Chinese idioms (惯用语)

烟幕弹 yānmùdàn

smoke bomb

A false impression created to hide the truth or one's real intentions; a smokescreen. Critical.
阎王殿 yánwangdiàn

the hall of the King of Hell

A terrifying place where people suffer cruel persecution.
阎王账 yánwangzhàng

King of Hell's debt

Originally usurious loans; now any debt that weighs crushingly on the debtor.
眼睛里没人 yǎnjing lǐ méi rén

there are no people in one's eyes

Arrogant and looking down on everyone. Critical.
眼睛长在额头上 yǎnjing zhǎng zài étóu shang

eyes growing on the forehead

Arrogant and contemptuous of others, or snobbish toward those of lower status. Critical.
眼里揉不得沙子 yǎn lǐ róubude shāzi

the eye can't have sand rubbed in it

Cannot tolerate something wrong or disagreeable.
眼皮底下 yǎnpídǐxia

under the eyelids

Right in front of one's eyes; very close by.
眼皮子高 yǎnpízigāo

high eyelids

Looks down on the people and things around one; snobbish or hard to please. Critical.
眼皮子浅 yǎnpíziqiǎn

shallow eyelids

Short-sighted and narrow in outlook, easily impressed or tempted by small gains. Critical.
眼中钉 yǎnzhōngdīng

a nail in the eye

A person or thing one hates and cannot tolerate; a thorn in one's side.
眼中钉,肉中刺 yǎnzhōngdīng, ròuzhōngcì

a nail in the eye, a thorn in the flesh

Someone or something deeply hated and impossible to put up with.
演空城计 yǎnkōngchéngjì

perform the Empty Fort stratagem

Usually said as 唱空城计: to bluff with an appearance of strength while actually having no resources or people, or leaving a place empty.
演苦肉计 yǎnkǔròujì

perform the self-injury ruse

To harm oneself or one's own side as a show, so as to win trust or gain a particular end. Critical or mocking.
演闹剧 yǎnnàojù

stage a farce

To do something ridiculous or absurd. Mocking.
演配角 yǎnpèijué

play a supporting role

To do auxiliary or secondary work rather than the leading job.
演三岔口 yǎnsānchàkǒu

perform 'At the Crossroads'

After arguing for a while, two sides discover they never actually clashed. It alludes to the Peking opera in which fighters grope in pretend darkness without hitting each other.
咽苦水 yànkǔshuǐ

swallow bitter water

To suffer hardship in silence and put up with it without protest.
羊毛出在羊身上 yángmáo chū zài yáng shēn shang

the wool comes from the sheep's own back

What looks like a free gift or benefit is really paid for by the recipient, one way or another. Often said wryly about discounts or freebies built into the price.
阳关道 yángguāndào

the Yang Pass road

A broad, open road; figuratively a smooth path to the future. Usually paired with 独木桥: 'you take your open road, I'll take my single-plank bridge'.
腰杆粗 yāogāncū

thick in the waist

Strong and powerful, with solid backing; one can speak or act with confidence. Often seen as 腰杆子硬.
摇拨浪鼓 yáobōlanggǔ

shake a rattle drum

To shake the head repeatedly in refusal or disagreement, like a child's pellet drum being twirled. Humorous.
摇鹅毛扇的 yáo émáoshàn de

one who waves a goose-feather fan

A behind-the-scenes adviser or strategist, after Zhuge Liang-type figures in old novels. Can be mildly mocking.
摇钱树 yáoqiánshù

money tree

A source of easy and abundant income, whether a person or a thing. It can imply that someone is being exploited.
咬耳朵 yǎo'ěrduo

bite the ear

To whisper into someone's ear so others cannot hear.
咬舌头 yǎoshétou

bite the tongue

Another form of 嚼舌头: to gossip or talk idly, often spreading rumour. Critical.
咬死理 yǎosǐlǐ

bite a point to death

To stubbornly cling to one view, even one that is out of date or unreasonable. Critical.
咬字眼儿 yǎozìyǎnr

bite at wording

To nitpick over the exact words someone used. Critical.
药罐子 yàoguànzi

medicine pot

A person who is often ill and always taking medicine. Informal, slightly unkind.
野路子 yělùzi

wild road

An unorthodox or improper way of doing things, outside the proper channels or rules. Mildly critical.
野心狼 yěxīnláng

ambitious wolf

A person or group driven by greedy, unreasonable ambition. Condemning.
夜猫子 yèmāozi

night cat (owl)

A night owl: someone who likes to work or go out at night.
夜游神 yèyóushén

night-wandering god

A person who likes to roam about outside late at night. Teasing.
一把抓 yībǎzhuā

grab it all with one hand

Either handling many things at once without setting priorities, or keeping control of everything personally. Usually mildly critical.
一百一 yībǎiyī

a hundred and one

Even better than perfect; going beyond the expected. Used approvingly, colloquially, to praise someone or something.
一本账 yīběnzhàng

one account book

A single source of income that everything depends on. Said of a household or unit with only one way of earning.
一边倒 yībiāndǎo

all falling to one side

Most or all people lean toward one of two opposing sides; a lopsided situation. Neutral, used of opinions, votes or contests.
一不做，二不休 yī bù zuò, èr bù xiū

if you don't do it at first, don't stop at second

Having started, go all the way and see it through, even recklessly. Often said when someone decides to push on to the extreme.
一步一个脚印 yī bù yī gè jiǎoyìn

each step leaves a footprint

Work steadily and solidly, one stage at a time. Approving. Close to 'step by step'.
一步一个台阶 yī bù yī gè táijiē

each step is a stair

Rising level by level, or steadily improving and reaching higher stages. Approving.
一场官司一把火 yī cháng guānsi yī bǎ huǒ

one lawsuit, one fire

In the old days, a lawsuit meant bribing officials at every level, which could burn through a family's wealth like a fire. Said of the ruinous cost of going to court.
一场空 yīchángkōng

all ending in emptiness

All the effort and hope came to nothing. Said with regret or disappointment, as in 'all for nothing'.
一锤子买卖 yī chuízi mǎimai

a one-hammer-blow deal

A one-off transaction made without thought for the future, aiming only at quick profit. Critical of short-sighted dealing.
一刀齐 yīdāoqí

one knife, all even

A variant of 一刀切: handling everything in one uniform way regardless of circumstances.
一刀切 yīdāoqiē

cut with one knife

Treating all cases the same way regardless of actual conditions. Critical, often of rigid policies. Close to 'one-size-fits-all'.
一朵花 yīduǒhuā

a single flower

A variant of 一枝花, a flower; used of a beautiful young woman or a prized person.
一风吹 yīfēngchuī

blown away by one wind

Wiping out everything from the past in one go, as if it never happened. Often critical, or used to mean 'let bygones be bygones'.
一斧子砍到底 yī fǔzi kǎn dàodǐ

chop all the way down with one axe stroke

Settle a matter once and for all with one decisive action.
一竿子插到底 yī gānzi chā dàodǐ

stick a pole all the way to the bottom

Either carrying a matter through completely in one go, or leaders going straight down to the grassroots level.
一镐刨出井来 yī gǎo páochū jǐng lái

one swing of the pickaxe digs out a well

Expecting instant results; impatient for quick success. Mildly critical.
一个鼻孔出气 yī gè bíkǒng chūqì

breathing out of the same nostril

Holding the same stance and acting in step with someone. Usually derogatory, suggesting collusion. Close to 'in cahoots'.
一个萝卜两头切 yī gè luóbo liǎngtóu qiē

one radish cut at both ends

Both sides suffer a loss, or you must deal with two sides at once.
一个萝卜一个坑 yī gè luóbo yī gè kēng

one radish, one hole

Every post is already filled, with no spare place; or staff are so stretched that each person has a set job.
一个门口一个天 yī gè ménkǒu yī gè tiān

each doorway has its own sky

Every household has its own circumstances. Said to remind people that situations differ.
一根筋 yīgēnjīn

a single tendon

Stubborn and inflexible, unable to think differently. Colloquial and mildly critical or teasing.
一根藤上的瓜 yī gēn téng shàng de guā

melons on the same vine

People who share the same fate or are bound together. Often implies they stand or fall together.
一棍子打死 yī gùnzi dǎsǐ

beat to death with one blow of the stick

Rejecting someone or something completely without analysis. Critical of harsh, sweeping judgments.
一锅端 yīguōduān

carry off the whole pot

Dispose of everything at once, or reveal everything; also to wipe out a whole gang in one sweep.
一锅烩 yīguōhuì

stew it all in one pot

Lumping different things together and treating them the same. Mildly critical.
一锅粥 yīguōzhōu

a pot of porridge

A scene or state of mind in complete chaos. Colloquial; 'in a mess'.
一锅煮 yīguōzhǔ

cook it all in one pot

Variant of 一锅烩: treating different things alike.
一会儿风，一会儿雨 yīhuìr fēng, yīhuìr yǔ

wind one moment, rain the next

Constantly changing and unpredictable, of weather, moods or policies.
一家人 yījiārén

one family

Very close to each other, like family. Used warmly, e.g. 'we're all one family, no need to be polite'.
一肩挑 yījiāntiāo

carry on one shoulder

One person bears the entire task or holds several roles alone.
一脚门里，一脚门外 yī jiǎo mén lǐ, yī jiǎo mén wài

one foot inside the door, one foot outside

Noncommittal and ambiguous, not taking a clear stand. Mildly critical. Close to 'sitting on the fence'.
一句是一句 yī jù shì yī jù

one sentence is one sentence

Either writing or speech that is concise with no waste, or someone who stands by their word.
一棵树上吊死 yī kē shù shang diàosǐ

hang oneself on one tree

Stubbornly staying stuck in one place or path and refusing to change. Critical, often used humorously with 'don't'.
一口吃个胖子 yī kǒu chī ge pàngzi

eat a fat man in one bite

Wanting to succeed all at once; impatient for quick results. Usually in the negative: you can't get rich or fat in one mouthful.
一口清 yīkǒuqīng

clear in one go

Able to explain complicated accounts or matters clearly in one breath. Approving.
一块石头落地 yī kuài shítou luòdì

a stone lands on the ground

To feel a great weight lifted from one's mind once a worry is settled. Neutral; like 'a weight off my shoulders'.
一揽子 yīlǎnzi

a whole basketful

Covering many items or aspects at once, as in a package deal or comprehensive plan. Neutral, used in news and business.
一了百了 yīliǎobǎiliǎo

one thing ended, a hundred things ended

Once the main problem is settled, everything else is settled too. It can also mean ending everything at once, sometimes grimly, as by death.
一路货 yīlùhuò

goods of the same line

People or things of the same sort, all equally bad. Critical and contemptuous; like 'birds of a feather' or 'tarred with the same brush'.
一面倒 yīmiàndǎo

falling to one side

Lopsided, with everyone siding with one party or view. Usually written 一边倒.
一面锣 yīmiànluó

a gong

A loud-voiced person who shouts and makes a fuss. Mildly mocking.
一盘棋 yīpánqí

one game of chess

The whole situation seen as a single unified whole, as in 'the whole country is one chessboard'. Used to urge coordination.
一盘散沙 yīpánsǎnshā

a plate of loose sand

A group with no organisation or unity, whose members don't hold together. Critical.
一盆糨糊 yīpénjiànghu

a basin of paste

A muddled, confused state of mind. Mocking or self-deprecating: 'my head is a pot of glue'.
一墙能挡八面风 yī qiáng néng dǎng bāmiàn fēng

one wall can block winds from eight directions

One person can handle many different matters alone. Usually admiring of a capable person.
一勺烩 yīsháohuì

stewing everything in one ladleful

Lumping everything together indiscriminately; a variant of 一锅烩. Mildly critical.
一身都是胆 yīshēn dōu shì dǎn

the whole body is gall bladder

Extremely brave, fearless. Approving; Chinese associates courage with the gall bladder.
一是一，二是二 yī shì yī, èr shì èr

one is one, two is two

Stating facts exactly as they are without exaggeration; also, keeping clear distinctions. Approving, like 'call a spade a spade'.
一台戏 yītáixì

a stage play

A lively or chaotic scene, as if a show were being put on. Often humorous.
一摊泥 yītānní

a heap of mud

Someone spineless, or someone limp with exhaustion. Mocking or descriptive.
一潭死水 yītánsǐshuǐ

a pool of dead water

A situation or place that is stagnant and lifeless. Critical.
一条肠子 yītiáochángzi

one length of intestine

Single-minded, set on one aim and unwilling to change. Can be mildly critical or admiring of straightforwardness.
一条道跑到黑 yī tiáo dào pǎodào hēi

run down one road until dark

Stubbornly sticking to one course to the end without adapting. Critical; like 'stuck in one's ways'.
一条龙 yītiáolóng

one dragon

A long line of people, or a chain of linked steps or services all handled in sequence, as in 'one-stop service'.
一头热 yītóurè

hot at one end

Only one side is keen or enthusiastic, as in one-sided effort or love. Often in 剃头挑子一头热.
一头栽到阴沟里 yītóu zāidào yīngōu li

fall head-first into a covered drain

To fail badly and humiliatingly, often where it was not expected.
一团火 yītuánhuǒ

a ball of fire

Full of passion and enthusiasm; or burning with anxiety or anger. Meaning depends on context.
一团乱麻 yītuánluànmá

a tangle of hemp

A hopelessly confused mess with no clear starting point. Like 'a tangled web'.
一推六二五 yī tuī liù èr wǔ

one pushed away gives six two five

To shift all responsibility onto others. From an abacus rule where 1÷16 gives 0.0625; critical or mocking.
一碗水端平 yī wǎn shuǐ duānpíng

carry a bowl of water level

To treat everyone fairly and impartially. Approving.
一问三不知 yī wèn sān bù zhī

ask once, know nothing three times

Claiming to know nothing about something, whether through ignorance or feigned ignorance. Critical or mocking.
一窝蜂 yīwōfēng

a swarm of bees

Many people rushing off or talking all at once in a disorderly way. Mildly critical, like 'jumping on the bandwagon'.
一言堂 yīyántáng

a hall of one voice

A leader's autocratic style in which only his word counts and no dissent is tolerated. Critical.
一眨眼 yīzhǎyǎn

one blink

In an instant; very quickly.
一阵风 yīzhènfēng

a gust of wind

Very fast movement, or something that is short-lived, like a passing fad.
一枝花 yīzhīhuā

a single spray of flowers

Figuratively, a young and pretty woman, or a person who stands out for their character. It is mostly a compliment, as in 'the belle of the place'.
一锥子扎不出血 yī zhuīzi zhā bù chū xiě

a prick of an awl draws no blood

Numb and unfeeling, with no reaction to outside stimulus. Critical, describing apathy.

Every kind of Chinese saying