As New Year’s Day approaches, it’s the perfect time to embrace tradition, exchange heartfelt blessings, and spread joy to loved ones. Chinese blessings for the New Year are not just words but meaningful wishes that reflect hopes for prosperity, peace, and success in the year ahead.…
In Chinese culture, numbers are imbued with deep meanings and often symbolize good fortune and auspiciousness. In this article, we delve into nine popular Chinese idioms that feature the numbers 1 to 9. Each idiom not only conveys a powerful message but also reflects the rich cultural values that underpin the language.…
Chinese culture is rich in idioms, many of which use food-related metaphors to convey complex ideas. Have you ever come across the intriguing phrase “闭门羹 (bì mén gēng)” and wondered what it truly means? Or is it delicious?
Actually, “闭门羹 (bì mén gēng)” is a Chinese idiom that means “cold shoulder” or “refusal.”…
Chinese proverbs and idioms distribute old knowledge that has stood the test of time. Many consider them to be absolute truths, or at the very least very compelling words of wisdom, and they are frequently employed to establish a point or used as grounds to win debates.…
Answer: 1. A
Xiǎomíng: Zhè shì nǐ de Gǎn’ēn jié lǐwù, zhù nǐ jiérì kuàilè. 小明：这是你的感恩节礼物，祝你节日快乐。 Xiaoming: This is your Thanksgiving gift. Happy holidays!
Xiǎohóng: Xièxie nǐ, nà wǒ yě děi
, zhège shì nǐ de lǐwù. 小红：谢谢你，那我也得
， 这个是你的礼物。 Xiaohong: Thank you!…
Thanksgiving Day (感恩节 Gǎn’ēn jié) is approaching fast and you know what that means? Everyone is taking the time to think about what they are truly grateful for in their lives. It’s becoming more and more popular to practice the art of expressing and reflecting on what you are grateful for as a daily habit.…
Answer: 1. A
Xiǎo Lǐ: Wèishénme Xiǎo Hóng kànqǐlái bù gāoxìng ？ 小李：为什么小红看起来不高兴？ Xiao Li: Why does Xiao Hong look unhappy?
Xiǎo Míng: Tā hé Xiǎo Zhāng yīnwèi jiè dōngxi de shìqing chǎojià le, tāmen zǒngshì wèile jīmáosuànpí de xiǎoshì zhēngchǎo. 小明：她和小张因为借东西的事情吵架了，他们总是为了鸡毛蒜皮的小事争吵。 Xiao Ming: Because she quarreled with Xiao Zhang about borrowing things.…
We’ve all been in circumstances where minuscule things were blown way out of proportion. According to many people in cities all around the world, wasting time on trivial things is a laughing matter, and basically has little to no place in the fast-paced and modern world.…
Answer: 1. C
Wénzhāng zuìhòu yí duàn shífēn jīngcǎi, zài wén zhōng qǐ dào le huàlóngdiǎnjīng de zuòyòng. 文章最后一段十分精彩，在文中起到了画龙点睛的作用。 The last paragraph of the article is very wonderful, so much so that it serves as the article’s finishing touch.
As we learned, the meaning of “画龙点睛 (Huàlóngdiǎnjīng)” is to add the finishing touch to a piece of writing or artwork or speech.…
画龙点睛 (Huàlóngdiǎnjīng)
“画龙点睛 (Huàlóngdiǎnjīng)” is a Chinese idiom that translates literally as “dotting the eyeball when painting a dragon.” It’s used to describe adding that finishing touch that brings a work of art to life, or adding a word or two to clinch the point.
Let‘s Break down This Chinese Idiom 画 (Huà) draw
龙 (Lóng) dragon
点 (Diǎn) point, dot, spot
睛 (Jīng) eyeball (It’s often paired with “眼 (yǎn) eyes,” hence “眼睛 (yǎnjīng) eyes.”)…
Answer: A Analysis: “狼心狗肺 (Lángxīngǒufèi)” describes a kind of person who is lacking empathy or kindness as someone who has the heart of a wolf and the lung of a dog. Frank is obviously lacking in these qualities. So, the answer is A.
There are words that we use in Chinese mostly on dramas or TV shows because their meaning is pretty negative for daily life.
This Chinese idiom phrase is one of those that I have never actually used when talking to a person, but I hear it on TV all the time.…
It was a lovely summer’s day where I just couldn’t say inside.
The beautiful riverside park near my home was calling me. In an unexpected twist that caused the perfect day, I ran into some of my old students playing badminton on the courts.
There was one student playing who was very uncoordinated, but so cute and positive about it, that he was still a blast to play with.…
Answer: D The Chinese idiom “瞎猫碰上了死耗子 (Xiāmāo pèng shàng le sǐ hàozi)” means “blind luck.” So, the answer D is correct as a person winning unexpectedly is a kind of blind luck.
Misfortune may actually be a blessing To Waste One’s Talent on A Petty Job If You Give Someone an Inch, They Will Take a Mile <<Back to “What It Means If You Are the Blind Cat in A Chinese Idiom”…
画蛇添足 (Huàshétiānzú) Draw a snake and add feet to it
蛇 (shé): n. snake
画 (huà): v./n. to draw/picture
Chǔguó yǒu gè guìzú. 楚国 有 个 贵族。 During the Chu dynasty, there was an aristocrat.
Jì guò zǔzong yǐhòu, tā bǎ yì hú jìjiǔ shǎng gěi bāngmáng de púrén.…
Key Learning Point (Preview):
待 (dài): v. to wait/to wait for
Cóngqián, yǒu yí gè nóngfū. 从前，有一个农夫。 Once upon a time, there was a farmer.
Yì tiān, zài tā gēngtián de shíhou, hūrán pǎo guò lái yì zhī yětù, 一 天，在他耕田的时候，忽然跑过一只 野兔， qiàhǎo pèng zài yí gè shùzhuāng shàng, bózi zhé duàn sǐ le.…
“大材小用 (dàcáixiǎoyòng)” literally means “to use big materials to do small things.” It is used now to express that talented people are being misused. Key Learning Point (Preview): 大材小用 (dàcáixiǎoyòng) to waste one’s talent on a petty job
Idiom Story:
Listen to the whole story
Nánsòng mò, Jīnguó búduàn nán qīn.…
“得寸进尺 (décùnjìnchǐ)” means that if you give someone an inch, they will take a mile. Nowadays, people usually use this expression to describe someone who is very greedy.
Key Learning Point (Preview):
得寸进尺(décùnjìnchǐ) If give someone an inch, he will take a mile.
Idiom Story:
Zhànguó mò qī, qī xióng zhēng bà.…
Key Learning Points (Preview): 回家 (huíjiā): v.
to go home
然后 (ránhòu): adv. then/after that
Listen to the whole story:
Wèiguó yǒu gè jiào Yuè Yángzǐ de rén dào yuǎnfāng qù xúnshī qiúxué. 魏 国 有 个 叫 乐 羊子 的 人 到 远方 去 寻师 求学。 There was a man called Yue Yangzi in the Wei State who went far away to study.…
