Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 一鼓作气 Pinyin: yī gǔ zuò qì Literal Meaning: Rally courage at the first beat of the war drum; Using the first drumroll to raise morale and launch an attack Figurative Meaning: Press ahead and finish a task in one go while enthusiasm and energy are at their peak. Cultural Background…
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 一鸣惊人 Pinyin: yī míng jīng rén Literal Meaning: Its single cry stuns everyone. Figurative Meaning: Someone who stays obscure for a long time suddenly achieves remarkable success and amazes others. Cultural Background This is a classic inspirational Chinese idiom with two recorded ancient sources. It tells the story of a…
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 煮豆燃萁 Pinyin: zhǔ dòu rán qí Literal Meaning: Boil beans with bean stalks as fuel. Figurative Meaning: Brothers or close kin attack and harm one another. Cultural Background This idiom comes from a well-known story of the Cao brothers during the Three Kingdoms period. Cao Pi (曹丕), the new emperor,…
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 价值连城Pinyin: jià zhí lián chéngLiteral Meaning: Worth a cluster of connected cities, worth several cities.Figurative Meaning: Extremely precious and invaluable Cultural Background Derived from the tale of the He Shi Bi jade, a legendary ancient treasure. The idiom is used to praise rare treasures, precious artworks or invaluable talents. In…
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 江东父老Pinyin: jiāng dōng fù lǎoLiteral Meaning: Elders and folks living east of the Yangtze RiverFigurative Meaning: Hometown elders, clansmen and fellow townsfolk Cultural Background The phrase originates from the tragic story of the ancient hero Xiang Yu. It is commonly used when people feel ashamed and defeated, unwilling to face…
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 假途灭虢Pinyin: jiǎ tú miè guóLiteral Meaning: Seize a state by borrowing passage through its territoryFigurative Meaning: A crafty tactic of taking advantage of asking for passage to invade and eliminate the target party secretly Cultural Background The idiom comes from Spring and Autumn Period history. It exposes deceptive military and…
Chinese Idiom: 狡兔三窟Pinyin: jiǎo tù sān kūLiteral Meaning: A cunning hare has three burrows.Figurative Meaning: One keeps multiple hideouts or backup plans to avoid dangers and troubles. Cultural Note This idiom originates from a classic political story in ancient China. It depicts prudent survival wisdom, referring to people who prepare multiple ways out to…
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 破釜沉舟Pinyin: pò fǔ chén zhōuLiteral Meaning: Smash cooking pots and sink sailing boats.Figurative Meaning: Fight a decisive battle with no retreat. It also means making a firm resolution to carry things through regardless of difficulties. Cultural Background Derived from a well-known ancient military story – Xiang Yu’s Gamble at Julu.…