqiào

smart in old age

An elderly person, often a woman, who still enjoys dressing up and looking stylish. Teasing, sometimes affectionate.
老毛病 lǎomáobìng

old ailment

A long-standing fault, bad habit or recurring problem that is hard to change. Often said with resignation, like "the same old problem."
老牛筋 lǎoniújīn

old ox sinew

A stubborn, rigid person who will not adapt or change course. Critical or mocking.
老妖精 lǎoyāojing

old demon

An insulting term for an older woman seen as flashy or seductive. Abusive.

May offend: sexist or sexual
老一套 lǎoyītào

the same old set

Methods or talk that are stale and have nothing new. Dismissive, like "the same old routine."
老鹰抓小鸡 lǎoyīng zhuā xiǎojī

eagle catching chicks

Describes an attack that is fierce and wins easily, with the target caught effortlessly. It is also the name of a children's game.
老油条 lǎoyóutiáo

old fried dough stick

A slick, experienced person who is cunning and evasive, especially one who dodges work or responsibility. Critical. Same as 老油子.
老油子 lǎoyóuzi

old oily one

A worldly-wise person, often in the workplace or officialdom, who is slippery and crafty and knows how to dodge responsibility. Critical.
姥姥不疼，舅舅不爱 lǎolao bù téng, jiùjiu bù ài

grandma doesn't dote, uncle doesn't love

Describes someone who is neglected and unwelcome, with nobody on their side. Pitying or humorous.
勒紧裤腰带 lēijǐn kùyāodài

tighten one's belt

To economise strictly to get through hard times. Close to the English "tighten one's belt."
雷打不动 léidǎbùdòng

thunder can't move it

Firm and unshakable whatever happens, as of a plan, habit or schedule. Approving or neutral.
雷打不散 léidǎbùsàn

thunder can't scatter it

Able to withstand tests and keep going, as of a friendship or a team. Approving.
雷声大，雨点小 léishēng dà, yǔdiǎn xiǎo

loud thunder, small raindrops

Lots of noisy talk but little actual action. Critical, like "all bark and no bite" or "all talk, no action."
垒山头 lěishāntóu

pile up hilltops

To form cliques or factions that each hold their own turf. Critical. Same as 拉山头.
冷板凳 lěngbǎndèng

cold bench

A position of neglect or being sidelined, as when someone is kept out of the action. Like "be benched" or "left out in the cold."
冷处理 lěngchǔlǐ

cold treatment

Setting aside a thorny problem for the time being and dealing with it later when the time is right. Neutral. Also a metal-working term.
冷热病 lěngrèbìng

hot-and-cold sickness

Enthusiasm and mood that swing up and down in work or study. Mildly critical. Literally an old term for malaria.
愣头愣脑 lèngtóulèngnǎo

blunt head, blunt brain

Simple-minded and rash, acting without thinking. Mildly critical or teasing.
里程碑 lǐchéngbēi

milestone

A major event or achievement that marks an important stage in history or development. It is approving and neutral in tone, and the English 'milestone' matches it.
里三层，外三层 lǐ sān céng, wài sān céng

three layers inside, three layers outside

Describes a very dense crowd surrounding something, or something wrapped up very thickly. Used descriptively.
立军令状 lìjūnlìngzhuàng

sign a military order pledge

To make a solemn promise, often in writing, that you will complete a task or accept the consequences. Often used of taking on a tough assignment.
连裆裤 liándāngkù

trousers with a joined crotch

Describes people who are in cahoots, colluding and using each other. Critical, informal.
连根拔 liángēnbá

pull up by the roots

To wipe something out completely, at its root. Usually said of eliminating evils or a criminal group.
连锅端 liánguōduān

take away the pot and all

To remove or wipe out everything in one sweep, such as a whole gang. Informal and forceful.
连锁反应 liánsuǒfǎnyìng

chain reaction

A situation where one change sets off a series of other changes. It is neutral and matches the English 'chain reaction'.
连窝端 liánwōduān

take away the nest and all

Same as 连锅端: to wipe out or remove the whole lot at once, such as a whole gang.
连轴转 liánzhóuzhuàn

turn on without stopping, like a spinning axle

To work continuously for a long time without a break. Often said with a note of exhaustion.
连珠炮 liánzhūpào

rapid-fire cannon

Describes a rapid, unbroken stream of words, such as questions or complaints. Close to 'a barrage of'.
脸上抹黑 liǎnshangmǒhēi

smear black on someone's face

To disgrace or shame someone, or to make them lose face. Critical.
凉半截 liángbànjié

half cool through

To feel suddenly discouraged and disheartened after something goes badly.
梁上君子 liángshàngjūnzǐ

gentleman on the beam

A humorous or euphemistic term for a burglar. It comes from a story in which a thief hid on a roof beam.
两层皮 liǎngcéngpí

two layers of skin

A variant of 两张皮: two things that should be unified but remain separate and don't fit together, such as theory and practice.
两面光 liǎngmiànguāng

smooth on both sides

Describes someone who handles things smoothly so as not to offend either side. Usually mildly critical, implying fence-sitting.
两面派 liǎngmiànpài

two-faced faction

A two-faced person who says pleasant things to your face but works against you behind your back. Strongly critical.
两手抓 liǎngshǒuzhuā

grab with both hands

To attend to two tasks or aspects at once and give both proper attention. Approving, common in official language.
两张皮 liǎngzhāngpí

two skins

Two things that should work closely together but are disconnected, like two separate layers of skin. Critical, often about theory and practice or two departments.
亮红灯 liànghóngdēng

show a red light

To refuse approval or block something, like a red traffic light telling it to stop.
亮红牌 liànghóngpái

show the red card

To disqualify someone or order something stopped, as a referee sends a player off in football.

Every kind of Chinese saying