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饮鸠止渴 (yin3 jiu1 zhi3 ke3) Poisoned wine relief

Feature | Idioms
2010-2-7

IN a desperate situation, people tend to seek temporary relief regardless of the consequences. Most Chinese speakers would likely quote the saying "yin3 jiu1 zhi3 ke3" or "drinking poisoned wine to quench one's thirst,"...

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Leaf of sad illusiona (yi1 ye4 zhang4 mu4)

Feature | Idioms
2010-1-31

MANY young children or even adults have dreamed probably once in their lives of having a magic cloak or stick that will make them invisible whenever they choose. The Chinese idiom "yi1 ye4 zhang4 mu4" or "blocking...

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一丘之貉 (yi1 qiu1 zhi1 he4) Outspoken to death

Feature | Idioms
2010-1-24

"YI1 qiu1 zhi1 he4" meaning " jackals from the same lair," could be considered one of the most deadly expressions of the Chinese language. It is so regarded because it brought death to the outspoken official who...

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Worth weight in gold (yi1 nuo4 qian1 jin1)

Feature | Idioms
2010-1-17

A trustworthy person must be one who is true to his word. The Chinese show great respect for such people and have preserved in their language the idiom "(yi1 nuo4 qian1 jin1)" to describe anyone whose "promise is weightier...

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(yi1 ming2 jing1 ren2) The first sweet song

Feature | Idioms
2010-1-10

FROM time to time, an obscure person may leap to fame with a single brilliant feat. In China, people tend to quote the idiom "yi1 ming2 jing1 ren2" or "amazing the world with its first song," to describe anyone who...

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悬梁刺股 (xuan2 liang2 ci4 gu3) Studies can be painful

Feature | Idioms
2009-12-27

CHINESE students are known for their hard work and self-discipline. This is natural since the tradition of "studying assiduously" has been followed here for thousands of years. "xuan2 liang2 ci4 gu3" is one of...

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From brotherly beans (xiang1 jian1 tai4 ji2)

Feature | Idioms
2009-12-20

FIGHTING and killings among brothers are always tragic. Such as the persecution of Cao Zhi, a famous writer in ancient China, by his own brother. But this particular story did have one good result -- the idiom...

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胸有成竹 (xiong1 you3 cheng2 zhu2) Life lesson from artist

Feature | Idioms
2009-12-13

LIKE everywhere else in the world, to develop a well-thought-out plan before embarking upon a new undertaking is deemed to be wise and advisable by Chinese. However, the Chinese tend to describe such prudent...

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物以类聚 (wu4 yi2 lei4 ju4) Birds of a feather ...

Feature | Idioms
2009-12-6

BIRDS of a feather flock together" is a popular phrase in English to describe how people of similar minds tend to get together. In the Chinese language, there is a comparable expression, "wu4 yi2 lei4 ju4" or...

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味如鸡肋 (wei4 ru2 ji1 lei4) Chicken ribs maneuver

Feature | Idioms
2009-11-29

CAO Cao, ruler of the Kingdom of Wei (AD 220-265), was not only a famous strategist and poet, but also the creator of a number of Chinese sayings which are still popular today. One such expression is "wei4 ru2...

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Duke's poetic advice (wei4 yu3 chou2 mou2)

Feature | Idioms
2009-11-22

SOME Chinese expressions have originated from popular verses. The idiom "(wei4 yu3 chou2 mou2)," or "repair the house before it rains," is an example of just such a saying as it comes from a poem written by a politician...

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危如累卵 (wei1 ru2 lei3 luan3) An eggy tale of risk

Feature | Idioms
2009-11-15

THE English term "house of cards" suggests a flimsy structure, arrangement or situation that is in danger of collapsing or failing. Chinese people have a similar phrase - a pile of eggs. However, it is more precarious...

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望梅止渴 (wang4 mei2 zhi3 ke2) The power of illusions

Feature | Idioms
2009-11-8

WHEN Chinese say that someone is trying to satisfy his or her desires by illusion, they frequently use the phrase "wang4 mei2 zhi3 ke2" The literal meaning is to quench one's thirst by looking at imaginary fresh plums. ...

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Never too late to fix (wang2 yang2 bu3 lao2)

Feature | Idioms
2009-11-1

THE idiom "wang2 yang2 bu3 lao2" or "mending the sheepfold after losing sheep" has been used as a piece of helpful advice in China for centuries, probably because it is often found that it's never too late to take...

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Folly of the senses (wan2 wu4 sang4 zhi4)

Feature | Idioms
2009-10-25

WHILE many Chinese people love hobbies, it is a cherished notion that it is best to distance one's self from any indulgence that interferes with one's career pursuits. The principle is best expressed in a 3,000-year-old...