Common idioms and proverbs L3
Here are all the common idioms and proverbs for students at level 3.
rén shòu nián fēng人寿年丰good health and bountiful harvests
hū péng yǐn lèi呼朋引类gang up
kāi chéng xiāng jiàn开诚相见be frank and open with/towards somebody
zhī jǐ zhī bǐ知己知彼know yourself and know your enemy
chūn mǎn rén jiān春满人间when spring comes, everything is full of life
cùn jìn chǐ tuì寸进尺退advance by inches and retreat by feet
xìng lín chūn mǎn杏林春满in praise of high medical skill
guì zǐ piāo xiāng桂子飘香The fragrance of the laurel blossoms filled the air.
bì xuè dān xīn碧血丹心righteous blood and loyal heart
róng wéi yī tǐ融为一体hypostatic union
qiān fān jìng fā千帆竞发thousands of sails shoot ahead
shòu yì fěi qiǎn受益匪浅benefit a great deal
háo táo dà kū号啕大哭cry loudly
pāi shǒu jiào hǎo拍手叫好clap and shout "bravo"
wén sī mǐn jié文思敏捷ability to think and write fast
cōng míng guò rén聪明过人have remarkable intelligence
bàn lù shā chū de chéng yǎo jīn半路杀出的程咬金an unexpected obtruder bouncing in halfway
ráo yǒu xìng qù饶有兴趣engrossing
bǐng xī níng shì屏息凝视be all attention
yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴free time is to be treasured
diū tóu là wěi ba丢头落尾巴lose one's head or lose one's tail
liǎng rén hé chuān yī tiáo kù zi两人合穿一条裤子two peopleshare a pair of trousers
liǎng ěr bù wén chuāng wài shì yī xīn zhuān dú shèng xián shū两耳不闻窗外事，一心专读圣贤书one does not care what is going on outside one's window and only reads books
written by sages and men of virtue
èr bā yuè luàn chuān yī二八月，乱穿衣in February and August, people dress according to the current weather
rén yào dǎo méi hē kǒu liáng shuǐ dōu sāi yá人要倒霉，喝口凉水都塞牙in case of plight, even water gets stuck between the teeth easily
guāng yīn sì jiàn rì yuè rú suō光阴似箭，日月如梭time flies
dōng liàn sān jiǔ xià liàn sān fú冬练三九，夏练三伏people who study martial arts or traditional opera and skills should practice both in the cold weather and in the hot weather
shí bā bān wǔ yì yàng yàng jīng tōng十八般武艺样样精通one is proficient in using eighteen kinds of ancient weapons
jiào tiān tiān bù yìng jiào dì dì bù líng叫天天不应，叫地地不灵praying to the heaven god doesn't work, nor does praying to the earth god
jiào huā zi yě yǒu sān gè qióng péng you叫花子也有三个穷朋友even a beggar has three poor friends
tīng jiàn fēng jiù shì yǔ听见风，就是雨hearing the wind, one jumps to the conclusion that it's going to rain
hào shì bù chū mén è shì xíng qiān lǐ好事不出门，恶事行千里good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news has wings
níng chī xiān táo yī kǒu bù chī làn xìng yī kuāng宁吃仙桃一口，不吃烂杏一筐it's better to eat a peach than a basket of rotten apricots; place quality above quantity
wěi ba qiáo dào tiān shàng尾巴翘到天上stick one's tail up to the sky; be conceited and complacent
qiú yé ye gào nǎi nai求爷爷，告奶奶ask grandparents for help; ask for help in a humble way
méi yǒu jīn gāng zuān bié lǎn cí qì huó没有金钢钻，别揽瓷器活don't volunteer to make porcelain without tools; if one doesn't have the ability, he should not take the task
huā yǒu chóng kāi rì rén wú zài shào nián花有重开日，人无再少年when the flowers wither away, they will bloom again in spring; when getting old, one can never be young again
zhè shān wàng jiàn nà shān gāo这山望见那山高when one climbs up a mountain, he thinks another one is higher; one thinks that others' job and life are better than his
bīng dòng sān chǐ fēi yī rì zhī hán冰冻三尺，非一日之寒it takes more than one cold day for the river to freeze; it takes time for things to develop into shape
shí nián shù mù bǎi nián shù rén十年树木，百年树人it takes ten years for a tree to grow to its full height, but a hundred for qualified personnel to mature; education is a long process
jǐ suǒ bù yù wù shī yú rén己所不欲，勿施于人don’t do to others as you would not be done by; don’t impose on others what you yourself don’t desire
hǎo hàn zuò shì hǎo hàn dāng好汉做事好汉当a true man has the courage to accept the consequences of his own actions
jiāng shān yì gǎi běn xìng nán yí江山易改，本性难移it's easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person's nature
jīng chéng suǒ zhì jīn shí wéi kāi精诚所至，金石为开complete sincerity can affect even metal and stone
lǎo zǐ yīng xióng ér hǎo hàn老子英雄儿好汉the son of a hero must be a stout fellow too
ruò yào rén bù zhī chú fēi jǐ mò wéi若要人不知，除非己莫为don't do it if you don't want others to know
shān wài yǒu shān tiān wài yǒu tiān山外有山，天外有天beyond the mountain there's a bigger mountain; there's always something better
chū qí bù yì gōng qí bù bèi出其不意，攻其不备do the unexpected, attack the unprepared
wú suǒ bù xiǎo无所不晓omniscient
chūn shēn sì hǎi春深似海spring is in the air
shuǐ guāng jiē tiān水光接天the waters and skies merge in one color
huà shé tiān zú duō cǐ yī jǔ画蛇添足—多此一举gild the lily - overestimating oneself and acting subjectively
shí wǔ zhī diào tǒng dǎ shuǐ qī shàng bā xià十五只吊桶打水—七上八下use fifteen buckets to draw water - the panic in your heart
làng tóu lǐ chēng chuán jiàn fēng shǐ duò浪头里撑船—见风使舵boating in the waves - look at the momentum or look at the eyes of others
dōng fàng yī qiāng xī dǎ yī bàng shēng dōng jī xī东放一枪西打一棒—声东击西put a shot in the east and a stick in the west - a tactic that makes the other party have an illusion to win by surprise
shǔ hǎ bā gǒu de yáo tóu bǎi wěi属哈巴狗的—摇头摆尾a pug - a person's head shaking, frivolous and complacent appearance
kǒng fū zǐ jiǎng yǎn chū kǒu chéng zhāng孔夫子讲演—出口成章Confucius' speech - words flow from the mouth as from the pen of a master
yī zhī jiǎo kuà zài mǎ bèi shàng bù shàng bù xià一只脚跨在马背上—不上不下one foot on the horse - a dilemma
dà jiā tí yì jiàn yī yán nán jìn大家提意见—一言难尽let's make comments - it would take too long to tell that in full
dǎ le yá dù lǐ yàn rěn qì tūn shēng打了牙肚里咽—忍气吞声beat your teeth and swallow in your stomach - being angry and reluctant to say something, swallow insult and humiliation silently
chèng tuó diào jìn jī wō jī fēi dàn dǎ秤砣掉进鸡窝—鸡飞蛋打the weight fell into the chicken nest - the hen has flown away and the eggs in the coop are broken -- all is lost
bù jiàn guān cái bù xià lèi sǐ xīn tā dì不见棺材不下泪—死心塌地no tears without seeing a coffin - be hell-bent on
yī ge chuán shang de nàn yǒu tóng zhōu gòng jì一个船上的难友—同舟共济a shipboard friend - unity and mutual assistance, working together to overcome difficulties
yī yàng huà hú lu shēng bān yìng tào依样画葫芦—生搬硬套stick closely to the pattern given - mechanically using other people's experience and copying other people's methods regardless of the actual situation
wú gēn de fú píng wú yī wú kào无根的浮萍—无依无靠rootless duckweed - loneliness and helplessness
cè suǒ guà líng yǒu shǐ yǒu zhōng厕所挂铃—有始有终toilet bell - have a beginning and an end, you can stick to it and don't give up halfway
wú duò de chuán suí bō zhú liú无舵的船—随波逐流a rudderless ship - swim with the stream, has no firm position, lacks the ability to judge right and wrong
fēi é pū huǒ zì qǔ miè wáng飞蛾扑火—自取灭亡a flying moth darts into the fire - bring about one's own destruction
jiào huā zi chī dòu fu yī qióng èr bái叫花子吃豆腐—一穷二白beggars eat tofu - be economically poor and culturally blank
dōng tiān de wén zi xiāo shēng nì jī冬天的蚊子—销声匿迹mosquitoes in winter - disappear from the scene
zhè shān kàn zhe nà shān gāo jiàn yì sī qiān这山看着那山高—见异思迁the mountain looks high - wish to change one 's work the moment one sees something different, a weak will and a lack of concentration
bā yuè shí wǔ guì huā xiāng huā hǎo yuè yuán八月十五桂花香—花好月圆sweet scented osmanthus on August 15 - the flowers are in full bloom and the moon is full, beauty and perfection
yán hú lǐ de yán qǔ zhī bù jìn yòng zhī bù jié盐湖里的盐—取之不尽，用之不竭salt in the salt lake - inexhaustible
bāo fu guà mén shuān suí shí zhǔn bèi zǒu rén包袱挂门闩—随时准备走人baggage hanging latch - ready to leave at any time
wáng pó mài guā zì mài zì kuā王婆卖瓜—自卖自夸Granny Wang sells melons - blow one's own trumpet
mǎ wěi zi chuān dòu fu tí bù qǐ le马尾子穿豆腐—提不起了horsetail and tofu - something that cannot be mentioned or is not worth mentioning
cǎi zhe gāo qiāo guò dú mù qiáo yì gāo dǎn dà踩着高跷过独木桥—艺高胆大walking on stilts across a single wooden bridge - boldness comes from superb skill
kū shù gēn shang jiāo shuǐ bái fèi gōng fu枯树根上浇水—白费功夫water the roots of dead trees - hard work equals nothing
shǐ ke láng diē fèn kēng bǎo cān yī dùn屎壳郎跌粪坑—饱餐一顿dung beetle falling into a dungpit - have a big meal
nì shuǐ xíng zhōu bù jìn zé tuì逆水行舟—不进则退sail against the current - if you don't go forward, you will go back
hē shuǐ dōu yào sāi yá fèng tài dǎo méi喝水都要塞牙缝—太倒霉keep your teeth shut when you drink water - very unlucky
zhēn jiān duì mài máng zhēn fēng xiāng duì针尖对麦芒—针锋相对needle tip to wheat awn - sharp opposition between the two sides in terms of strategy, argument and mode of action
jìn shuǐ de pào zhàng bù shēng bù xiǎng浸水的炮仗—不声不响submerged artillery - no sound
shā jī gěi hóu kàn shā yī jǐng bǎi杀鸡给猴看—杀一儆百kill the chicken to frighten the monkey—punish someone as a warning to others
dà dù pó guò dú mù qiáo tǐng ér zǒu xiǎn大肚婆过独木桥—铤而走险big belly woman crossing the single wooden bridge - rush into danger
jǐng dǐ lāo yuè liàng kōng huān xǐ井底捞月亮—空欢喜fish for the moon at the bottom of the well - empty joy
shuǐ dī chuān shí fēi yī rì zhī gōng水滴穿石—非一日之功water drops pierce the stone - Rome was not built in a day
fēi jī shang duì gē chàng gāo diào飞机上对歌—唱高调duet on the plane - use hig-flown words
jī dàn zá shí tou bù zì liàng lì鸡蛋砸石头—不自量力eggs hit stones - overestimate the strength
mǎi le mào zi dài bu shàng bù duì tóu买了帽子戴不上—不对头buy a hat but couldn't wear it - inconformity
píng fáng mén qián bù lòu yǔ yǒu yán zài xiān平房门前不漏雨—有言在先there is no rain leakage in front of the bungalow door - make clear beforehand
zéi wá zi jìn tiě jiàng pù dào tiē贼娃子进铁匠铺—倒贴the thief going into the blacksmith's shop - the person who should have received money and things in turn gave money, things, etc
huáng shǔ láng zuān jī lóng xiǎng tóu jī黄鼠狼钻鸡笼—想投机weasel drills chicken cage - be opportunistic
lài há ma tiào shuǐ jǐng bù dǒng癞虾蟆跳水井—不懂the toad jumped into the well - don't get it
huáng jiàng diào zài kù dōu lǐ bù shì sǐ yě shì sǐ黄酱掉在裤兜里—不是死，也是死the yellow sauce falling into the trouser pocket - if you have no choice, you will die
jīn zi dāng zuò huáng tóng mài qū cái金子当做黄铜卖—屈才gold is sold as brass - inability to give full play to talents
diàn xiàn gān shang diào nuǎn hú gāo shuǐ píng电线杆上吊暖壶—高水平hang kettle on electric pole - high level
cóng hé nán dào hú nán nán shàng jiā nán从河南到湖南—难上加难from henan to hunan - extremely difficult
gé chuāng chuī lǎ ba míng shēng zài wài隔窗吹喇叭—名声在外horn blowing through partition window - well-renowned
cán bǎo bao de zuǐ chū kǒu chéng shī蚕宝宝的嘴—出口成诗silkworm baby's mouth - eloquence
